2 Account of Steam-boats 



or from Albany between sunrise and sunset. All these boats 

 were upon the low pressure principle, with condensing engines 

 differing only in detail from the double engine of Watt. 



Many months, however, had not elapsed, before an attempt 

 was made to shorten the passage by the employment of more 

 powerful means of propulsion. A boat was constructed upon 

 a model apparently well adapted for quickness, being very 

 similar to that of a fast sailing ship. This boat was furnished 

 with an engine on the plan of Woolf, with two cylinders, one 

 of which acted by high pressure, the other receiving steam of 

 the first, as a condensing engine. This vessel, it was hoped 

 by the proprietors, would be able to perform the passage be- 

 tween New York and Albany in about twelve hours. She did 

 not, however, succeed in this ; her average passages being at 

 least sixteen hours. A similar attempt was made by means of 

 a boiler generating high steam, communicating with a cylinder 

 of more than the usual length, and acting then by its expan- 

 sion ; the steam being afterwards condensed. This boat also 

 failed in realizing the anticipations of its proprietors. 



The competition produced by the increased number of steam- 

 boats, all of them much less costly than the boats of the Fulton 

 company, had such an effect upon the price of the passage, that 

 that association could no longer continue the contest ; its boats 

 were therefore withdrawn, and sold to persons who have applied- 

 them to other objects. When the representatives of Fulton 

 had thus withdrawn from the contest, the Messrs. Stevens, sons 

 of one of the original researchers for the method of propelling 

 boats by steam, entered into the competition. These gentlemen 

 had hitherto kept aloof from it, from highly honourable and deli- 

 cate feelings, being unwilling to assist in destroying the prospects 

 of the heirs and other representatives of Livingston and Fulton. 

 When, however, they found that this company had abandoned 

 the hope of maintaining a successful competition, and had 

 withdrawn their boats, they felt no longer precluded from avail- 

 ing themselves of a privilege, now opened to all. Their first 

 step was to bring round from Philadelphia a new vessel they 

 had constructed there for the navigation of the Delaware. 

 Upon that river no exclusive privilege had ever existed, and. 



