THE 



QUARTERLY JOURNAL 



OP 



SCIENCE, LITERATURE, AND ART. 



An Account of some of the Steam-Boats navigating the Hudson 

 River in the State of New York. In a Letter from Mr. 

 Renwick, Professor of Natural and Experimental Philo- 

 sophy and Chemistry in Columbia College, to Captain 

 Edward Sabine, R.A., Secretary of the Royal Society. 



You ask of me some further particulars in relation to the steam- 

 boats on the Hudson, that I mentioned to you as so remark- 

 able for their speed. I shall endeavour to give you all the 

 information on this subject that is in my power. 



Immediately upon the decision of the question between the re- 

 presentatives of Chancellor Livingston and Fulton, and those who 

 contended for a free navigation, by which decision the exclusive 

 grant vested in the former by the State of New York was set 

 aside, several companies undertook the construction of passage- 

 boats propelled by steam. Two of these were mere copies of 

 the boats of Fulton, but lighter in frame, and propelled by 

 engines more powerful in proportion ; they, therefore, exceeded 

 the boats of the old company in speed. Two others were con- 

 structed princi[)ally for the purpose of towing each a large pas- 

 sage-boat. These were fitted up in a splendid manner ; and, 

 from the comparative safety and comfort which they afforded, 

 it was the general anticipation that they must obtain a prefer- 

 ence. Various other boats, from other lines of communication, 

 were also put upon the river ; but no expectation seems to have 

 existed at first, that it would be possible to make the passage to 



JULY—SEPT. 1828. B 



