58 BUIaLETIX 127, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 



some time in the year 1806. The engines that he tried in 1802, 1803, 

 and 1801 were all noncondensing, and the boilers were all multi- 

 tubular, in which steam of a high pressure was maintained. 



The introduction of the screw propeller to general use was made 

 simultaneously by Smith in England and by Ericsson in the United 

 States. Both were men of great ability. Each considered himself 

 the inventor of the screw propeller. Each took out patents in 

 England in 183G and in the United States two or three years 

 afterwards. Each patent differed radically from the other. Neither 

 patent, for the general application of the screw propeller, was sus- 

 tained either here or abroad, and neither Smith nor Ericsson pat- 

 ented additional improvements on the screw propeller. 



Each built small screw vessels in England that were successfully- 

 tried in 1837, Smith's being of 6 tons burden with a wooden screw, 

 driven by a 6-horsepower engine ; and Ericsson's, named the Francis 

 B. Ogden, with sheet-iron screw having about double the tonnage 

 and power. 



Each built larger screw vessels that were successfully tried in 

 England in 1839. Smith's vessel, the Archimedes, being upward 

 of 200 tons burden and driven by engines designed by Eennie, of 

 90 horsepower. It circumnavigated the island of Great Britain in 

 May, 1840. Ericsson's vessel, the Robert F: Stockton, smaller and 

 with less power, was tried in England under steam and then, in 

 April, 1839, crossed the Atlantic under sail. 



Each introduced the screw propeller on merchant vessels in 1840. 



Each introduced the screw propeller on war vessels in 1843 — 

 Ericsson on the Princeton and Smith on the Rattler. 



Both were materially assisted in the introduction of the screw 

 propeller into use by the improvements of those who built screw- 

 propeller vessels independently of the patents of the other. 



The plan of Ericsson's screw propeller on the Rohert F. Stockton 

 was in exact accordance with his patent. Smith's plan on the 

 Archimedes varied considerably from his patent. 



Both finally modified their screw propellers, as patented, into the 

 short screw propellers now in common use. 



Model of Robert Fulton's steamboat " Clermont." 



The first steamboat commercially successful was built in the city 

 of New York by Robert Fulton and made its first trip from New 

 York to Albany in August, 1807. 



A carvel-built, flat-bottom, scowlike vessel, with sharp vertical 

 ends and perpendicular sides; straight on top; open in middle; 

 fitted with Boulton & Watt engine. 



DimeTisioiis of vessel. — Length, 175 feet; beam, 12 feet; depth, 

 8 feet. Scale of model, one-half inch equals 1 foot. 



