170 REPORT OF NATIOXA: MUSEUM, 1889. 



tional Museum, and considerable iuteresfc was already manifested by the 

 public in the small collection which he had succeeded in getting together. 

 He was requested to secure additional material to supplement this col- 

 lection, and to send to Cincinnati a comprehensive exhibit which should 

 illustrate so far as practicable, the development of the principal 

 systems of transportation in the various countries of the world. 



He outlined a scheme based on the different motive powers, including 

 man, the various animals, wind, steam, and electricity. In the division 

 of steam transportation, special attention was given to the development 

 of the railroad, and numerous models were secured illustrating the 

 growth of the locomotive, the car, and the track, including rail, road- 

 bed, and bridge. These were supplemented by a map, showing by de- 

 cades the progress of railroad construction in the United States. The 

 track exhibit was especially complete, containing scale models of nearly 

 every style used in this country since the introduction of railroads, and 

 also much interesting material from foreign lands. The collection con- 

 tained many articles of historic interest, including models or drawings 

 of many of the earliest locomotives and steam-boats, chief among which 

 were Murdoch's high-pressure locomotive, 1784; Trevithick's locomotive, 

 1804; Stevens's experimental locomotive, 1825; "Rocket" and "Stour- 

 bridge Lion," both of 1829; Hull's steam-boat, 1739; Rumse.v's steam- 

 boat, 1787; steamer "F. R. Stockton," 1839; also, the original papers, 

 signed by Louis XYI of France in 1791, granting a patent to John Fitch 

 for steam-boat propellers. 



The systematic exhibit already referred to was supplemented by an 

 independent series showing the early methods of transportation in the 

 original Northwest Territory. This collection, as was expected, proved 

 of special interest to the exposition visitors, a majority of whom were 

 residents of Ohio and adjoining States. It included a model of the 

 " Sandusky," 1837 — the first locomotive in the State of Ohio, and of the 

 " Orleans," 1812 — the first steam-boat on the Ohio River. 



While uumerous collections had previously been prepared to illus- 

 trate the progress of one or another of the various systems of trans- 

 portation, this was, so far as we know, the first attempt ever made to 

 bring them all together, and to treat them systematically in one com- 

 prehensive series. 



Much assistance was rendered by the Baltimore and Ohio, and Pennsyl- 

 vania Railroad Companies, both of which furnished valuable collections 

 showing the progress made on their respective lines; and by the officers 

 of the Stevens Institute at Hoboken, N. J., who loaned various objects 

 of historical interest and allowed photographs and models of others to 

 be made. 



SECTION OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE. 



This exhibit was sent for the purpose of showing the various types 

 of vessels of the world, especially those of North America. It was pre- 

 pared by Capt, J. W. Collins, Curator of the Section of Naval Archi- 



