ON STEAM NAVIGATION IN HULL. 47 



the performance of the vessel, and assisted in the construction of the engine, 

 &c., and he gave me information on the subject. The late Mr. William 

 Bolton, to whom allusion has been made, and the late Captain Joyce, who 

 had the command of the boat, were both well acquainted with the circum- 

 stances, and communicated to me facts relating to the invention and perform- 

 ance of the steamer. 



Thus I hope I have, by this brief introduction, established the claim of 

 Hull to be ranked amongst the first in the introduction of this wonderful in- 

 vention, which has become so indispensable to the requirements of the world, 

 and so beneficial to mankind. It was not before the 12th of October in the 

 year ISl*, that the first steam-boat began to ply on the Humber as a great 

 palpable fact, when we were all in some degree excited by the novelty of 

 seeing the "Caledonia" commence running regularly between Hull and 

 Gainsborough, 



Thus while all Europe was involved in war and confusion, and empires were 

 rising and falling. Science was quietly at work ; and this, one of the most im- 

 portant discoveries ever made for the worlds' benefit, was struggling into life 

 and activity. 



The following is the first notice I can find in the Hull papers on the sub- 

 ject of steam-boats, which I copied from the "Rockingham" of the 15th of 

 October, ISl'i: — "The steam-boat Caledonia, lately arrived here, has during 

 the week been exhibiting her capabilities on the Humber ; and it appears 

 that, with both wind and tide strong against her, her speed is considerable. 

 On Wednesday she went off for Gainsborough, and the weather being favour- 

 able, reached Burton Stather in the space of an hour and a half, travelling at 

 the rate of 1 4 miles an hour." 



I also copied the following from the same paper of the 13th of May, 1815 : 

 — " The ' Caledonia,' a steam-packet, we understand last Saturday went from 

 hence up the River Ouse to Naburn, about 4 miles from York, with intention 

 of proceeding to that city, but the lock was not sufficiently wide to admit of 

 her passing through it. The packet had arrived from Hull on the same day, 

 making the whole distance in that time, 122 miles." No doubt it is intended 

 to convey the fact, that the whole distance from Hull to Naburn Lock and 

 back to Hull, traversed in one day, was 122 miles. The " Caledonia" was 

 followed by others of a more improved construction ; the " John Bull," the 

 " Humber," the " British Queen," the " Mercury," " Dart," " Rockingham," 

 and others. The " Humber" was advertised in the Hull papers on the 25th 

 of August, 1815, to run between Hull and Selby in five hours, and to carry 

 best-cabin passengers at 65., and fore-cabin passengers at 4^. each. 



Having established the safety and utility of steam-boats on rivers, the next 

 idea was to try them on the sea, but many were the doubts and fears ex- 

 pressed at so perilous an undertaking. However, notwithstanding the warn- 

 ings and prejudices of nautical men, in the year 1821 our highly respected 

 and enterprising townsmen, Messrs. Brownlow and Co., were the first to send 

 out sea-going steamers from Hull, to run between Hull and London ; and 

 the first ship they flespatched was the " Kingston," the engine of which was 

 made by the late Overton and Smith of this place. This is supposed to have 

 been the first gea-going steamer plying on the east coast of England. The 

 owners had great anxiety and expense at the commencement, but they per- 

 severed, and have triumphed in no small degree, for they have now of one 

 kind or another about fourteen steamers*. The " Kingston" was followed 

 by the " Yorkshiremau," "Prince Frederick," "London," &c. From that 

 time to the present the fleet of both river and sea-going steamers has con- 



* Ten sea-going ; four river. 



