46 Sir J. Robison on Steam-Navigation. 



nth November 1839. 



In obedience to the request made to me yesterday at the 

 Meeting of the Society of Arts, that I should draw up a short 

 abstract of the paper then read by me, containing " a nar- 

 rative of experiments and suggestions by the late Mr James 

 Taylor (of Cumnock), for the application of steam to naviga- 

 tion," I now beg leave to forward you the following notes. 



. In the year 1785, the late IMr Miller of Dalswinton was 

 engaged in speculations on the practicability of propelling 

 vessels by paddle-wheels ; and, in 1787, he constructed a 

 double boat of 60 feet long, with paddle-wheels in the space 

 between the two vessels : these were worked by capstans turn- 

 ed by men. The speed of this vessel Avas tried against a row- 

 boat belonging to the Custom-House, which was distanced in 

 the race. 



The men at the capstans having had to make exertions which 

 could not be maintained for any long period, Mr Miller became 

 desirous of substituting some other mechanical power for that 

 of the men, and consulted Mr Taylor (at that time the tutor 

 of his sons) regarding it. On this, Mr Taylor proposed t/uet a 

 steam-eiigii/e should be applied t'o give motion to the paddle- 

 n-heels. After making some objections, Mr Miller consented 

 to be at the expense of an experiment, and authorized Mr 

 Taylor to employ a clever mechanician, of the name of Sy- 

 mington, to make a small engine with a 4-inch cylinder. This 

 was accordingly done, and on the 14th October 1788, this 

 engine having been erected on a twin-boat, the first steam- 

 boat voyage ever made,"' was successfully performed on Dal- 

 swinton Lake. 



Encouraged by the striking success of this trial, Mr Miller 

 agreed to make another on a larger scale, in consequence of 

 which Mr Tayloi', and his engineer Mr Symington, proceeded 

 to Carron Foundry, where an engine with a cylinder of 18 

 inches' diameter was prepared and fitted to a vessel, which was 

 tried on the Forth and Clyde Cahal, for the first time, in No- 

 vember 1789. This vessel moved at the rate of seven miles 



* A claim lias lately been made to the credit of this application of steam- 

 power, by M. Joui&'oy. iu 177i> rv 1770, on the SaGne in Franco. — J. K. 



