238 Original Articles. [ April, 
and Delaware ; he induced several moneyed men to assist him, and after 
a considerable outlay, constructed a steam-boat, which, however, only 
attained a speed of 3 miles an hour. The shareholders were, notwith- 
standing, induced to make another trial; and a second vessel was 
completed, which went 8 miles an hour. 
Another American, James Ramsey, had also taken out a patent, 
and in 1788 he came over to England, where he induced a wealthy 
American merchant to join him in building a steam-boat ; but Ramsey 
died before its completion. The vessel was finished and afloat in 
1793, when she made several trips on the Thames, effecting about 
4. knots per hour. 
In the year 1801, Lord Dundas, a large proprietor in the Forth 
and Clyde Canal, employed Mr. Symington to conduct a series of expe- 
riments on steam-boats, in order that they might be substituted for the 
horses which were used for drawing the canal boats. These experi- 
ments resulted in the construction of the first practical steam-boat, 
named the ‘Charlotte Dundas.’ The particulars of the trial of this 
boat are described as follows :— 
“‘ Having previously made various experiments, in March, 1802, at 
Lock No. 20, Lord Dundas, the great patron and steam-boat promoter, 
along with Archibald Spur, Esq., of Elderslie, and several gentlemen 
of their acquaintance, being on board the steam-boat, took in tow two 
loaded vessels, the ‘Active’ and ‘ Huphemia’ of Grangeworth, Gow 
and Ephine masters, each upwards of 70 tons burden, and with great 
ease carried them through the long reach of the Forth and Clyde 
Canal to Port Dundas, a distance of 193 miles, in six hours, although 
during the whole time it blew a very strong breeze right ahead, so 
much so that no other vessel could move to windward in the canal 
that day.” 
This placed beyond a doubt the utility of the steamer in canals 
and rivers, and ultimately on the seas. In spite, however, of the great 
success of this experiment, objections were raised by the proprietors 
of the navigation to the use of steam-boats, fearful lest the banks of 
the canal would suffer from the wash of the undulation produced by 
the paddle-wheels. The ‘Charlotte Dundas’ was therefore laid aside, 
and, with very few exceptions, no further experiments have been made 
with steam navigation in canals; where such has been the case, the 
screw has been resorted to. 
In 1806, Robert Fulton, an American engineer, commenced a 
steam-boat, which was completed in 1807, and destined to run between 
New York and Albany, a distance of 120 miles, which she accom- 
plished in about 380 hours. The terror and surprise of the people at 
Albany was very great when they saw this strange ship approaching 
them, and is thus described by an American journalist :— 
“She had the most terrific appearance from other vessels that were 
navigating the river. The steamer, as many do now in America, used 
dry pine wood for fuel, which sent forth a column of ignited vapour 
many feet above the flue; and whenever the fire was stirred, a galaxy 
of sparks flew off, and in the night had a very beautiful appearance. 
Notwithstanding the wind and tide were averse to its approach, they 
