On Steam-Boats. ISl 



when the dispute on this subject took place between Hooke, 

 Huyghens, and others. Whether Richard Harris was, I know- 

 not. 



I am, sir. 



Your most obedient humble servant, ^ 



Thomas Reid. 



XXXII. On Steam-Boats. By Robertson Buchanan, Esq. 

 of Glasgow. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Dear Sir, — xxgreeably to your request. I now send you some 

 account of the steam-boats on the Clyde. 

 I am, dear sir. 



Your most obedient servant, 



Glasgow, January 9, 1815. RoBERTSON BucHANaN. 



So early as the year 1801, a vessel propelled by steam was 

 tried on the Forth and Clyde inland navigation, but was laid 

 aside, among other reasons, on account of the injury it threatened 

 the banks of the canal by the agitation of the water: and as far 

 as 1 can learn, the same objection still subsists to the use of steam- 

 boats on artificial canals so narrow as those usual in Great Bri- 

 tain. That objection, however, I should think, does not apply to 

 some of those of Holland and other countries on the continent. 



The first attempt on any scale worthy of notice, to navigate 

 by steam on the river Clyde, was in the year 1812*. A passage 

 boat of about 40 feet keel and 10^ feet beam, having a steam- 

 engine of only three horses' power, began to ply on the river. 

 Since that period the numljer of boats has gradually increased. 



Besides three vessels which have left the Clyde, there are six 

 at present plying on the river, two of which carry goods as well 

 as passengers. They have on the whole been gradually increased 

 in tonnage as well as in the power of their engines ; and still 

 larger boats and more powerful engines are now constructing : 

 among others, one of about 100 feet keel and 17 feet beam with 

 an engine of 24 horses' power; and one of equal burthen, having 

 an engine of 30 horses' power f. These boats are all neatly 

 fitted up, and some of them even elegantly decorated. 



On board all the passage steam-boats are newspapers, pam- 



* The first steam-boat in America was laiinclicd at New- York on the 

 3(1 of October 1807, and be^aii to \)\y on llie river between that city and 

 Albany, a distance of about 120 miles. 



t For the value of a horse's power, see Buchanan's Essay on Mill-work, 

 Ttcih of Wheels, p. 130. 



M 3 phlets, 



