44 THE HISTORY OF [SECT. i. 



projects they have yet formed are rather extravagant than novel, being seldom 

 founded on the sober reasoning of science. Time will, however, check this evil, 

 and we may expect them to hold that rank in the New World which Britain has 

 held with such honour for some centuries in the older portion. The chief object 

 of their engineers has been to render steam useful in navigation ; and considering 

 the importance to America of navigating her immense rivers, it is not surprising 

 that the application of the power of steam to propelling vessels should by perse- 

 vering efforts have been first carried into successful practice in that continent. 

 This was achieved through the activity and zeal of Mr. Fulton, who appears 

 evidently, however, to have derived much of his knowledge of the subject from what 

 was done in Scotland. The first American steam boat that completely succeeded 

 was launched at New York on the 3rd of October, 1807, fitted with a steam 

 engine made by Boulton and Watt for Mr. Fulton in 1804 ; * and soon afterwards 

 this vessel plyed between that city and Albany, a distance of 160 miles. 



60. The successful introduction of steam navigation in Britain we owe to 

 Mr. Henry Bell, who in 1811 built a steam vessel according to his own plans, 

 with a forty feet keel, and ten feet six inch beam, fitted it up with an engine and 

 paddles, and called it the Comet, because it was built and finished the same year 

 that a large comet appeared. 



Since that time the progress of steam navigation has been exceedingly rapid, 

 and has had a most beneficial influence on the trade of the country. 



61. An almost innumerable quantity of schemes for improvements on the 

 steam engine have been crowded on the public eye within the last ten years ; but 

 except a few for improvements in construction, of small importance, there has 

 been nothing done that is worthy of detaining the reader to notice, towards either 

 the improvement of the engine, or of the mode of generating steam, so as to 

 increase the power of a given quantity of fuel. 



62. Some valuable experiments on the elastic force, bulk, and latent heat of 

 steam, made by Mr. John Southern in 1803, were published by Mr. Watt ; and 

 the experiments of Dr. Ure and Mr. P. Taylor on the elastic force of steam have 

 led to a considerable advance in theoretical investigation. The improvements in 

 the manufacture of steam engines have also been important, but we have no 

 reason to expect any material increase of its power ; it seems to have reached its 

 limit, and we might equally hope to add strength to a man or a horse. New 

 modes of applying the power of steam may be devised, and new objects may be 

 found to which it may be applied with advantage ; and its theoretical principles 

 will become more generally and more perfectly known. 



1 Fifth Report on Holyhead Roads' Steam Boats. Mr. Watt's letter, p. 210. 



