96 



THE SEA. 



"Passengers by the Comet will receive information of the hour of sailing by applying 

 at Mr. Houslem's office, Broomielaw, or Mr. Thomas Blackney's, East Quay Head, Greenock. 



''(Signed), HENRY BELL. 

 "Helensburgh Baths, Aug. 5, 1812." 



BelFs claims to recognition are very much the same as those of Fulton and Livingston 

 in the United States. He was instrumental in bringing steam navigation to a practical 

 issue, but was not its inventor or first introducer. In 1816, he addressed an interesting letter 

 to the Caledonian Mercury, showing the intimacy which existed between himself and Fulton, 

 and proving that the leaders of the new steam movement were in frequent communication. 



BELL'S " COMET." 



In this letter he commences by recapitulating Miller's experiments in propelling vessels or 

 rafts by paddles worked by capstans or by wind, like a windmill. These ideas were 

 communicated to all the Courts of Europe, and the French, at one time, actually proposed 

 something of the nature of rafts worked by Miller's ptan, for the conveyance of troops to 

 England. Miller sent one of his capstan vessels as a present to the King of Sweden. Bell 

 makes the following statement: 



" Fulton came to the knowledge of steam-boats by employing me (H. Bell) about some 

 plans of machinery, and begged me to call on Miller and see how he had succeeded in his 

 steam-boat plan ; and if it answered, to send him full drawings and description along with my 

 machinery. I had a conversation with Miller, who gave me every information. I (H. Bell) 

 told him that his engineer was wrong, and that I intended giving Fulton my opinion on 

 steam-boats. I left Fulton's letter with Miller, 



