10 



&l)c jTarmcv's IBo ntljhj fateitor . 



Steam Navigation. 

 The present great increase of personal inter- 

 course between the people of different nations, 

 is the result of different applications of the 

 steam engine. Many who look upon splendid 

 steamers, forget that they are the result of a dif- 

 ferent application of the steam engine from that 

 of the locomotive. It is true that the difference 

 is great, hut still there is a similitude. It is the 

 steam engine that may he called the great civil- 

 izer of the present age. The application of the 

 steam engine to navigation has created a perfect 

 revolution in commerce already, although it is as 

 yet hut in its infancy. The origin of applying 

 steam to propel vessels is claimed by many. 

 Pap'm, in 1G90, proposed to propel boats by racks 

 and pinions with pistons working in steam cylin- 

 ders. This was undoubtedly the first steamboat, 

 although Spain claims that invention as hers in 

 the person of one Blasco de Garey, who exhibit- 

 ed his steamboat before Charles V., in 1543, at 

 Barcelona. The first patent for a steamboat was 

 granted to Jonathan Hulls, of London, in 1736. 

 He constructed a boat and the experiments were 

 very fair, but he met with much opposition and 

 abandoned the project. His method of propul- 

 sion was by a wheel at the stern. In 1786, Fitch 

 and Rumsey of this country, made some very 

 promising experiments, but from the great im- 

 perfections of their engines, their schemes were 

 abandoned. It was not until James Walt had 

 greatly improved the steam engine that it was 

 successfully applied to navigation, and it was 

 one of his engines that Fulton applied to propel 

 his ever-lo-be-remembered " Clermont," in 1807. 

 Previous to this, Messrs. Miller, Symington and 

 Taylor constructed a boat on the Forth and 

 Clyde Canal, Scotland, which went at the rate of 

 five miles ail hour, an account of which was 

 published in the newspapers of that period, but 

 that boat was laid aside for eighteen years— the 

 period when Fulton successfully ancLpermanent- 

 )y established navigation by steam. Some have 

 endeavored to make light of Fulton's claims to 

 this invention, but we must remember that it is 

 he alone who brings an invention into successful 

 operation who is entitled to the reward. It was 

 not until 1812 thai Great Britain again attempted 

 steam navigation. This was done by Henry Bell of 

 Glasgow, with a boat of twenty-five tons, named 

 the Comet. It was perfectly successful, and 

 fiom that day to this steam navigation has in- 

 creased and improved, and never been suspend- 

 ed in Britain, while in this country it is older by 

 at least five years. It is somewhat singular that 

 New York in America and Glasgow in Scotland, 

 still maintain a supremacy over other places for 

 steam-ship building— the first impulse seems 

 still to be felt. The first line of steamboats ever 

 established between tuo distant seaports was by 

 David Napier, uncle to the engineer who has fit- 

 ted up all lite engines of the Cunai'd line; this 

 was in 1818, and to this fact of steamboat en- 

 gine building having been so long in the Napier 

 family, may be attributed the facilities at com- 

 mand and the experience to guide w hich have 

 raised the name of Robert Napier to such emi- 

 nence as an engineer. 



About twenty years ago it was a common 

 opinion among seafaring men that " steamboats 

 might do very well for navigating rivers, but nev- 

 er for crossing the ocean." This idea seems 

 strange lo us now, but all men are apt lo doubt 

 new projects. What would Fulton himself now 

 say to sen the Washington, the Hermann and the 

 United States making the passage to England in 



twelve days, and a weekly communication kept 

 by steam between the United States and Britain ? 

 Perhaps it is not too much to predict that in fifty 

 years from this period, mere sailing vessels will 

 scarcely he known on the Atlantic, and for fifty 

 dollars any citizen will be able to go and visit 

 London and return to New York. Far greater 

 wonders than these have been accomplished dur- 

 ing the last fifty years. The people of Scotland 

 have erected a monument to Henry Bell at the 

 place to which his first steamboat made her first 

 trip. It is a neat pile with the inscription, "To 

 Henry Bell/' It stands upon the ruins of the 

 old Roman wall that divided the dominions of 

 the then mistress of the world from those of the 

 fierce and uncowpiercd Caledonian — it is a ro- 

 mantic spot. We hope yet to see as suitable and 

 a still more noble monument erected to Robert 

 Fulton. — Scientific American. 



From the Boston Cultivator. 

 A Persian Tale. 



One day :i fair and blooming maid, 



In all celestial charms arrayed, 



With perfect form, enchanting smile, 



C.tird at a poor man's house awhile. 



The house that hour, lo hts surprise, 



Became a palace in his eyes 



He woo'il her much lo be hts own : 



She smil'd. but was not to be won : 



''For 1 have many friends to view 



Each day,'' she said," as well as you." 



But so indulgent was her care, 



She seein'd to be forever there. 



She call'd at morn, she call'd at night, 



And all immediately weni right. 



i\o pain or sorrow durst invade 



The house where she her visit paid. 



'Twas rapture all — The riding sun 



Smil'd on ihe scene of joys begun ; 



The conscious moon, with eye serene, 



Beheld the same continued scene. 



Some months of this sweet dream had past, 



The poor man saw his Iriend, at last. 



With wings he never spied before, 



Approach, but enter noi his door. 



She Epread her wings, prepared to fly, 



'■My Iriend," she stud, and seem'd to sigh, 



'■Adieu ! 1 grieve to check your mirth ; 



But we musi meet no more on earth." 



Kent to the heav'nly vision low. 



In vain he wepi and told his woe. 



"One" she replied, "I must obey, 



Commands my flight— forbids my stay; 



BuL lest, will) unavailing pain, 



You try to find me out again, 



What, yet, you have not known, I'll tell, 



Jio'.h who I am, and where I dwell." 



''Ah \" cried the swain, " 'tis well I guess 



Your name, bright maid, is Happiness." 



She smil'd assent: 'Know ihen my plan — 



I make oo fitc'U abode wilh man. 



Invited and adored by all, 



On some like you 1 deign to call. 



But if you would not for me roam, 



J Tis you must seek my nalive home, 



To mortals lent, hut never given, 



I visit here — my home is Heaven." 



B. VV. 



The School Teacher's Soliloquy. 



Botanical Curiosities. 



The Hot Houses attached to the National In- 

 stitute, where are deposited the botanical treas- 

 ures collected by the Exploring Expedition, are 

 under the superintendence of Mr. W. D. Brack- 

 enridge, who was the Botanist of the Exploring 

 Expedition, and by whose especial care many of 

 the plants were transplanted from the remotest 

 corners of the earth to the city of Washington. 

 The collection at the present lime embraces 

 somewhere about eighteen hundred species. 

 Generally speaking, they seem to be in a healthy 

 and flourishing condition, and many of them are 

 now in full bloom and glory. K has been sug- 

 gested to us, however, that the plants are too 

 closely crowded together, and that there is ereat 

 need of additional buildings, where the larger 

 specimens might be fully developed. 



Our object, however, on the present occasion, 

 is merely lo gratify the curiosity of our readers, 

 by giving them the names of some of the 

 more cutious plants to be seen in the Institute 

 Hot Houses. In the first place, then, we would 

 mention the New Zealand Flax, which the Eng- 

 lish at New South Wales are in the habit of 

 using for the manufacture of a superior quality 

 of cordage. Of the Aloe, there are to be fcund 

 here between forty and fifty species, brought 

 from the different portions of the world ; the dis- 

 play of Cacti is exceedingly rich, the species 

 and varieties numbering near one hundred and 

 fifty; beautiful .Miammosas are here, not only 

 from New Holland, but also from Mexico; also, 

 three or four specimens of the singular Banksia, 

 which derives its name from the celebrated Sir 

 Joseph Batiks. Rich specimens of the Pitcher 

 Plant, from the East Indies, are also to be seen 

 here; one plant of the Zetnia, or Hottentot 

 Bread ; air plants from Mexico ami Brazil ; 

 strange looking flowers from China, such as the 

 Chinese Lady's Slipper ; together with luxuriant 

 specimens of the Green anil Black Tea, the Cin- 

 namon, Chocolate, and Black Pepper. There is 

 also to be seen here, a small Pine tree, which 

 Mr. Brackenridge plucked with his own hand 

 from one of those mountains in California from 

 which uncounted gold is now being extracted, ac- 

 cording to the rumors of the present hour. Up- 

 on the whole, the Floral treasures of our Gov- 

 ernment are really very valuable, and we hardly 

 knew of a place in the Metropolis where our 

 readers can spend a more agreeable or profitable 

 hour. — Washington A'alional Intelligencer. 



Weary and alone the teacher stood ; 

 The wish of his heart was to do good. 

 He spoke not a wotd, but sick at heart, 

 Was wondering why Ihere did not start, 

 Parents, indulgent, and make it a rule, 

 One day ill a Icrm lo visit Ins school. 

 '"Can parents forget their child," he said, 

 » "And endure lo hear him cry lor bread. 

 And will they not see what kind of lood, 

 Milk, meat or fruit, is for his good I 

 And if ho is sick, needing their care, 

 Leave they the room while the doctor's there 7 

 If, that the body may better grow, 

 They carefully watch what they should do. 

 To heller Ihe mind, and give it power 

 Thai will fail it not in trial's dark hour V 

 By nature, the mind is weak and low, 

 And e'er it is strong, niusl much undergo. 

 The teacher 'e the doctor employed to cure 

 The mind so perfect 'Iwill ever endure. 

 And yet I lie parents have not a care — 

 Deem it sufficient — the doctor is there. 

 O ! w lien win patents try. all, to find 

 Enough of leisure for the young mind ! 

 -Fowle's Teacher's Institute. 



fX/ 53 Charcoal, ground to powder, is one of the 

 best things ever discovered to clean knives. This 

 is a late and valuable discovery. 



Mackerel Fisheries of Cape An.n. — During 

 the year 1848, there were caught by the vessels 

 from Cape Ann, sixty-one thousand two hundred 

 and fifty barrels of Mackerel, viz: From the port 

 of Gloucester, 44,810 barrels; Annisquam, 8,690 

 barrels; Rock port, 7,750 barrels. This is a much 

 larger quantity than ever caught before by the 

 Cape Ann vessels, yet in consequence of the ve- 

 ry low prices and the poor quality of ihe fish, 

 the business resulted in loss to those engaged in 

 it. Many of the vessels from Gloucester at the 

 end of the season could not meet their bills. 

 The prices of mackerel have lately improved at 

 the markets of New York and Boston. 



Steam Power. — The whole number of steam 

 engines employed at the coal mines of Schuylkill 

 co.,Pa., is one hundred and forty-two,whose aggre- 

 gate power is equal to that of four thousand five 

 hundred horses. At the estimate of ten men to 

 a horse power, they perform the labor of forty- 

 five thousand men. — TV/wiV/V (Pa.) Journal. 



