410 I Assembly 



vrorld. It has, iii addition, by its freights and return proceeds, in- 

 creased one half the amount of our carrying- trade. 



It was our Fulton who gave the world the Steam Engine applied 

 to Navigation. Without it, how slow, how sluggish, how lingering, 

 how tardy was our progress ! With it, what efficiency, what speed, 

 what promptitude and celerity of movement ! It has enable us to 

 accelerate our advances, and, with our skill and genius for inventions, 

 to overtake in Ihe race of competition the most advanced nations of 

 the world, in all the useful improvements. 



It was Evans who gave us the high pressure Steam Engine, singu- 

 larly adapted to the navigation of rivers, and indispensable for the use 

 of our railroads and various manufactures. It was our Blanchard 

 who gave his country the Lathe to turn unequal surfaces, and produce 

 ready for use the gun-stock for the soldiers of our country, and which 

 is now engaged and applied to the use of the fine arts in copying in. 

 marble any statuary which may be desired, — as well as for the turn- 

 ing of the shoe-last. 



We have not tune to add details. But in truth the time is not far 

 distant when it may better be asked : " What has America not done 1" 



[The speaker here paused, while the Band struck up an enlivening 

 piece of music, j 



On resuming. Gen. Tallmadge spoke of the recent remarkable 

 improvements in the Mechanic Arts, and labor-saving machinery. He 

 called attention to some specimens of cast steel made in this country, 

 under circumstances of great advancement in that particular depart- 

 ment. He said the bars exhibited were pure American manufacture. 

 It had been claimed that England alone could produce the highest 

 grade of cast steel to be used in cutlery, and that she held her advan- 

 tage by reason of peculiar clay or other materials used in the manu- 

 facture. It is a matter of national interest to us, and the Institute 

 believe the discovery complete, that the Black Lead of this country 

 makes the pots for the furnace to endure a heat adequate to the oc- 



