Mr. J. C. Oyer, 299 



us, but he was active in mind ; he was bent down con- 

 siderably, but he changed little during an interval of twenty- 

 five years, and took an interest in all that was going on ; 

 contributing in 1861 and 1866 four papers relating to in- 

 ventions the history of which he had become intimately 

 acquainted with. He had a considerable hesitation in 

 speech, and his hands, playing nervously and tremblingly 

 with his eye-glasses, gave one an idea of uncertainty in his 

 intention ; but on watching carefully his slow utterance, it 

 was found that it was unnecessary to change any word 

 when reducing his observations to writing. He was re- 

 markably sound in his judgments, moderate, and kindly. 



As an intimate friend of Fulton of steamboat fame, and 

 agent for him in this country in the early part of this cen- 

 tury, he becomes a person of interest to us, even if his own 

 inventions did not mark him as important to all interested 

 in the advance of machinery and trade, whilst his position 

 in the Society gave him an additional importance for this 

 history. 



The short account of Mr. Dyer will be made of most 

 interest if we give first one of his papers read at the 

 Society in the session 1861-1862, * On the Introduction 

 of Steam Navigation.' It has a peculiar value from being 

 the work of a man who had seen the earliest struggles in 

 America. 



Notes on the Introduction of Steam Navigation, 



By y. C. Dyer, Esq. Read Oct. 16, 1863.^ 

 * Whatever saves labour, rewards labour.' — Governor Morris. 



* The application of steam power to propel boats and 

 ships being a subject of great public interest, has from time 



> Mem. of the Soc. vol. ii. 3rd series, p. 284. 



