292 MR. J. C. DYER ON STEAM NAVIGATION. 



steam-boats on the Hudson River, and their rapid increase 

 for na^dgating the other American rivers^ I undertook_, in 

 i8iij the task of inducing some of the leading engineers 

 and capitahsts of London to engage in the introduction of 

 steam-boats_, on Fulton^ s plan^ to run on the Thames and 

 other waters in this country. Beheving that they must 

 soon be adopted and become of great importance to Eng- 

 land, as they were so rapidly becoming in the United 

 States_, I had obtained from Mr. Fulton (through a mutual 

 friend) a full description and the drawings of his inven- 

 tions and discoveries relating to steam navigation, with the 

 result of his labours in America. But I found it impos- 

 sible to convince any of them that steam-boats could be 

 made to run with safety and profit in the English waters. 

 The general reply was, " We don^t doubt the success of 

 steam-boats in the large American rivers and inlets from 

 the sea, but they will never answer in our (comparatively) 

 small rivers and crowded harbours.^^ 



Many of my personal friends urged me strongly not to 

 waste my time and money on so hopeless a task as that of 

 introducing steam navigation into England. Even the 

 great and scientific engineer, John Bennie (father of the 

 present eminent Sir John Bennie), urged me, with pa- 

 rental kindness, to di'op all thoughts of bringing these boats 

 into use — and this after having Fulton's plans before him, 

 and fiilly admitting their success in America. Thus we 

 see how difficult it is to make even great men move in 

 any path before the destined time. Our late distinguished 

 townsman, Peter Ewart, Vice-President of this Society, 

 dissuaded me, as a personal friend, from trying to introduce 

 steam-boats into England, saying that " he knew of the 

 trials made here without success, as also of those in America 

 which were successful ; but it did not appear likely that they 

 could ever come into general use in the waters of Eng- 

 land.^' This opinion of Mr. Ewart was expressed in the 



