546 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



raise themselves in obstinate resistance to her passage, is a 

 proud triumph of human ingenuity. The owners, as the highest 

 tribute they had in their power to offer to his genius, and as an 

 evidence of the gratitude they owed him, called her the Fulton." 



Early in 1814, the United States and England being at war, 

 Fulton conceived the idea of a steam vessel-of-war, capable of 

 carrying a strong battery, with furnaces for redhot shot, and 

 sailing four miles an hour. Congress authorized the construc- 

 tion of such a floating battery, and the keel was laid on the 

 18th of June. The vessel was launched on the 27th of October 

 the same year, in the midst of excited and applauding throngs. 

 Before she sailed, however, her engineer and builder had been 

 removed to another sphere : Fulton died on the 24th of Febru- 

 ary, 1815. The Legislature paid an unusual tribute to his 

 memory : they resolved to wear mourning for three weeks. 

 This manifestation of regret for the loss of a man who had 

 never held office nor served his country in any public capacity 

 was entirely unprecedented. 



On the 4th of July, the steam-frigate made a trial trip, and, 

 with her engines alone, sailed fifty-three miles in eight hours 

 and twenty minutes. The following description of the Fulton 

 the First, as she was called, is given by the committee appointed 

 to examine her in behalf of Congress : — " She is a structure 

 resting on two boats and keels separated from end to end by a 

 channel fifteen feet wide and sixty-six feet long. One boat con- 

 tains the caldrons of copper to prepare her steam ; the cylinder 

 of iron, its piston, lever, and wheels, occupy part of the other. 

 The water-wheel revolves in the space between them. The 

 main or gun deck supports the armament, and is protected by a 

 parapet, four feet ten inches thick, of solid timber, pierced by 

 embrasures. Through thirty port-holes as many thirty-two 

 pounders are intended to fire redhot shot, which can be heated 

 with great safety and convenience. Her upper or spar deck, 

 upon which several thousand men might parade, is encompassed 



