Steam Engint. SQ9 
western Waters, I endeavoured to impress upon his mind^ 
the great utility and high importance of ^team boats ^ to be 
propelled on them ; telling him that I had discovered a 
steam engine so powerful according to its weight, that it 
would, by means of paddle wheels (which I described to 
him) readily drive a vessel against the current of those wa- 
ters with so great speed as to be highly beneficial. Mr^ 
Jackson proves that he understood me welh for he has 
lately written letters, declaring, that about twenty- six 
years before their date, I did describe to him the princi-^ 
pies of the steam engine that I have since put into opera- 
tion to drive mills, which he has seen— and that I also 
explained to him my plan for propelling boats by my 
steam engine, with paddle xvheels^ describing the very 
kind of wheels now used for this purpose ; and that I then 
declared to him my intention to apply my engine to this 
particular object, as soon as my pecuniary circumstances 
would permit* 
In the year 1800 or 1801, never having found a mait 
willing to contribute to the expence, or even to encou^ 
rage me to risque it myself, it occurred to me that though 
I was then in full health, I might be suddenly carried off 
by the yellow fever, that had so often visited our city, 
(Philadelphia) or by some other disease or casualty, to 
which all are liable, and that I had not yet discharged my 
debt of honour to the state of Maryland^ by producing 
the steam wagon. I determined, therefore, to set to 
I .work the next day and construct one* I first waited up- 
I ®n Robert Patterson^ esq, professor of mathematics in the 
I university of Pennsylvania, and explained to him my 
j principles, as I also did to Mr. Charles Taylor^ steam 
' engineer, from England* They both declared these 
principles to be new to them, and highty worthy of a fair 
experiment, advising me without Aelay to prove them ; 
in hopes I might produce a more simple, cheap and poW^ 
VqL IL D n 
