To the President of the Society for the promotion of 
Agriculture^ Arts and Manufactures^ 
Sir, 
ITH great pleasure I subjoin an abstract of 
a letter of the 23d of Sept, last, from the honorable 
Robert R, Livingston, the American minister at 
the court of France ; (having formerly had a con¬ 
versation with him on the practicability of so 
ing a boat, as that it would beat to windward with 
great expedition on the ice ; he has gratified me by 
an accurate description of one he saw in Holland, 
as a proof, that my ideas on the subject were 
not barely imaginary ;) supposing that the subject 
thereof will come within the objects of the societyo 
I am, sir, with every consideration 
Of respect and esteem. 
Your most obedient servant, 
GILBERT LIVINGSTON, 
Poughkeepsie, Jan, 28, 1803. 
‘‘ At Amsterdam I saw a beautiful ice boat in 
the navy yard, mounted ; I took a sketch of it, from 
which I shall endeavor to describe it. A thick 
plank ten feet long was placed at each end, and 
upon a runner of 28 inches long, these runners 
were segments of a circle, being 8 inches deep at 
the centre, and run to a point at the board ; they 
were shod with iron about one third of an inch 
thick, and half an inch high without the wood into 
which it was sunk, as is usual in skates. The boat 
