Daily National Intelligencer

NOTE UPON A NOTE

BY THE COMPILER.

We cannot but smile at the idea which this Annotator had of the steam boat. Compare what he says of it with what we see of it before our eyes, and hear of it from so many parts of Europe. It is seen in most of our rivers, most of our coasting shallows, connecting distant places by a certain, easy, and comfortable communication. The greatest triumph it enjoys among ourselves, is on the western waters, where it stems the currents of the Mississippi & opens new prospects to that region. And yet 12 or 13 years ago, this grand invention was supposed to have sunk into oblivion! How blind are frequently the most arrogant men!

As to Rumsey, we should wish to know more of his history. We recollect that his case had been before the Legislature of Virginia, and on consulting the Rolls, found the following petition in his own hand writing:

To the Honorable the Representatives of the State of Virginia, in General Assembly met—

GENTLEMEN,

Whereas your humble petitioner has formed a plan for facilitating the navigation of rapid rivers; he, therefore, doth propose to construct a certain species of boat of the burthen of ten tons, which shall sail or be propelled by the combined influence of certain mechanical powers, thereto applied, the distance of between twenty-five and forty miles per day against the current of a rapid river, notwithstanding the velocity of the water should move at the rate of five miles per hour and upwards, with the burthen of ten tons on board, to be wrought at no greater expense than that of three hands. And as a premium for so useful an invention, your petitioner prays for an act to pass this Honorable House of Assembly, granting to your petitioner, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, the sole and exclusive right of constructing, navigating, and employing boats constructed upon this new invented model to the sole use, benefit, and advantage, of your petitioner, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, upon each and every creek, river, inlet, bay, and harbor, within the limits of this commonwealth, for and during the full term and time of ten years fully to be completed and ended from the first day of January next ensuing the date hereof; or furthermore, that if it shall be the opinion of this Honorable House, that an exclusive right may not be granted to your humble petitioner, as above recited, that then, in such case, this Honorable House of Assembly will grant unto your petitioner, his heirs, &c. such premium as you in your wisdom shall deem adequate to the merits of this invention—And your petitioner shall ever pray.

JAMES RUMSEY.

Richmond, Nov. 8. 1784.

The above petition was referred to the Committee of Propositions, who made a report upon it, in the following words:

Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition is reasonable, under a proviso that the exclusive privilege, to be given to the petitioners, may at any time be abolished by the Legislature, on paying to them the sum of ten thousand pounds, current money in gold or silver.'

We do not say, that in this petition Rumsey refers to the steam boat; for his scheme is not developed. An act was passed, grounded upon the preceding resolution; but what became of the experiment, we are unable to say.

We have understood that an American, in an attempt to explain to the Royal Society of London the plan of a steam boat, or one of similar invention, was so overpowered by the novelty of the scene and the magnitude of the idea which he was about to develope, that he fell down in the midst of the assembly, and soon after expired. Was this James Rumsey or who was it? We saw the anecdote in the Port Folio about the year 1810, but the particulars have escaped our memory.