1791. "If we may credit the evidence dwell for a moment upon this period

which has been adduced," says Renwick, "the experiment was as successful as the first attempts of Fulton; but it did not give to the inventor that degree of confidence which was necessary to induce him to embark his fortune in the enterprise." Symington's subsequent attempt, in 1801, was but a renewal of the idea and plan of Miller. Fulton's first letter on the subject, to Earl Stanhope, it will be remembered, was in 1793, and his practical experiments in France began in 1802. In the history of inventions, it is not uncommon to find in this way claimants starting up after the fact is established; men of half ideas and immature efforts; intelligent dreamers, perhaps, but wanting confidence or ability to put their visions into act. It is emphatically the man who accomplishes, who makes a living reality of the immature project, who is entitled to the credit. The world thus pays a respect to Franklin for his discoveries in electricity, which he would never have gained had he not demonstrated their truth by draw ing down the lightning from heaven. Potentially, the steamboat of Fulton lay in the steam-engine of Watt. Practically, it did not exist before the American inventor directed the Clermont along the waters of the Hudson, "a thing of life." His successive adaptations and improvements in the applica tion of the steam-engine to navigation are freely admitted, even by those who dispute the honor of the first invention.

We may here pause with Professor Renwick, the biographer of Fulton, to

of success, consecrated to felicity in the marriage of the triumphant inventor with the niece of his friend and partner, Chancellor Livingston. Miss Harriet Livingston was the ornament of the society of which her eminent uncle was the head. "Preeminent," we are told, " in beauty, grace and accomplishments, she speedily attracted the ardent admiration of Fulton; and this was returned by an estimate of his talent and genius, amounting almost to enthusiasm. The epoch of their nuptials, the spring of 1808, was that of Fulton's greatest glory. Everything, in fact, appeared to concur in enhancing the advantages of his position. Leaving out of view all questions of romance, his bride was such as the most impartial judgment would have selected; young, lovely, highly educated, intelligent, possessed of what, in those days, was accounted wealth. His long labors in adapting the steam-engine to the purposes of navigation, had been followed by complete success; and that very success had opened to him, through the exclu sive grant of the navigation of the Hudson, the prospect of vast riches. Esteemed and honored, even by those who had been most incredulous while his scheme was in embryo, he felt himself placed on the highest step of the social scale."

Then followed what may be called the reaction-the test to which every species of prosperity is in some way exposed. The most ordinary acquisi tion of wealth requires the exercise of new arts and ability to retain it. Much more is the successful inventor tracked

by a new swarm of opponents. The Barlow, who had now established him. very men, perhaps, who laughed at his self at his seat, Kalorama, at Washing. folly before his invention was complet- ton. A work was published by Fuled may assist in robbing him of its re- ton, fully describing his proceedings, sults. Success, too, is sometimes expen- entitled, "Torpedo-war; or, Submarine sive. It requires constantly new outlay Explosions"-with the motto, The to meet its own vociferous demands. Liberty of the Seas will be the Happi What with the rapid increase of travel, ness of the Earth. An appropriation the consequent enlarged expenditure, was made by Congress, and new expethe necessary dependence upon stewards, riments ordered at New York, before a and above all the legal attacks upon board of observation in 1810. Comhis patent, Fulton may have felt with modore Rodgers was at the head of Frankenstein, that his mechanism had the commission. Extraordinary precau given birth and powers to a monster, tions were taken to defend the vessel destined to vex and crush him in its exposed to attack, which had the effect embrace. Instead of reaping the re- of baffling the inventor's efforts, while wards of the invention, he was entan- they proved the formidable nature of gled in a business enterprise of a costly the assailant which they were intended character, beset with legal difficulties. to guard against. Old naval officers The exclusive navigation of the waters are chary of new inventions, and, it of New York was too wide a privilege to be given by the Legislature of a single State; so that the discussion of the grant became a grave political ques-lated affair, which, if it did not cention.

This conflict of laws was especially disastrous to Fulton, in the difficulties which arose in New York and New Jersey in respect to the ferry, at the city, between the opposite shores, from which he expected a considerable reve

nue.

was thought by some, hardly showed Fulton's contrivances fair play. The report to the Government was a muti

sure, found little to commend. The invention, however, was not lost sight of when a period of actual warfare called such defences into requisition. His devices seem to have had the effect, at least, of infusing a wholesome dread into the minds of British officers, cruising about the waters in the vicin ity of New York.

Having now seen Fulton place steamboat navigation on a permament foot- An incident related of Fulton, about ing, on the Hudson, we may return to this time, by his earliest biographer, his favorite studies of the arts of mili- Cadwalader D. Colden, may be narrated tary warfare, in the destruction of ene- as an amusing exhibition of a not my's ships afloat. We find him follow-uncommon popular absurdity. An uning up the successful exhibition of the scrupulous, scientific quack, named Red"torpedo" off the Battery, by fresh heffer, had deluded the Philadelphians appeals to Government, seconded by into the belief of his discovering the social influence of his friend, Joel species of perpetual motion. He suc

ceeded in a thorough mystification, it the appearances of having suffered a is said, of some very clever people, long imprisonment, seated on a stool, whose brains were entangled in his quite unconscious of what had hap wheels and weights; for there is, at pened below, with one hand gnawing times, no more credulous person than a crust, and with the other turning a your man of science, who spins a web crank."1 The mob demolished the for his own imprisonment. Ingenious machine, and Redheffer disappeared theories were not wanting to account with his vaporous delusion. for the prodigious working of the ma In these later years of his life, for chine. Some recondite speculations, unhappily he was now approaching its well-fortified with figures, will be found close, Fulton was mainly employed at in the old "Port Folio." The appa- New York, in building and equipping, ratus was brought to New York, under the supervision of Government, and set up to the admiration of the his famous cannon-proof steam-frigate, gaping crowd, who dropped their dol- named after him, the Fulton, and in lar at the door into the pockets of perfecting his favorite devices of subthe showman, capacious as their own marine sailing vessels, in connection credulity. Fulton was, at length, in- with the torpedo warfare. The steamduced to join the crowd. The machine frigate was launched in October, 1814, was in an isolated house in the sub- but its projector did not live to witness urbs of the city. Fulton had hardly its completion. He may be said, inentered, when his practised ear detected deed, to have been a martyr to the an irregular crank motion. The whole undertaking. His constitution, not of secret was betrayed to him in this the strongest, was exposed to a severe whisper. Presently entering into con- test in mid-winter, in January, 1815, versation with the showman, he de- in a passage across the Hudson, amidst nounced the whole thing as an imposi- the ice in an open boat. He was retion; the usual amount of virtuous turning from the Legislature of New indignation was expended by the exhi- Jersey, at Trenton, whither he had biter; the visitors became excited; Ful- gone to give evidence in the protracted ton was resolute. He proposed an steamboat controversy. He was taken inspection behind the scenes, promising ill on his return home, and before he to make good any damage in the pro- was fully restored, ventured out to cess. A few thin strips of lath were superintend some work on the exposed plucked away, apparently used only to deck of the Fulton. This brought on steady the machinery, which betrayed increased illness, which speedily tera string of catgut, connecting the work minated in death, February 24, 1815. with something beyond. Following Thus perished, at the age of fifty, in this clue through an upper room, there the midst of his labors, one of the was found, at its termination, the secret most ingenious and eminent inventors of the wondrous effect, in "a poor, old man, with an immense beard, and all

Colden's Life of Fulton, p. 219.

America has produced. Nor was he a had a valuable collection, including mere mechanician distinguished in a West's Ophelia and King Lear, to a single department. His genius took a proposed National Academy at the wide range. He was an excellent seat of Government. The amiable sowriter, and might have acquired fame cial qualities of Fulton are remembered as a painter had he pursued the pro- in New York by many yet living, who fession. He always retained an affec- were his companions. "He had too tion for art, from his early efforts at much sense," remarks his friend and Philadelphia and first intimacy with biographer, Colden, "for the least affecWest in London. When his friend, tation." "He was emphatically," adds Joel Barlow, reproduced his early poem, his younger associate, Dr. Francis, "a "The Vision of Columbus" as the man of the people, ambitious, indeed, "Columbiad," in a costly quarto edi- but void of all sordid designs; he purtion, the beautiful illustrations were sued ideas more than money." His planned by Fulton, and executed under home in State street is spoken of as his direction; and it is to his pencil the seat of a genial hospitality. In that we owe the characteristic portrait person, he was tall and slender, but of the author prefixed to the work. well proportioned. The portrait by From his will, we learn that Fulton expended five thousand dollars for the engravings, printing of plates, and letterpress of the poem. He mentions this for the sake of resigning all property in the work to the widow of his friend, the author. He also in his will provides, in certain contingencies, for the gift of his pictures, of which he

West has a certain reserved look of the gentleman, with an air of meditation and refinement. His grave is in our midst in New York, in the family tomb of the Livingstons, in the ground of Old Trinity. Adjoining Wall street exchanges millions borne on every sea on the wings of his enterprise. Does she not owe her benefactor a monument?

armed himself, and Agamemnon, like vessels. The consequence was, that the him of old, was contented to seize an victorious pursuer was recalled from inferior prize from the forecastle. Bain- the chase, and the Americans, by this bridge submitted to superior force, but pious fraud, escaped. The Frenchmen vowed revenge. The first Englishman were indignant when they found themhe could take would be his own, and selves balked of their certain prey by he found and took him within a week, the deception; but they had the phifrom a merchantman. losophy or the patriotic fervor to ac quiesce in a lie in behalf of one's country. The sequel of the adventure was the release of all the prisoners by the governor of the island, who was not prepared for extreme hostilities, and the return of Bainbridge to his country in possession of the Retaliation.

It is not to be wondered at, after these gallant actions, that the government, then on the lookout for officers for its rising and suddenly developed navy, gave employment to the youthful Bainbridge. His first appointment was to the Retaliation, a vessel which, not long before, had been captured from the French, while employed as a privateer. He had the rank, known to the service at that time, of lieutenantcommandant. While sailing in this vessel in company with other ships of the West India station, he was separated in a nautical manoeuvre from his companions, and thrown under the guns of L'Insurgente, a French frigate, which with her consort, Le Volontier, was far too powerful for him to oppose. He was carried prisoner into Guadaloupe. An incident which happened on the way brings up one of those questions of the inviolability of truth more easily solved, accorded to the practice of war, than in the Court of Conscience. L'Insurgente, the better sailer of the two French frigates, was in pursuit of the American vessels, when it occurred to the captain of Le Volontier, who was the superior officer, to make inquiry of Bainbridge of the force of his country men. Thinking, according to the proverb, all fair in war, he did not hesitate to double the real force of the

Bainbridge was next placed in command of the Norfolk, one of the vessels which he had saved by his crafty overestimates. He distinguished himself as usual by his management and address in convoying merchantmen and repress ing privateers. He was also intrusted with the command of the small squadron off the Havana, where he rendered efficient service in the protection of American commerce.

In May, 1800, he was appointed Captain in the Navy, wanting but a few days of completing his twenty sixth year. The promotion was rapid; but Bainbridge had been early on duty, and served a very satisfactory apprenticeship. His first service with his new rank was a novel one, and proved to be not without its perils and picturesque incidents. He was appointed to the frigate George Washington, rated as a 24, and was immediately ordered to the Mediterranean to carry the an nual inglorious tribute of those times to the Dey of Algiers. The best that can be said of the matter is that