EARLY STEAMBOAT CONCEPTS AND TRIALS

H. Philip Spratt nicely summarized the earliest concepts and attempts to use steam power in the propulsion of boats in his “The Birth of the Steamboat”. I have listed here only the key individuals who made a significant contribution to the early development of the steamboat. These concepts and experiments were the prelude to William Symington’s seminal experiments for Lord Dundas in the years 1800-1803.

DENIS PAPIN 1690

The first proposal to propel boats by steam power came from Dr. Denis Papin (1647-1714). In 1690, he described an atmospheric steam engine and he proposed that the piston could be used to rotate paddle wheels fitted to a boat. [1][2][3] Papin built a paddleboat in 1707 but it was not driven by steam.

JONATHAN HULLS 1736

One of the earliest proposals for a steam powered paddle vessel came from Jonathan Hulls (1699-1758). His concept is illustrated in his 1736 patent and in a pamphlet which he published in 1737. [4] His plan was never put into operation.

Patent 556 21st Dec. 1736 Machine for taking vessels out of or into any harbor or river against river or tide, or in a calm. [5]

[1] Papinus, Dionysius, Nova methodus ad vires motrices validissimas levi pretio comparandas, Acta Eruditorum, Lipsiae, Augusti 1690, pages 410-414

[2] Papin, Denis, Recueil de diverses pieces touchant quelques nouvelles machines, Cassell, 1695 page 58

[3] Tourasse, M. et Mellet, F.N., Essai sur les bateaux a vapeur Paris 1828-9 page 5

[4] Hulls, Jonathan, Description and draught of a new-invented machine for carrying vessels or ships out of or into any harbour, port, or river against wind and tide or in a calm. London 1837

[5] Woodcroft, Bennet, Alphabetical Index of Patentees of Inventions first published 1854 Augustus M. Kelley 1969

A Description and Draught of a New-Invented machine for carrying Vessels or Ships Out of, or Into any Harbour, Port, or River, against Wind and Tide, or in a Calm. For which, His Majesty has Granted Letters Patent, for the Sole Benefit of the Author, for the Space of Fourteen Years. London Printed for the Author 1737

 CLAUDE-FRANCOIS-DOROTHEE, MARQIS DE JOUFFROY D’ABBANS 1783

In France, the Marquis de Jouffroy (1751-1832) is regarded as “l’inventeur de la navigation à vapeur.”

Spratt regarded his trial on the River Saone, near Lyons, in 1783 as the first successful demonstration of steamboat propulsion. Jouffroy’s vessel, the Pyroscathe, was propelled by a horizontal double acting cylinder enclosed within the boiler; the piston rod was connected to the paddle shaft by a double ratchet mechanism. Jouffroy had a 1:24 scale model of the Pyroscaphe built in 1784. This original model is now in Musee National de la Marine, Paris.

Jouffroy had made an earlier experiment in 1776 on the River Doubs, at Baume les Dames, with a boat driven by steam-worked duck's-foot paddles, but little is known of this attempt.

A SPURIOUS CONTEMPORARY NEWSPAPER REPORT 1790

Hereford Journal Wednesday 4 August 1790 page 4

NEW STEAM ENGINE. It was reported, the other day, that a man of deep refearch and acute invention had difcovered a method of navigating veffels by the power fteam, and that the experiment was making on the river Thames, near Chelfea, with a large coal barge: curiofity became excited; a large quantity of fmoke was obferved, day after day, to iffue from this veffel, without its making any confiderable progrefs—a circumftance that induced fome perfons to take a boat and go along fide her. On enquiry, they were informed that no perfons could be admitted on board till the experiment was completed, left the fecret fhould be disclofed. This reafon not proving fatisfactory, and fome fufpicion arifing, the barge was boarded, and a difcovery was made of a complete apparatus for coining: fome of the depredators were fecured, and taken into cuftody.

EARL STANHOPE 1790-1795

Much of the following detail of Stanhope’s experiments comes from Ghita Stanhope’s “The Life of Charles Third Earl of Stanhope.” [1]

Earl Stanhope was a vice president of the Society for the Improvement Architecture which was founded in 1791. [2] In 1790 Stanhope took out a patent for “constructing ships and vessels and moving them without help of sails, and against wind, waves, current or tide.” [3] His boat was tapered at each end, allowing it to sail with stem or stern foremost, and by sail or steam; hence he described it as an “ambi-navigator.” The principal element to his concept was the mechanism for the propulsion of the vessel. Within a slit down the centre of the vessel moved an iron arm “the vibrator” which connected by a hinge with a large plate or paddle “the free operator” which propelled the vessel. The vibrator could be operated by manual power or by a steam engine. The “operator” worked on the principle of a duck’s foot, opening out in the power stroke and then folding back for the return stroke.

The Navy Board contracted with the naval architect Marmaduke Stalkartt on 3rd October 1792 for the construction of an experimental steam ship to the design of Lord Stanhope. [4] Stanhope’s “Ambi-Navigator Ship,” launched on 31st March 1793 and named the Kent, measured 111 feet in length with a 7-foot draught and weighed in excess of 200 tons. The Kent was a flat-bottomed ocean-going sailing vessel fitted with a sliding keel.  Stanhope and Stalkartt would have collaborated with Captain Schank in designing the hull. Schank was a founding member of the Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture and had originated the concept of the sliding keel.

Stanhope consulted first with Boulton and Watt, but Walker and Dewar built the engine to Stanhope’s design. Among other questions posed to Boulton and Watt, Stanhope had asked if their fire engine could operate in the horizontal position.

In 1795 Stanhope’s vessel was tried at Greenland Dock but fell short of the expectations of the Admiralty Board and it was laid up in the Deptford Dockyard on the conclusion of the experiments in 1798.

In 1802 the engine from the Kent was employed in the first steam dredge built for the Admiralty.

CONTEMPORARY REPORTS OF EARL STANHOPE’S EXPERIMENTS 

1790-1792

The Northampton Mercury Saturday 12 December 1789 page 1

There has lately been laid before the Admiralty-Board, the Model of a Ship worked by Steam, which as fo conftructed as to fail againft Wind and Tide. This Ingenuity is to be rewarded with a Patent.

The Derby Mercury Thursday 4 February 1790 page 3 and Newcastle Courant Saturday 13 February 1790 page 2

The community are faid to he indebted to Earl Stanhope’s ingenuity for a patent of invention, which is about to pafs the Great Seal, for building a fhip which can be navigated without any fails.

The Derby Mercury Thursday 11 March 1790 page 4

A grant to the Right Hon. Charles Stanhope, Earl Stanhope, for his new-invented method of conducting veffels without fails, againft wind, waves, current, and tide, paffed the Great Seal on Saturday. 

This entry is followed by an account of Bligh’s exploits in the Pacific:

Capt. Bligh, who was fent out on a voyage of ufeful difcovery, but chiefly to tranfplant the bread-fruit and fome other leading vegetables, from the iflands in the South-fea, to our Settlements in the Weft-Indies, has had a moft wonderful efcape. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean a mutiny happened. The greater part of the crew rofe, and, led by one of the officers, feized the Captain and his faithful affociates, and configned them to the boat, which, after fuffering a feries, of hardfhips, they ran a-ground at Timori, one of the Molucca iflands in the Eaft-Indies.

Kentish Gazette Tuesday 16 October 1792 page 3

     Earl Stanhope’s experiments for navigating veffels by the Steam Engine, without mafts or fails, have fucceeded fo much to his fatisfaction on a fmall fcale, that a veffel of 100 tons burthen, on this principle, is now building under his direction, by the ingenious Mr. Stalkart, the author of a valuable Treatife on Naval Architecture. 

     The expence of this veffel is to paid by the Navy Board, in the firft inftance, on condition that if fhe do not anfwer, after a fair trial, fhe fhall be returned to Earl Stanhope, and all the expence incurred made good by him. 

     This is undoubtedly a noble experiment, and highly honourable to his Lordfhip, whatever may he its fuccefs. If it anfwers, the advantage to the Public, particularly in Inland Navigation, will be immenfe. If it fails, he will be entitled to the praife of having beftowed much ftudy and a large fum of money on an object of national utility.

Hereford Journal Wednesday 17 October 1792 page 2

Earl Stanhope’s experiments for navigating veffels by the fteam engine, without mafts or fails, have fuceeded fo much to his fatisfaction on a small scale, that a veffel of 200 tons burthen, on this principle, is now building under his direction. The expence of this veffel is to be paid by the Navy Board in the first instance, on condition that if fhe do not anfwer, after a fair trial, fhe shall be returned to Earl Stanhope, and all the expence incurred made good by him.

Sheffield Register Friday 19 October 1792 page 1

Earl Stanhope’s experiments tor navigating veffels by the fteam engine, without mafts or fails, have fucceeded fo much to his fatisfaction on a fmall fcale, that a veffel of two hundred ton burthen, on this principle, is now building under his direction. The expence to be paid by the Navy Board, if it anfwer; if not, by himfelf.

The Northampton Mercury Saturday 20 October 1792 page 1

A veffel of two hundred tons burthen is now building by Mr. Stalkart, under the direction of Earl Stanhope, for the purpofe of extending experiments in the art of navigating veffels by fteam. The expense is, at prefent, the Navy Board’s, but the rifk is the Earl’s; for, if the veffel does not anfwer, he is to purchafe her.

[1] The Life of Charles Third Earl of Stanhope Commenced by Ghita Stanhope Revised and Completed by G. P. Gooch 1914 

[2] An address to the Public from the Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture. Instituted 14th April 1791.

[3] Woodcroft, Bennet, Alphabetical Index of Patentees of Inventions; Patent number 1732, 13th March 1790

[4] Kent History and Library Centre U1590/C100-108

JAMES RUMSEY [1] 1793

James Rumsey, the son of a farmer, was born in Maryland in 1843. After a series of experiments, in January 1788 he published a “Short Treatise” [2] on the application of steam to propel boats or vessels. Rumsey had tried a steam-powered vessel on the Potomac in 1783. George Washington testified in 1784 that he had witnessed a successful experiment with Rumsey’s model boat. An account of a trial of Rumsey’s steamboat, which took place on 11th December 1787, was published in The Virginia Gazette and Winchester Advertizer on January 11, 1788. “The Rumseian Society” was formed with Benjamin Franklin as president. With the support of that society, Rumsey went to England in May 1788 to secure a patent and to demonstrate his invention. He died suddenly in London on 21st December 1792. His boat was completed and tried on the Thames after his death. 

[1] See biography: Belzhoover, George M., Jr., James Rumsey The Inventor of the Steamboat Publication of the West Virginia Historical and Antiquarian Society 1900

[2] Rumsey, James, A Short Treatise on the Application of Steam, Whereby is Clearly Shewn, From Actual Experiments, That Steam May be Applied to Propel Boats or Vessels of Any Burthen Against Rapid Currents With Great Velocity. The Same Principles are Also Introduced with Effect, by a Machine of a Simple and Cheap Construction, for the Purpose of Raising Water Sufficient for the Working of Grist-Mills, Saw-Mills, &c. and for Watering Meadows and Other Purposes of Agriculture Philadelphia 1788

Bache’s General Advertiser Philadelphia 13th April 1793

London, 16th February 1793. The vessel of the late lamented Mr. Rumsey, to sail against wind and tide, has lately been tried, and was found to sail four knots an hour.

Hampshire Chronicle Monday 13 May 1793 page 2

Laft week a very curious and effective experiment was made on the river Thames:—A veffel, of nearly an hundred tons burthen, on board of which is fitted up the Steam Apparatus contrived the late ingenious Mr. Rumfey, after having floated up to Weflminfter-bridge with the tide, was veered about, and navigated againft the ftream, which then ran with great velocity, through one the arches of Blackfriars-bridge, to the great fatisfaction of all on-board,as well as to the amazement of a great number perfons in boats on the river, and many who were witneffes to the experiment from the balluftrades of the bridge.

This vessel, named the Columbian Maid, was propelled by a jet of water forced out the stern through a channel in the keel by a pump which was powered by a steam engine. The mechanism was illustrated in Rumsey’s 1788 patent “For his invented methods of constructing Boilers for Distillation and other objects, and for Steam Engines for various purposes.” [1] According to Woodcroft, the arrangement of the machinery in this vessel was similar to that shown in Figure 19 of his 1788 patent application. [2]

[1] Woodcroft, Bennet, Alphabetical Index of Patentees of Inventions; Patent number 1673 November 6 1788; also see Patent number 1738 March 24 1790

[2] Woodcroft, Bennet, A Sketch of The Origin and Progress of Steam Navigation 1848

JOHN SMITH’S STEAMBOAT 1793-1797 [1] 

John Smith was an uneducated mechanic of St. Helens, Lancashire, who first came into prominence in August 1791, when he was announced as a deserter from the Royal Lancashire Militia. [2] With the financial support of Thomas Baldwin of the same city, he used an atmospheric cylinder to power a series of seven paddles on each side of his craft. The principal account of Smith’s steamboat is in a letter to the editor of the Liverpool Chronicle dated July 1832 from coal proprietor William Bromilow. (See below.)

Smith’s effort was a primitive steam powered vessel, propelled by oars and demonstrated on the Sankey Canal in 1797. The same vessel made a voyage up the Bridgewater Canal from Runcorn to Castlefield in 1797. [3]

“A person in Liverpool having produced to the committee a model of a boat navigated by machinery ..” [4]

Ipswich Journal Saturday 27 May 1797 page 4

Mr. Baldwin of Prefcot, has adapted a fteam-engine to the rowing of veffels on fmooth water. An experiment was lately made on the Sankey canal, when, a veffel heavily laden was moved with greater rapidity than could be effected by hawlers or rowers, through the fimple agency of this fteam engine, the oars performing 18 ftrokes in a minute. The invention promises to be highly beneficial to inland navigation.

Billinge’s Liverpool Advertiser and Marine Intelligencer

No 2136 Monday June 26, 1797 page 3 column C

An unufual occurrence took place at Nauton Common, on Friday the 16th inft. being the laft day of the races there. -

A veffel, heavily laden with copper-flag, paffed along the Sankey Canal, without the aid of hawlers or rowers; the oars performing 18 ftrokes a minute, by the application of fteam only. On enquiry fince made, it appears, that the vessel over a corfe of ten miles, returned the fame evening to St. Helen’s, whence it had fet out. The form and motion of the oars, is not eafily described, but it bids fair to be ranked amongft the moft ufeful of modern inventions.

The Northampton Mercury Saturday 1 July 1797 page 3

Mr. Baldwin, Prefcott, Lancafhire, has adapted a fteam-engine to the rowing of veffels on fmooth water. An experiment was lately made on the Sankey canal, when a veffel heavily laden was moved with greater rapidity than could be effected by haulers or owers; through the fimple agency of this fteam-engine, the owers performed 18 ftrokes in a minute. The invention promifes to be highly beneficial to inland navigation.

Kentish Weekly Post Friday 7 July 1797 page 3

An unufual occurance lately took place at Newton Common the day of the races there—A veffel heavily laden with copper flag, paffed along the Sankey Canal, without the aid of hawfers or rowers; the oars performing 18 ftrokes a minute by the application of fteam only. On enquiry fince made, it appears, that the veffel, after a courfe of ten miles, returned the fame evening to St. Helen’s, whence it had fet out. The merit of the above ingenious difcovery, by an original form and motion of the oars, not easily defcribed, which already bids fair to be ranked amongft the moft ufeful of modern inventions, is due to the talents of a gentleman of Prefcot.

Liverpool Mercury Friday 20 July 1832 

THE FIRST STEAM BOAT. 

     On the recommendation, of a most respectable correspondent, we copy the following letter from the Liverpool Chronicle: - 

TO THE EDITOR. 

     SIR,-Seeing in your paper of the 30th ult. an inquiry relative to the first inventor of steam-boats; also some inquiries relative to one constructed at St. Helen’s, by a John Smith, and having seen no answer I willingly give such information as I am in possession of, and shall have pleasure if it leads to any thing like a remuneration to the family, some of whom are still living in St. Helen’s, and are only in very moderate circumstances. The engine in the boat alluded to, and which is generally supposed to be the first invented, was constructed for propelling boats by steam, as before stated, by Smith, at St. Helen’s, in the year 1793, and the first excursion was down the Sankey Canal, to Newton Races, in June of the same year, laden with passengers. On the Saturday following, she sailed to Runcorn, from thence down the Duke of Bridgewater’s Canal to Manchester. On her arrival there, such was the astonishment and curiosity at this wonderful (and, as some would have it) this mad idea, that thousands of the people came from all directions to see what their eyes could not believe, nor their senses understand; and, indeed, such were the numbers, and such the curiosity this vessel excited, that Smith was obliged (for the safety of his property) to give notice that no one would be allowed to come on board her, excepting those who paid a certain sum. This exasperated the populace to such an extent, that a party of mechanics immediately got possession of, and almost destroyed her. Amongst the visitors was Mr. Sherratt, of the firm of Bateman and Sherratt, of Manchester; also several other respectable engineers of the same place, for whom it is unnecessary to name. 

     So far as memory serves me, (after a lapse of 39 years,) the following is a short description of this wonderful discovery; but having made no memorandums of the circumstance at the time, and I may say, being then young, and to a certain extent, like the rest of my friends, incredulous, I never anticipated what is almost to every one in the present day so common. The vessel had on her an engine on the old atmospheric principle, was worked with a beam, connecting-rod, double crank, in an horizontal line, and with seven paddles on each side, which propelled her at the rate of about two miles an hour. John Smith was a rude, uncultivated, and self-taught mechanic, and was supported with money by a Mr. Baldwin, at that time of St. Helen’s; and was the first aeronaut who ever ascended in a balloon, either in this or the adjoining counties. Perhaps I may observe that the vessel or boat was purchased at Liverpool, and on Smith’s informing the parties from whom he bought it what his intentions were, he was treated as some insane person; he was laughed at by one, insulted by others, and pitied generally; but having money with him, he was allowed to purchase her, so strong were the convictions of this self-taught mechanic as to the general utility of steam and the ultimate success of steam-boats, that on being questioned and laughed at by a merchant at the time the purchase was made, he replied, “Those may laugh who will, but my opinion is, before twenty years are over, you will see this river (Mersey) covered with SMOKE.”  

     I feel pleasure in giving your correspondent these particulars, and the substance of the remarks I can vouch for as being correct, having been an eye-witness to most of them, and one of the party who took this first excursion. 

                                                                 Yours, &c.              WM. BROMILOW.  

     Merton Bank, near St. Helen’s.

[1] Harris, J. R., The Early Steam-Engine On Merseyside, Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire for the year 1954 Volume CVI Liverpool 1955

[2] Gore’s Advertiser, 15th August 1791

[3] Malet, Hugh, Bridgewater The Canal Duke 1736-1803 MUP 1977 page 150

[4] Manchester Ship Canal Company Bridgewater Department Archives; Mersey and Irwell Minute Book, 5 November 1794

THE DUKE OF BRIDGEWATER 1796-1799

“BUONAPARTE”

Bridgewater experimented with a steam tug between 1797 and 1799. [1]  Captain John Shank R.N. superintended the project. The hull was constructed at the Worsley yard by Benjamin Powell and millwright Joshua Laughlin fabricated the paddle which was supported on cantilevered beams which protruded behind the stern. A Newcomen engine drove the paddle wheel through a series of bevel gears; a huge domed boiler and furnace was situated at the bow. Messrs. Bateman and Sherratt of the Salford Iron Works were the engineers. In her maiden voyage the Buonaparte dragged eight canal boats to Manchester but a speed of only one mile per hour was achieved.

[1] Malet, Hugh, Bridgewater The Canal Duke 1736-1803 MUP 1977

Robert Lansdale wrote “I well remember the Steam Tug experiment …. between the years 1796 and 1799. Captain Shanks (R.N.) from Deptford was at Worsley many weeks preparing it by the Duke’s own orders and under his own eye .… there is a model of it in the office …” [1]

On her maiden voyage the “Buonaparte” “drew eight canal boats of 25 tons each, starting at 6 a.m. and reaching Manchester at 2 p.m.” [2]

[1] Letter from R. Lansdale to Mr Readman, Worsley, 11 January 1844 quoted in Malet, Hugh, Bridgewater The Canal Duke 1736-1803 MUP 1977 

[2] Letter from R. Lansdale to Mr Readman, 24 January 1844

TREVITHICK'S STEAM TUG

Subsequent to William Symington's steamboat experiments for Lord Dundas, in 1804 Richard Trevithick attempted to approach the Admiralty with his concept for a steam tug which could be used in battle. He had installed an engine with a 10 inch cylinder on a common barge. His paddle wheels comprised a flywheel on either side of the barge, driven by a crankshaft which was “thrown across the deck.”  Six boards protruding from the rim of each flywheel acted as paddles. [1]

In 1806, he wrote of an idea to protect the paddle wheel from rough water. Reminiscent of the boxed construction which Schank used to accommodate his sliding keel, Trevithick proposed to contain the paddle wheel within an iron box in the hold: [2]

“I propose to put a horizontal engine below the deck, and to put a Wheel of 14ft Diam in the hold. This Wheel is to work in an Iron case, air-tight; the axle to work in a stuffing box, and a pump to force air into this case to keep down the water from flooding the wheel, so that onely the flotes on the extremity of the wheel shall be in water, and then onely extend abt 15 Inches below the keel if the ship…The air that’s forced in to this wrought Iron case will allways keep the water down in this case to the level of the bottom of the ship, and a space will be left on each side of the wheel, so that the air will never be displaced by the working of the wheel.”

Trevithick included a very rough sketch of his concept within the text of this letter (see below): [3]

[1] Letter from Richard Trevithick to Davies Giddy Dated Soho Foundry, Manchester, 1805, Jan. 10th. Enys Family Archive, Royal Cornwall Museum

[2] Letter from Richard Trevithick to Davies Giddy, dated Blackwall, 1806, July 23rd. Enys Family Archive, Royal Cornwall Museum

[3] Reproduced in Dickinson, H. W. and Titley, A., Richard Trevithick The Engineer and the Man Trevithick Centenary Celebration Memorial Volume Cambridge 1934