FULTON, Robert, inventor, b. in Little Britain township (now Fulton), Lancaster co., Pa., in 1765; d. in New York, 24 Feb., 1815. His father came from Kilkenny, Ireland, early in the 18th century, and settled at Little Britain. At the age of thirteen Robert constructed paddle-wheels, which he applied with success to a fishing-boat. The years 1782-'5 were spent in painting miniature portraits and landscapes, mechanical and architectural drawing, and whatever came in his way in the line of artistic work, at Philadelphia, where he numbered Benjamin Franklin among his friends. In 1780 Fulton went to London, and was received into the family of Benjamin West, under whose instruction he studied for several years. Afterward he practised his art in Devonshire, under the patronage of wealthy persons, among whom were the Duke of Bridgewater and Earl Stanhope. With his acquaintanceship with these persons begins his experiments in mechanics. Francis Egerton Bridgewater (last duke of that name) had become famous by the construction of a navigable canal from Worsley to Manchester, and Charles, Earl Stanhope (third of that title), was the inventor of the Stanhope printing-press, and a student of mechanics and engineering. In 1793 Fulton actively engaged in a project for the improvement of canal navigation, and in the following year obtained from the British government a patent for a double-inclined plane for raising or lowering boats from one level to another on a system of small canals. An account of this patent is in the “Repertory of Arts,” vol. xvii. In 1794 he patented a mill for sawing marble. Some time in 1796 he made plans for the construction of cast-iron aqueducts, and a great work of this kind was built for crossing the river Dee. A bridge built upon his plans was erected at Wandsworth, and others at several points on the Surrey railway. He also patented in England a machine for spinning flax, a dredging-machine, a market or passage-boat, a despatch-boat, and a trader or amphibious boat to be used on canals. In 1796 he published his “Treatise on the Improvement of Canal Navigation,” having previously published some articles on the subject in the London “Morning Star,” advocating small canals. Copies were sent by the author to the president of the United States and other officials, each accompanied by a letter emphasizing the advantages to be derived by the United States from canal navigation. In 1798 he addressed letters, or rather essays, to Lord Stanhope, which were apparently intended for publication — one aiming to arouse English interest in internal improvements, and the other to promote the interests of education in France. Among his manuscripts was found a work, probably written about the same time with the above, advocating free-trade. In 1794 he became a member of the family of Joel Barlow, author of the “Columbiad,” in Paris. Here he painted a panorama, the first ever shown in the French capital. In December, 1797, Fulton made an experiment on the Seine with a boat for submarine navigation, to be used in torpedo warfare. In 1801 he conducted some experiments at Brest with his submarine or plunging boat, under the auspices of the French government, which, however, on Fulton's failure to blow up the British ships that sailed along the coast, became disaffected with the undertaking. The government of England, at the instigation of Lord Stanhope, determined to secure Fulton's services for that country, and accordingly he went to London in May, 1804, after a short sojourn in Holland. The submarine boat was finally reported by the British commission to be impracticable; but the torpedo they thought of some value, and Fulton was taken out with an expedition to try it against the French fleet at Boulogne, where the torpedoes burst harmlessly beside the French ships. An experiment in October, 1805, with an improved apparatus, on a brig of 200 tons, provided for the purpose by the government, resulted in the destruction of the ship. In 1806 Fulton had returned to the United States, and renewed his experiments with torpedoes. His system was never adopted, though in 1810 congress appropriated $5,000 for testing the torpedoes and submarine explosions. About this period Fulton invented a machine to cut the cables of ships at anchor. In 1813 he took out a patent for “Several Improvements in Maritime Warfare, and Means for injuring and destroying Ships and Vessels of War by igniting Gunpowder under Water.” A letter from him to Jefferson, describing his submarine gunnery, was printed from his manuscript in “Scribner's Monthly,” vol. xxii, with the reproduction of his rough sketches. Fulton began to turn his attention to the subject of steam navigation as early as 1793, as is shown in a letter to Lord Stanhope, dated 30 Sept. of that year. In 1803, having the financial assistance of Chancellor Livingston, Fulton launched a steamboat on the Seine, which, owing to faulty construction of the frame, immediately sank. Another boat was soon built, with the old machinery, and a trial-trip was made, but no great speed was attained. Encouraged with this partial success, Fulton shortly afterward ordered an engine of Watt & Boulton, to be sent to the United States. Early in the spring of 1807 the boat that was to navigate the Hudson and establish the system of steam navigation was completed at a ship-yard on the East river. (See accompanying illustration.) The engine was put in later, and on 11 Aug., 1807, the “Clermont” steamed up the Hudson to Albany, the voyage occupying thirty-two hours. During the autumn of 1807 the “Clermont” was run as a packet between New York and Albany. The success of Fulton's enterprise excited much jealousy and rivalry, and a number of persons disputed his claim to originality. Litigation and competition threatened to rob him of all profit from his invention. Fulton's first patent for improvements in navigation by steam was taken out on 11 Feb., 1809, and another, with fuller provisions, on 9 Feb., 1811. The first attempt to connect a steam-engine with the screw-propeller was made by Joseph Bramah, of Piccadilly, who on 9 May, 1795, patented the application of a paddle-wheel to the stem of a vessel, driven by a steam-engine. A brief list of those who used steam on boats of any description includes Rumsey, on the Potomac, in 1785; John Fitch, first in September, 1785, again in August, 1787; Patrick Millar, in 1787; Nathan Read,
