What Napoleon thought of paddle steamers

[Alistair Deayton]

I saw this quote today, and thought I would share it with you guys

Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France said this to Robert Fulton the
inventor of the steamboat.

"What, Sir? Would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by
lighting a bonfire under her deck? I pray you excuse me. I have no time to
listen to such nonsense."

[Dallinson]

Gentlemen
Napoleon was indeed in very good company!!

Henry Bell laid before the British Admiralty in 1800 and 1803 plans for a
steam boat. Despite Nelson's enthusiasm they were rejected on both
occasions.
Nelson is reported to have stated " My Lords and gentlemen, if you do not
adopt Mr Bell's scheme, other nations will, and in the end vex every vein of
this Empire. It will succeed and you should encourage Mr Bell".
The Admiralty ignored Nelson and issued a statement, "... the plan proposed
would be of no value..."·

In disgust, Henry then sent his detailed prospectus to the USA and European
Countries.
Interestingly Fulton had previously visited Bell and corresponded with him.
The result was that in 1807 the "Clermont" was running between New York and
Albany. Years before the Comet was running commercially in 1812!!
Mr Roosevelt and his hair-raising trip down the Mississippi in 1811/12
showed the world what steam boats could really do.

It must have been a tough road for Mr Bell. He wrote to James Watt about his
idea of putting a steam engine in a boat and James completely shot the idea
down!! "How many noblemen, gentlemen, and engineers, have puzzled their
brains, and spent thousands of pounds, and none of all these, nor yourself,
has ever been able to bring the power of steam navigation to a successful
issue"
End of history class for today!!!
Best regards
David

P.S. From the above it would seem doubtful that Robert Fulton actually
invented the steamboat. Enthusiastic developer certainly.

[woodburner]

it would seem doubtful that Robert Fulton actually
> invented the steamboat. Enthusiastic developer certainly.


Indeed, esp with a monopoly on steam navigation granted by a New York State
Legislature that considered the whole idea a lark. Together with partner
Chancellor Livingston's French Connections, Fulton's monopoly was not only
complete but powerful, and very lucrative.

I've ragged on Fulton in the past for his piracy (confiscating competing
boats, charging dear prices monopolies love, and fighting to extend his
wrought iron grip on all other US waters) but his predeccessor Fitch had the
same idea, but a far less workable steam boat, which led the legislature to
move the grant to Fulton/Livingston.

Fulton's brilliance was in getting the vessel to work, using simple
technologies, and holding out against competition for nearly fifteen years.
It might also be said that some of the brilliance should belong to his
ancestors, who mythologized about his "invention" of the steamboat, and
cleaned up his posthumous image sufficiently to gain Fulton a statue in the
Library of Congress routunda - next to Moses!

Ye shall part the waters.

On the downside, Fulton's monopoly held back steamboat development - and
trade - for fifteen years as well, and only Daniel Webster, arguing for a
New Jersey ferryboat owner, and Justice Stevens, who ruled in favor of free
trade under the federal law of Congress, managed to break open the waters in
1823 or so.

Similar situations existed in other fields. The heroic Wright Brothers were
so greedy about patent rights that American aviation lagged far behind
England, France and Belgium; Baltimore mechanic Ross Winans sued against
using a four wheel railroad car truck (his claim was spurious) and an
unknown mechanic named George Seldon sued most automobile manufacturers for
patent rights to his gasoline engine. Henry Ford was finally stubborn
enough (and had enough market share) to take him on, and down for the count.

Class dismissed.

Jim