From the time of my discovering the principles and the means of applying them, I often endeavoured to communicate them to those I believed might be inter ested in their application to wagons or boats. But very few could understand my explanations, and I could find no one willing to risque the expense of the ex periment.
In the year 1785 or 6, before I had petitioned the legislatures, I fell in company with Mr. Samuel Jack son, of Redstone; and learning of him that he resided on the western waters, I endeavoured to impress upon his mind the great utility and high importance of steam boats, to be propelled on them ; telling him that I had discovered a steam engine so powerful, according to its weight, that it would, by means of paddle wheels (which I described to him) readily drive a vessel against the current of those waters with so great speed as to be highly beneficial. Mr. Jackson proves that h:.'.',:nderstood me well, for he has lately written letters, declaring that about twenty-six years before their date, I did describe to him the principles of the steam en gine that I have since put into operation to drive mills, which he has seen—and that I also explained to him my plan for propelling boats by my steam engine, with paddle wheels, describing the very kind of wheels now used for this purpose ; and that I then declared to him my intention to apply my engine to this particular object, as soon as my pecuniary circumstances would permit.
In the year 1800 or 1801, never having found a man willing to contribute to the expense, or even to en courage me to risque it myself, it occurred to me that though I was then in full health, I might be suddenly carried off by the yellow' fever, that had so often vi sited our city (Philadelphia), or by some other disease or casualty to which all are liable, and that I had not yet discharged my debt of honour to the state of Mary land by producing the steam wagon. I determined, therefore, to set to work the next day and construct one. I first waited upon Mr. Robert Patterson, pro fessor of mathematics in the university of Pennsylva nia, and explained to him my principles, as I also did to Mr. Charles Taylor, steam engineer, from England. They both declared these principles to be new to them, and highly worthy of a fair experiment, advising me without delay to prove them ; in hopes I might pro duce a more simple, cheap and powerful steam engine than any in use. These were the only persons who
had such confidence, or afforded me such advice. I also communicated my plans to B. H. Latrobe, at the same time, who publicly pronounced them chimerical, and attempted to demonstrate the absurdity of my principles, in his report to the .thnerican Philosophical Society on steam engines ;t in which same report he also attempts to show the impossibility of making steam boats useful, on account of the weight of the engine ; and I was one of the persons alluded to, as being seized with the steam mania, conceiving that wagons and boats could be propelled by steam en gines. The liberality of the members of the society caused them to reject that part of his report which he designed as demonstrative of the absurdity of my principles; saying they had no right to set up their opinion as a stumbling block in the road of any exer tions to make a discovery. They said, I might pro duce something useful, and ordered it to be stricken out. What a pity they did not also reject his demon strations respecting steam boats ! for notwithstanding them, they have run, are now running, and will run : so has my engine, and all its principles completely suc so will land carriages as soon as these principles are applied to them, as explained to the legisla ture of Maryland in 1787, and to others long before.
In consequence of the determination above alluded to, I hired hands and went to work to make a steam wagon, and had made considerable progress in the undertaking, when the thought struck me that as my steam engine was entirely different in form as well as in its principles from all others in use, that I could get a patent for it, and apply it to mills more profitably than to wagons ; for until now I apprehended that as steam mills had been used in England, I could only obtain a patent for wagons and boats. I stopped the work immediately, and discharged my hands, until I could arrange my engine for mills, laying aside the steam wagon for a time of more leisure.