FITCH, JOHN (1743-98 ) . A distinguished American inventor. who was one of the first to apply steam to the propulsion of boats. lle was born at Windsor. Conn., and was the son of a farmer. After receiving a common-school educa tion he made a few voyages before the mast, and at the time of the Revolution lie became a sutler with the Ameriean Army, and amassed extensive profits, which he invested in Virginia. In 1730 Filch became deputy surveyor of Kentucky, and a year biter, while traveling, was captured by the Indians, but soon released. He next devoted himself to the production of a map of the North western country, and the idea of employing steam in the navigation of the Western rivers, om \\ hid] he sailed. having occurred to him, he sought by the sale of this map to obtain the means for his experiments. Unsuccessful in this, he next sought help from the state Legislatures, but failed to obtain an appropriation. Ile at last succeeded in fording a COD ipany, and, with the assistance thus obtained, constructed it steam packet, which was launched OD the Delaware in 1787, and reached a speed of three miles an hour.
This boat was fitted with paddles at the sides, which were moved forward and back in a •nanne• similar to that followed in propelling a canoe. A second boat had similar paddles at the stern. Fitch htad obtained exclusive rights of steam navigation in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and in 1790 built a boat to convey passengers on the Delaware River for hire. The scheme proved unfortunate, and the company which sustained him was dissolved. In 1793 he went to France, with the hope of introducing his invention, but failed, and returned to Ameri ca disheartened and impoverished. In 1796 he constructed a small screw steamboat, with which he experimented on the 'Collect' Pond in New York City. In the meantime his Virginia lands had fallen a prey to 'squatters,' and, heart broken by his failures and disappointments, he committed suicide. Consult: Westcott, Life of John Fitch (1857), and, for a brief account of his work, Thurston, Growth of the Steam Engine (New York, 1878).