Page images
PDF
EPUB

Mr. Ellsworth was an accomplished advocate, an upright legislator, an able and impartial judge, a wise and incorruptible patriot; who devoted every faculty, every literary acquisition, and almost every hour of his life, to his country's good.

In private life, he was the model of every social and personal virtue.)

EATON, THEOPHILUS, first governor of New-Haven colony. He arrived in this country in 1637, in company with Mr. Davenport, who was compelled "to seek a refuge from the storm of these cold and rude corners of the earth."

Governor Eaton was one of the most opulent men who came into this country. His company preferring to be a distinct colony, made a purchase of a large territory, and built a town, which is now called New-Haven. He was then elected governor, which office he held until his death, 1657, in the sixty-seventh year of his age.

"It was the admiration," saith Dr. Mather, " of all spectators, to behold the discretion, the gravity, and equity, with which he managed all public affairs. He carried in his countenance a majesty which cannot be described; and in his dispensations of justice, he was a mirror for the most imitable partiality."

Dr. Trumbull further observes, "there was no man, among the first planters of New-England, who had a more general acquaintance with public business, or who sustained a fairer character." He was one who signed the confederation of the United Colonies in 1643. There was none who exerted themselves more for the prosperity of New-England, or whose name appears more conspicuous on the pages of history of this period. His monument was erected at the public expense, and is now in good preservation. It has upon it the following lines:

Eaton, so meek, fo fam'd, so just;

The Phoenix of our world, here hides his dust-
This name forget, New-England never must.

;

FULTON, ROBERT, a celebrated civil engineer, was born in the town of Little-Britain, in the county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the year 1765. His father died when he was only three years of age. After receiving an English education, he was placed with a jeweller in Lancaster, with the intention of acquiring the trade. This pursuit however did not prevent him from cultivating and exercising his talent for painting, which he afterwards pursued with great success. With the advice of his numerous friends, he made a visit to London, and placed himself under the direction of Mr. West: he immediately became an inmate of that gentleman's house, and very soon, his companion and friend. The friendship thus formed, subsisted unabated until the death of Fulton.

For some years after leaving the family of Mr. West, he employed himself as a painter. He did not however feel himself entirely satisfied with his progress in the art, and was, at length, wholly withdrawn from its further cultivation, by his ruling taste for the mechanic arts.

As early as the year 1793, he brought forward his project of propelling boats by steam, with much confidence; and in September following, he communicated his ideas on steam navigation to lord Stanhope, who acknowledged it by letter, dated October, 1794.

In 1794, the British government granted him patents for a double inclined plane, to be used in transportation; for a machine for spinning flax; and another for making ropes, &c. &c./

In the year 1796, he submitted to the British board of agriculture, a plan for the improvement of canal navigation, which was favourably received, and for which he received a patent in the year 1797.

He then went to France, with a view to introduce it into that country.

In 1798, pursuing this interesting subject with great zeal, he published a series of letters, addressed to earl Stanhope, in which he clearly exhibits the advantages to nations arising from canals and home improvements generally, simple taxation, and free trade.

On his arrival at Paris, a friendship commenced between him and Joel Barlow, which ended only with their lives. At the invitation of Barlow, Fulton took up his residence at the hotel of the former, where he continued to remain during seven years. In this time he studied the high mathematics, physics, chemistry, and perspective. He also acquired the French, Italian, and German languages.

Barlow, about this time, was preparing for the press his elegant edition of the Columbiad, which he afterwards dedicated in terms of glowing affection to Fulton. The splendid plates which adorn this work, were executed under the superintendence of Fulton.

In December, 1797, he made his first experiment on sub-marine explosion on the river Seine, in company with Barlow.

In December, 1806, he returned to New-York, and immediately recommenced his experiments on submarine war. He also directed his attention to steam navigation.

After several successful experiments, he published, in 1810, his interesting work, entitled, “Torpedo War," which contains a full account and clear explanation of his system.

At the earnest solicitation of the Hon. R. R. Livingston, who had pointed out to him the incalculable advantages which would arise out of a perfect system of steam navigation, had the desired effect of arousing the energies of his genius to a subject. which he had not bestowed much attention upon since the year 1793.

:

After his return to the United States in 1806, he and Mr. Livingston immediately commenced building a steam-boat called the "Clermont," which afterwards navigated the Hudson at the rate of five miles per hour. From this memorable era in the life of Mr. Fulton, the art of navigating by steam continued to advance towards perfection, and the last boat built under his direction was better than any that had preceded it./

It is but justice to remark in this place, that the first idea which had gone abroad of joining the western lakes and the Atlantic ocean by canals, originated with Mr. Fulton, and was promulgated by him in answer to a letter of the secretary of war in 1807. He afterwards, in 1808, in reply to several queries proposed to him by Mr. Gallatin, then secretary of the treasury, with regard to public roads and canals, he goes at large into the subject, displaying a great fund of knowledge and the most enlightened and comprehensive views.

On the breaking out of the late war he again turned his attention to his favourite project of submarine warfare, and after various successful experiments, obtained, in 1813, a patent for a "sub-marine battery."

It was from his sub-marine battery that he conceived the plan of the "steam man of war."

This invention was readily patronised by government, and in March, 1814, a law was passed to build one; the cost estimated at $320,000. He was appointed the engineer, and in little more than four months from the laying of the keel, she was launched at New-York under the name of Fulton the first. Since her equipment she is allowed to be the most formidable engine for warfare that human ingenuity has ever contrived.

The last work on which he was engaged was a modification of his sub-marine boat; her model was approved, and he had received the sanction of the executive to construct one at New-York, but unfor

« PreviousContinue »