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. Book of the Royal blue . boat are matters of record and not open todispute. Twenty-three years before hehad launched the Clermont and steamedup the Hudson, James Rumsey had invent-ed and put into practical use a boat withsteam as its moti\e power, on the PotomacRi\er in Virginia and Maryland waters, andprimarily established the fact that a boat. given to this man who successfully demon-strated the commercial possibilities of steamnavigation, the general public is laboringunder the impression that it was Fultonwho invented the steamboat. This, how-ever, is not claimed of Fulton, nor is it tru
. Book of the Royal blue . boat are matters of record and not open todispute. Twenty-three years before hehad launched the Clermont and steamedup the Hudson, James Rumsey had invent-ed and put into practical use a boat withsteam as its moti\e power, on the PotomacRi\er in Virginia and Maryland waters, andprimarily established the fact that a boat. given to this man who successfully demon-strated the commercial possibilities of steamnavigation, the general public is laboringunder the impression that it was Fultonwho invented the steamboat. This, how-ever, is not claimed of Fulton, nor is it truethat the honor belongs to him, as the claimsof Rumsev as the inventor of the steam- could be propelled against a tide by the useof steam. i?ut it is both remarkable andunfortunate that Rumsey has been forgottenand sadly neglected as to a fitting recognition or memorial, and so has John Fitch,who followed him a few years later withfurther improvements on steam , at this rather late date it may JAMES RUMSEY, INVENTOR OF THE STEAMBOAT be interesting to know something aboutRumsey and leave Fitch to those who canbest tell his story: The fate of a man is past all discerning,and sometimes it seems that fame is asfickle a goddess as fortune. Her laurelwreath of imperishable leaves is often placedupon the wrong head. She has
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbaltimoreandohiorailr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890