Fitch (though 1 believe the fact to be exactly the reverse) I have been at the pains to prove incontestibly, that my idea of a boat to be worked by Steam was a considerable time before his, and that it had been mentioned at Kentucky (from whence, I am told, he brought his) by a* gentleman to whom I communicated it, previous to his departure to that country. For the former, the reader will be pleased to refer to the annexed affidavits No. 8, 10, 11, 12,

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and to a paragraph from his excellency General Washington's letter, in answer to mine, of the tenth of March, 1785, N" 13. and to Governor Johnson's letter, No. 14, for the latter (that is ray intentions being mentioned at Kentucky) to Capt. Michael Bedinger's affidavit. No, 15.

I have been unavoidably led to mention Mr. Fitch for my own justification, and to prove my prior right to the application of steam for propelling boats, and I should have said no more, but let experience determine whose principles are soundest, had not Mr. Fitch, equally void of decency and truth, asserted " I got what small knowledge I have of steam boats from him." No. 18. By the respectable testimony of his excellency General Washington, No. 13 ; by Governor Johnson, No. 14, and by certificates and affidavits from many other gentlemen, hereunto annexed, I prove my idea was nearly matured, before steam had ever entered his imagination, by his own confession to Governor Johnson, No. 14. Nor. was my priority unknown to Mr. Fitch, for General Washington informed him, " though he thought himself not at liberty to disclose my principles, yet he would assure him his thought was not original, and that I had mentioned the application of steam to him before." (No. 14) and therefore he declined giving Mr Fitch an introductory letter to the Assembly of Virginia.