I am now trying an experiment, and the machine is nearly finished, to propel a boat not by expelling water, but air; and hope M^ Rumsey will allow that this is a mode peculiar to myself; but if he pleases he will deny it and assert that he had privately tried some experiments to ascertain its practicability -- I further hope that the publick will make great allowances for my not being more forward in my plans, especially when they consider the great difficulty of procuring proper workmen, together with the new and unexplored grounds that I had to travel over, but hope shortly that I shall have it so perfect as to give full satisfaction of its utility.

In page 5, he asserts, that my boat will not be propelled at the rate of more than three miles an hour when no tide opposes ; this assertion, I believe, will shortly be proved both rash and envious ; I can make her go not only three but three times three.

But as I have before mentioned, this is taking up the dispute! upon different principles, than those Mr Rum§ey found necessary to hold up to public view, viz. That he was the inventor of the Steam boat. This leads me to consider the principles on whit n

1066 EARLY STEAM

exclusive privijeges are founded, agreeably to justice and policy. If we have recourse to the enlightened nations of Europe, and more especially to England, whose laws respecting the title to property are (with httle and in some cases with no variation) in force amongst us, we shall fmd that their laws imply that no species of property ought to be held more sacred than the property of inventions ; for having their origin in the imagination of man, uncertain in their operations, and expensively perplexing in experiment, it becomes necessary to have some mode established to secure to the owner the full benefit of his invention, which might otherwise prove his ruin.