That your petitioner has been several years employed, with unremitted attention, and at a great expense, in inventing, and bringing to perfection, sundry machines and engines ; namely, one for propelling boats on the vrater, by the power of steam, which has been already accomplished in experiments, on a boat of about six tons burthen ; another machine, constructed on similar principles, for raising water at a small expence, to be applied to the working of mills of different kinds, as well as to various useful purposes in agriculture; a new invented boiler for generating steam ; and also other machines, by means of which Grist and Saw Mills may l^e so improved in their construction, by a very

1096 EARLY STEAM

cheap, and simple machine, as to require the application of much less water, than is necessary in the common mode.

Your petitioner humbly conceives, that advantages of great importance to the agriculture and mercantile interests of the United States, may be derived from the use and employment, therein, of the before mentioned engines and machines ; but he begs leave to represent to the honorable Legislature, that, without some • encouragement and support from the government, he will not be enabled to prosecute his discoverys, and to carry his aforesaid inventions and improvements into execution ; whereby the public would be deprived of the benefits that might result from them ; and your petitioner greatly injured, by the sacrifices he has made of his time and property.

Your petitioner deems it unnecessary, in this stage of his application to your honorable body, to enter into a detail of the r>ature and principles of the improvements, to which his present petition relates : He therefore takes the liberty of referring to the printed papers, herewith presented, for farther information on the subject, and he flatters himself, that on mature consideration, your honorable body will be fully satisfied, both of the practicabifity of his plans, and of their importance, as an object of great public utility -- Under tliis impression, he respectfully solicits the patronage of the Legislature of this state.