The history of steam navigation

by John Kennedy

Fulton (1807).—The Clermont, the first Passenger Steam-boat in the world.—Narrative of her first Voyage.—Steam Navigation in Canadian Waters.—The first Steamers on the St. Lawrence.—The Accommodation (1809).—Swiftsure and Car of Commerce (1813), and the Quebec (1817).

The United States of America has the honour of having built the first passenger steam-boat in the world, and she held the monopoly of the steamship passenger traffic for a period of about two years. She owes this honourable position in the commercial world to the energy and perseverance of Robert Fulton, who in spite of ridicule and active opposition, and want of capital, succeeded in building, in 1807, a paddle steam-packet, which he named the Clermont. Shortly after her trial trip, she was advertised to run from New York to Albany, and, as soon as she could be got ready, the Clermont sailed on her first voyage up the Hudson.

The following extract from a letter, written by an eyewitness on that occasion, tells how the people along the river were excited by the passage of the steam-boat on her voyage from New York to Albany:—

“It was in the early autumn of the year 1807 that a knot of villagers was gathered on a high bluff, just opposite Poughkeepsie, on the west bank of the Hudson, attracted by the appearance of a strange-looking craft, which was slowly making its way up the river. Some imagined it to be a sea-monster, whilst others did not hesitate to express their belief that it was a sign of the approaching judgment. What seemed strange in the vessel was the substitution of a lofty and strange black smoke-pipe rising from the deck, instead of the gracefully tapered masts that commonly stood on the vessels navigating the stream, and, in place of the spars and rigging, the curious play of the working beam and piston, and the slow turning and splashing of the huge and naked paddle-wheels, met his astonished gaze. The dense clouds of smoke, as they rose wave upon wave, added still more to the wonder of the rustics.

“This strange-looking craft was the Clermont on her trial trip to Albany; and, of the little knot of villagers above mentioned, the writer, then a boy in his eighth year, with his parents, formed a part; and I well remember the scene, one so well-fitted to impress a lasting picture upon the mind of a child accustomed to watch the vessels that passed up and down the river.

“On her return trip, the curiosity she excited was scarcely less intense—the whole country talked of nothing but the sea-monster, belching forth fire and smoke. The fishermen became terrified and rowed homeward, and they saw nothing but destruction devastating their fishing grounds; whilst the wreaths of black vapours, and rushing noise of the paddle-wheels, foaming with the stirred up waters, produced great excitement amongst the boatmen, until it was more intelligent than before; for the character of that curious boat, and the nature of the enterprise she was pioneering had been ascertained.”

Several accidents occurred to the machinery of the Clermont during her first season, but none of them caused any loss of life. There were, however, so many of these mishaps that the incredulous were encouraged in the belief that she was a failure. But the misfortunes of the boat were not limited to accidents to machinery and other legitimate mishaps. They included wilful attempts at her destruction on the part of those who felt that their business was about to be injured by this new system of navigation. Vessels ran foul of her intentionally, and so determined were the sloop owners and others to rid themselves of this dangerous competitor, that it became necessary for the Legislature to interfere. But in spite of all opposition, Fulton forced his way onward and upwards. He replaced his first steamer by a second and larger one, also named the Clermont, and, as the passenger trade developed, other steamers were added to the line.

American capitalists in different parts of the United States followed his example. Steamers were built so rapidly to ply on the American Atlantic Seaboard, and on the Mississippi and other rivers, that in 1823 (that is sixteen years after the first passenger steamer in the world was built) there were 300 steamers plying on American waters.

The St. Lawrence is the chief dividing line between the United States and Canada. It forms the great summer highway for the traffic of British North America. By it the commerce of Europe is brought into the country, and on its bosom is borne outwards the wealth of the forests and the surplus agricultural produce of the Dominion.

On the Canadian side of this great river are situated the two important cities of Quebec and Montreal. Two years (1809) after the building of Fulton’s Clermont, and three years before the first European steamer began to ply on the River Clyde, the steamboat Accommodation ran on the St. Lawrence, maintaining a passenger service between Quebec and Montreal.