H W Dickinson

Robert Fulton - Engineer and Artist H W Dickinson

Publisher Marketing: I have endeavoured by research and by the collation of recently published materials, to get at the really important facts about Fulton and his inventions-facts which the lapse of time has helped to bring into their true perspective -and present them with sympathy, but without bias and withont petty national feeling. Indeed the latter should never have existed, for Fulton was, if anything, cosmopolitan born a British subject in a British colony, the seed-time of his life was spent in England, the fruition took place in France, and the harvest was reaped in his native America. That harvest was the introduction of navigation by steam 0n a commercial basis in the western hemisphere. In the present year, when we are celebrating the centenary of its introduction into Europe, it may not be unprofittble to trace the steps which led to these far- reaching results. Much of the material that has been made use of has been gleaned at first hand, and has not before seen the light. I am indebted to the Right Hon. the Earl Stanhope for copies of letters which passed between the 3rd Earl and Fulton these letters are preserved among family documents at Chevening, Kent. George Tangye, Esq., of Birmingham, has given me every facility for copying the Fulton correspondence and drawings preserved among the Boulton Watt MSS. in his possesion. Search at the Public Record Office has disclosed not a few interesting facts. Mr. Lane himself has drawn my attention to many sources of information.....