The continuance of intense heat (Fahrenheit's thermometer at 90) having led us to shorten our stay at New York, we, that is, the friend who accompanied us, my wife and I, proceeded on 28th August from New York to Albany, in the North America steamer, the most beautiful and swift of the floating palaces on the Hudson, or, as I believe, I may add with truth, in the world. She left New-York at 7, a.M., and arrived here at halfpast 5, p.m. The distance is 154 miles, and the scenery throughout of the most interesting and diversified description. We feel, as having seen more of the beauties of nature in one day than we have ever done before, far too much to allow us accurately to recollect all that passed before us, or to give even a sketch of it.
The boat leaves the wharf in the very heart of the city of New York, surrounded by splendid objects; on the one side of the river, the city and bay of New-York ; and on the other, at the distance of a mile and a half, the city of Jersey, projected into the river, very much as Burntisland is on the Frith of Forth, the promontory and pleasure-grounds of Hoboken, and behind them the abrupt hills of Weehawken. Those hills, which, when they approach the river, are called the Palisadoes, form in most places a precipitous wall, from 200 to 700 feet high, for about thirty miles on the western side of the river. The New-York, or eastern side, exhibits a waving outline of rich, cultivated, and undulating country, ornamented with villas, farm-houses, and cottages, and bounded by sloping rising grounds.
The river itself expands into 11 noble bay, four or five miles wide, called the Tappan Sea, about thirty miles from New-York, at the top of which, ten miles farther on, the banks approach each other so closely, that the channel, through which the river has at a distant period forced its way by some violent convulsion, is not perceived until you almost enter it. Here we suddenly found ourselves in a narrow pass between precipitous mountain tops, rising on both sides from the water's edge to an elevation of 1200 or 1500 feet. These mountains or hills, as we should call them, are what are called the Highlands of the Hudson ; and the entry to them seemed to us the most remarkable point on the river, not to be contemplated without feelings of the deepest interest. The river course continues to run in this defile among romantic hills covered with wood, sweetly inlaid with plateaus of green pasture, and of table land, for about twenty miles. The farm-houses and villages look as if they hung on the cliffs, or rose by terraces from the water edge. The river is of various breadths, from a mile and a half to two miles. The projecting rocks often force it to change its direction, so much, indeed, that you frequently appear to be sailing in a lake, from which you cannot discover an outlet.
Fort Putnam, Stoney Point, and the chief military posts of the Americans on the northern territory during the revolutionary war, and of course the most interesting places in their history, the scenes of Arnold's treachery, and of Andre's misfortunes, are all situated on the banks of this part of the river. West Point, which is placed on a beautiful piece of level land above the river, is now the great military academy for all the states of the North American confederacy.
The ocean tides carry sufficient depth of water for the largest vessels through the whole of this primitive mountain chain, exhibiting the only example yet discovered where this takes place, excepting on the St. Lawrence, which passes through a chain of primitive mountains, on a breach of which Quebec stands.
After leaving the Highlands, the banks of the river are comparatively low, 100 or 150 feet in height. The hills through which we had passed incline to the right, and do not break off till they reach the St. Lawrence. The river for sixty or seventy miles frequently opens into beautiful lakes and bays, with projecting and marked shores. Great part of this district, which is called the Valley of the Hudson, consists of good land and fine corn-fields, and is one of the richest parts of the state of New-York. The town of Newburg on the one side, the village of Fishkill on the other, the noble terrace of Hyde Park, the Dutchess County, famed for its fertility, are all situated in the southern part of this reach. On the upper part of it, the grand range of mountains called the Catskills, about 3,000 feet high, which are a spur from the Alleghanies, and the populous city of Hudson, strikingly placed on a fine promontory, are the most prominent objects. From Hudson to Albany, about forty miles, the Hudson has more the appearance of a river than below. It is here ornamented with many islands,- the shores become less steep,- the country rich looking, and more peopled. Villas on the banks appear more frequently in approaching Albany, the view of which, from the river, is very striking. The oldest part of the city reaches to the water's edge, but a great part of it is on a fine elevation on the face of a hill. The Hudson was discovered by a native of England, Henry Hudson, then in the service of the Dutch government, when seeking a northwest passage to India. An original portrait of him hangs in the City Hall of New-York.
The Hudson is still a large river, and navigable for small sloops to Waterford, thirty miles north from Albany, above which the tides do not flow. It is there joined by the Mohawk river, a considerable stream. The sources of both rivers are in the northern parts of New-York state, at the distance of about 120 miles from Waterford. The direction of the liver from New'-York to Albany is pretty directly north, with occasionally a slight inclination to the westward. Whether the glorious scenery of the Hudson be superior to that of the Rhine, the Danube, or any of the European rivers, which many of the Americans who have traveled in Europe maintain, I, who have not seen the greatest of those rivers, do not pretend to say ; but I am very much mistaken, if there be anywhere continuously in Great Britain, so remarkable a combination of natural beauty and romantic scenery as on the Hudson between New-York and Albany. Nowhere in the British dominions can so great a variety of interesting and pleasing objects be seen in the course of a single day. The Trosachs, though in miniature, resemble the passage through the Highlands of the Hudson, in all respects but one, the grandeur of the bounding objects. The lofty mountains of the Highlands of Scotland impart a character of sublimity to those justly celebrated works of nature, which is here to a certain extent wanting. No stranger should visit New-York without seeing the Hudson. If his time be limited, so that he cannot make big voyage by divisions at the rate of fifty or sixty miles a day, he may get a tolerable idea of the beauties of the river, and of the excellence of the North American steam-boats, by proceeding by the North America steamer to Albany on the one day, and returning on the following ; but if he is proceeding by the Hudson to Canada, which is frequently the case with the English, who, on account of the superiority of the packets, and in order to avoid the dangerous navigation in ascending the St. Lawrence, generally prefer the New- York route to Canada, he should content himself with seeing half the Hudson in a day, and should by all means make the hotel of Hyde Park, which is about eighty miles from New. York, his stopping-place, in the neighbourhood of which he may spend a few hours to good account, in visiting the splendid grounds in the vicinity, and beholding those noble views of the river which are to be seen here, in which the Catskill mountains form a bold and remarkable feature. The Hudson, then, not only contributes most essentially to the commercial prosperity and greatness of New-York, but in no ordinary degree to the enjoyment of its inhabitants, and of every foreigner who is led to the United States. Where Is there Such a river or such scenery, not only so easily, but so luxuriously seen, so near any other capitals in the world I It is in the power of a European, on the very day of his arrival in the United States, without any exertion on his part, except a five minutes' walk from his hotel, to behold that part of this "exulting and abounding river," the sight of which is sufficient to repay him for all the annoyances attending a transatlantic voyage. When we embarked in the steamer yesterday morning, there seemed to us a considerable number of passengers, and no difference between the descriptions of people in any part on deck. Chairs and benches covered the decks both above and below ; for the American steam-boats being, with few exceptions, intended for the smooth navigation of rivers, are provided, without endangering their security, with upper or additional decks, which not only afford greater accommodation for passengers, but a situation the best calculated for those who take pleasure in viewing with attention the country through which they pass. The machinery being altogether on deck, the space appropriated to passengers below is also much increased. The North America, too, has even more than is usual of the remaining space fitted up for passengers, because few beds are required in her, her voyages being altogether made in the day. She has oftener once conveyed 1000 passengers at a time, though under 500 tons in tonnage. Yesterday the number was said to be about 900. The North America is splendidly fitted up and furnished ; the cabinet work very handsome ; the whole establishment of kitchen servants, waiters, and cooks, all people of colour, on a great scale. Dr. Macleod, a native of Scotland, a zealous Presbyterian clergyman, long established in New- Yolk, and a true republican, and Mr. Anderson, a Scotsman, from St. Andrew's. in Fifeshire, a gentleman advanced in life, who has been very successful at New-York, (both of whom were known to the friend who accompanied us,) being among our fellow passengers, we soon had a sufficiently numerous acquaintance, and much agreeable conversation. The charms of the scenery were described to us with enthusiasm, and great anxiety shown to give us the knowledge we required relative to those places we passed in rapid succession, which were famed in the revolutionary annals of this country, or which have been immortalized by the able and amusing pen of the author of the Sketch Book. We were of course expected, in our turn, to afford such information as was asked of us respecting persons and things in our own country; but no greater disposition to be inquisitive was shown than was consistent with the ordinary manners in England when a meeting of a similar kind takes place. I notice this the more, because, from what I had heard, as well as read, I expected some questions to be put to me respecting my profession, business in the United States, and such matters ; but I was agreeably disappointed. The persons in this country, about whom inquiries were chiefly made, were, as was to be looked for, Sir Walter Scott, Mr. Brougham, and Dr. Chalmers.
Most of our fellow passengers were, we found, on their way- to Saratoga Springs, which are the chief Harrowgate of the United States, about thirty miles to the northward of Albany. One object of the journey was to avoid the air of New-York during the present tract of hot weather.
We had breakfast and dinner in the steam-boat. The stewardess, observing that we were foreigners, gave notice to my wife some time previous to the breakfast-bell at eight, and dinner-bell at two, so that we might have it in our power to go to the cabin, and secure good places at table before the great stream of passengers left the deck. Both meals were good, and very liberal in point of quantity. The breakfast consisted of the same articles that had been daily set before us at the City Hotel, with a large supply of omelets in addition. The equipage and whole style of the thing good, The people seemed universally to eat more animal food than the British are accustomed to do, even at such a breakfast as this, and to eat quickly.
The dinner consisted of two courses, 1. of fish, including very large lobsters, roast-meat, especially roast-beef, beef- steaks, and fowls of various kinds, roasted and boiled, potatoes and vegetables of various kinds; 2. which is here called the dessert, of pies, puddings, and cheese.
Pitchers of water and small bottles of brandy were on all parts of the table. Very little brandy was used at that part of the table where we sat. A glass tumbler was put down for each person ; but no wine-glasses, and no wine was drunk. Wine and spirits of all sorts, and malt liquors, and lemonade, and ice for all purposes, may be had at the bar, kept in one of the cabins. There is a separate charge for every thing procured there I but no separate charge for the brandy put down on the dinner tahle, which may be used at pleasure. The waiters will, if desired, bring any liquor previously ordered, and paid for to them, or at the bar, to the dining-table.
Dinner was finished, and most people again on deck, in less than twenty minutes. They seemed to me to eat more at breakfast than at dinner. I soon afterwards looked into the dining-room, and found that there was not a single straggler remaining at his bottle. Many people, however, were going into and out of the room, where the bar is railed off, and where the bar-keeper was giving out liquor.
The men of colour who waited at table were clean looking, clever, and active,- evidently picked men in point of appearance.
We had observed a very handsome woman of colour, as well dressed, and as like a female of education, as any of those on board, on deck. My wife, who had some conversation with her, asked her, when she found that she had not dined with us, why she had not been in the cabin? She replied very modestly, that the people of this country did not eat with the people of colour. The manners and appearance of this lady were interesting, and would have distinguished her anywhere.
The charge for breakfast and dinner was half-a-dollar for each person, (exclusive of the fare, which was two dollars,) for each meal. We observed nothing to find fault with in this beautiful vessel, but the presence of spit boxes everywhere,- a necessary evil, I suspect, whilst cigars, and tobacco in other shapes, are so generally used as in this country. Smoking of cigars is not, however, allowed in the cabins, or on the decks in the afterpart of the vessel.
Let us not be too fastidious. Spit-boxes have only disappeared in Scotland within these thirty years, and not even totally, at so late a date.
Our voyage of 164 miles occupied, as already mentioned, ten hours and a half, so that our rate of moving was nearly fifteen miles an hour; but, as the delay at nine landing-places, where the North America regularly stops in the course of each trip to Albany, occupies above an hour, the voyage was performed at a rate somewhat exceeding sixteen miles an hour. She sometimes completes it in nine hours and a half, but on an average, in less than twelve hours. Her average speed through the water, independent of tide, is ascertained to be above fourteen miles an hour. Formerly, the voyage between New-York and Albany frequently occupied no less than eight days. The benefits of steam naviga tion are therefore nowhere more apparent than here. To the western States, on the grebt rivers, the Mississippi, the Ohio, and the Missouri, they are incalculable.
Fulton, who unquestionably had the merit, the great merit, of accomplishing what many ingenious men had previously unsuccessfully attempted, is well entitled to the lasting gratitude of the people of the United States ; and it will not be to their credit, if the general government do not, in the end, make some great and liberal provision for the family of an individual, who was so great a benefactor of his own country, and of the world. It is as well established, that Fulton first of all adapted the steam engine to the model of such a vessel as would answer the purpose, as that many able men had previously pretty clearly perceived that the thing was possible, although they could not exactly hit on the method of doing it.
I do not allude to Vasco de Garay in the 16th century, nor to the Marquis of Worcester in the succeeding one ; because, although they expressed decided opinions of the possibility of propelling vessels against wind and tide, neither of their descriptions proves that steam was the propelling agent to which they trusted; but Jonathan Hulls, the Marquis de Jouffroy, the Duke of Bridgewater, Mr. Miller of Dalswinton, Lord Stanhope, and others in the last century, undoubtedly were convinced of the practicability of propelling vessels by steam, and only failed in the application of that agent to a proper model. The experiment made in the year 1788, on the Forth and Clyde canal, by Mr. Miller, of Dalswinton- a patriotic, public-spirited individual, zealous for the improvement of the naval architecture of his country, unquestionably proved, that vessels might be propelled by steam. But his experimental vessel had been constructed for a different purpose; she was too slight for the weight of the engine, and parts of the machinery were not sufficiently strong. The apparatus was in consequence unshipped. Mr. Millerem barked in other pursuits, and did not afterwards repeat his experiment, although a period of nearly twenty years elapsed after the date of the experiment, before Fulton's first voyage on the Hudson, and before steam-boats were first used with a view to profit, and the solid advantage of the public.
It was thus undoubtedly left for Fulton, in the nineteenth century, to confer on his country and the world the great boon of steam navigation; but let those who assisted him have their due share ofpraiae. Henry Bell of Glasgow either gave him the model of the vessel which made the first voyage, or aided him most materially in her construction. Messrs. Boulton, Watt, and Co. of Birmingham, manufactured the engine used in her. And Chancellor Livingston, of the state of New-York, encouraged the undertaking, although at the time laughed at as a wild speculation, and assisted Fulton with the pecuniary means necessary forcarrying it into execution. The difficulties he after all encountered were such, that, though the engine was furnished in the year 1804, it was not until the summer of 1807 that it was put to use in the vessel, the Clermont, of one hundred and sixty tons, in which, on the Hudson, the first steam-boat voyage in the world was made. Fulton's letter to his friend, Joel Barlow, giving an account of that experimental voyage, is extremely interesting. " New-York, August 2, 1807. " My dear friend, " My steam-boat voyage to Albany and back has turned out rather more favourable than I had calculated. The distance from New-York to Albany is 150 miles ; I ran it up in thirty-two hours, and down in thirty hours ; the latter is just five miles an hour. I had a light breeze against me the whole way going and coming, so that no use was made of my sails, and the voyage has been performed wholly by the power of the steam engine. I overtook many sloops and schooners beating to windward, and passed them as if they had been at anchor.
"The power of propelling, boats by steam is now fully proved. The morning I left New-York, there were not perhaps thirty persons in the city who believed that the boat would ever move one mile an hour, or be of the least utility ; and while we were putting off from the wharf, which was crowded with spectators, I heard a number of sarcastic remarks. This is the way, you know, in which ignorant men compliment what they call philosophers and projectors.
"Having employed much time, and money, and zeal, in accomplishing this work, it gives me, as it will you, great pleasure to see it so fully answer my expectations. It will give a cheap and quick conveyance to merchandise on the Mississippi and Missouri, and other great rivers, which are now laying open their treasures to the enterprise of our countrymen. And although the prospect of personal emolument has been some inducement to me yet I feel infinitely more pleasure in reflecting with you on the immense advantage that my country will derive from the invention."
It is not very creditable to the spirit of enterprise, for which Great Britain and the United States, the two greatest com mercial nations, take credit, to find that several years elapsed after the power of propelling vessels by steam was thus in 1807 completely proved, before any attempt to construct a steam-vessel in Britain wasmade, and before steam-boats appeared on the great western rivers of America, for the navigation of which they are, above all, admirably calculated.
The first steam-boat in Britain was constructed in l812, by Henry Bell, to navigate the Clyde between Glasgow and Helensburgh; the first steam-boat on the western rivers of America was built at Pittsburgh, on the Ohio, above 2000 miles from the sea, in 1811; no attempt to ascend them from, New-Orleans to Louisville on the Ohio, distant from each other above 1350 miles, was made till 1817, when the event was celebrated by a rejoicing, and a public dinner at Louisville to Captain Shreve, who accomplished that voyage in twenty-five days, now generally completed in, from twelve to fourteen ; nor was it till the year 1818 that thq first steam-vessel to make regular sea voyages was constructed at Dumbarton, to ply between Greenock and Belfast.
The state of New-York was early sensible of the great services which Fulton had rendered; and conferred on him a most valuable monopoly,- the exclusive right to navigate in the waters of the state with steam-vessels for a term of years; if I remember right, till the year 1838. It was subsequently, indeed, found, after a keen litigation in the supreme court of the United States, that no separate state could establish such a monopoly,- the general government alone having power, by the American constitution, " to regulate commerce among the several states." New-York state, however, it is undeniable, showed their feeling of lasting obligation to their meritorious countryman, and their desire to see him suitably rewarded ; and now, when it is known, that, in consequence of his premature death (for he died in 1815) he left no inheritance to his children; and when it is fully ascertained, that the great discovery attained by his skill, exertions, and perseverance, has tended to advance the improvement of the United States generally to an incredible degree, and of the western states of the Union, probably at least half a century, it is to the general government that his family should look for the liberal and merited discharge of a debt most justly due to their deceased parent.
My own countrymen are, to admit the truth, almost as much to blame, in delaying long, to make any provision for Mr. Bell, who had, there is reason to believe, not much less perseverance and knowledge of the subject than Mr. Fulton, and only wanted the pecuniary means to have turned them to good account. His necessitous circumstances at last obtained an alimentary provision for him; but he lived only a short time afterwards to enjoy it.