Robert Fulton summary

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Robert Fulton, (born Nov. 14, 1765, Lancaster county, Pa., U.S.—died Feb. 24, 1815, New York, N.Y.), U.S. inventor and engineer. Born to Irish immigrant parents, he studied painting with Benjamin West in London but soon turned to engineering. After designing a system of inland waterways, he tried unsuccessfully to interest the French and British governments in his prototypes of submarines (see Nautilus) and torpedoes. In 1801 he was commissioned by Robert R. Livingston to build a steamboat, and in 1807 Fulton’s Clermont made the 150-mi (240-km) journey up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany in 32 hours, cutting 64 hours off the usual sailing time. It became the first commercially successful steamboat in the U.S. He later designed several other steamboats, including the world’s first steam warship (1812). He was a member of the commission that recommended building the Erie Canal.

canals and inland waterways Summary

Canals and inland waterways, natural or artificial waterways used for navigation, crop irrigation, water supply, or drainage. Despite modern technological advances in air and ground transportation, inland waterways continue to play a vital role and, in many areas, to grow substantially. This

steam engine Summary

Steam engine, machine using steam power to perform mechanical work through the agency of heat. (Read James Watt’s 1819 Britannica essay on the steam engine.) A brief treatment of steam engines follows. For full treatment of steam power and production and of steam engines and turbines, see Energy

submarine Summary

Submarine, any naval vessel that is capable of propelling itself beneath the water as well as on the water’s surface. This is a unique capability among warships, and submarines are quite different in design and appearance from surface ships. Submarines first became a major factor in naval warfare