When Mr. Miller of Dalswinton had revived the notion of
propelling vessels by means of paddle-wheels, worked, as Savery
had before worked them, by means of a capstan placed in the
centre of the vessel, and when he complained to Symington of the
fatigue caused to the men by working the capstan, and Symington
had suggested the use of steam, Mr. Miller was impressed by the
idea, and proceeded to order a steam-engine for the purpose of
trying the experiment. The boat was built at Edinburgh, and
removed to Dalswinton Lake. It was there fitted with Symington's
steam-engine, and first tried with success on the 14th of
October, 1788, as has been related at length in Mr. Nasmyth's
'Autobiography.' The experiment was repeated with even greater
success in the charlotte Dundas in 1801, which was used to tow
vessels along the Forth and Clyde Canal, and to bring ships up
the Firth of Forth to the canal entrance at Grangemouth.
The progress of steam navigation was nevertheless very slow.
Symington's experiments were not renewed. The Charlotte Dundas
was withdrawn from use, because of the supposed injury to the
banks of the Canal, caused by the swell from the wheel. The
steamboat was laid up in a creek at Bainsford, where it went to
ruin, and the inventor himself died in poverty. Among those who
inspected the vessel while at work were Fulton, the American
artist, and Henry Bell, the Glasgow engineer.
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