Robert Fulton Handwritten Letter Including A Sketch Of Storage Shed

ROBERT FULTON (1765-1815). Fulton was an American engineer and inventor best known for developing the world's first commercially successful steamboat. ALS. 1 pg. 7 x 13. N.d. N.p. An autograph letter signed R. Fulton in pencil: My Dear Sir I find on calculation that it will be less expensive to place the machine in the ground and work the horse on one side for that purpose. I have made a sketch of a kind of shed to be covered with boat plank it is to be 50 feet long and 30 widefind a Carpenter, immediately show him the ground, and the kind of building you want and contract with him for time and price. In 1807, Fultons North River Steamboat (also known as the Clermont) traveled on the Hudson River with passengers from New York City to Albany and back again, a round trip of 300 nautical miles in 62 hours. The letter includes a description of a drawing, which is found on the verso. The drawing depicts the measurements and purpose of a shed intended to house a machine and provide accommodation for a horse on one side. Steam engines did in the early days still often rely on horse power, though the latter quickly became obsolete and became a measurement of the power output of engines horsepower. Additionally, an issue of the Portland Gazette and Maine Advertiser, dated October 8, 1810, is included. This newspaper contains a front-page article that delves into the subject of torpedoes, which Fulton pioneered during his service for the British during the Napoleonic Wars. The letter and newspaper show signs of age, including folds and yellowing, but are in otherwise good condition.