Chapter II: Appendix: N. J. Roosevelt to R. R. Livingston

Proposes Vertical Wheels with the Size of Cylinder and presses for
Money Arrangements.

Second River, _Sept. 6th, 1798_.

Dr Sir,

I have your two letters of the 31st and 1st inst. before me. Since
writing you the 27th, I made an experiment in order to ascertain as
nearly as I could the power of the engine, and put on your wheels.
This was done by laying the vessel on shore stern foremost so as to
leave the wheels entirely out of the water. The Engine was then put to
work at the rate of from 40 to 45 strokes and wheels turned from 160
to 180 revolutions per minute. When the water first entered them it
was thrown out with great violence; but before it got any considerable
depth in them the motion of the engine was impeded and in a short time
entirely stopped. By this experiment I was fully convinced that the
wheels would require a power far greater than this engine possesses
and that any attempts to proceed with the power we have and the
present wheels would be fruitless. I was also farther convinced (by
getting men whose strength was ascertained to turn the wheels by hand
before the operation of the engine) tho’ she has her full power and
indeed considerably more than as first mentioned, I expected we would
have. Now, Sir, to proceed with the experiment you recommended of
closing the openings with doors will be doing nothing more than what
we have already done by the last trial. I would therefore recommend
that we throw two wheels of wood over the sides fastened to the axes
of the flys with 8 arms or paddles, that part which enters the water
of sheet iron to shift according to the power they require either
deeper in the water or otherwise and that we navigate the vessel with
those until we can procure an Engine of proper size which I think
ought not to be less than 24 inches cylinder. The Barometer to
ascertain the exact power of the engine has not as you observe been
left to depend entirely on Mr. Van Ness, although I looked upon him as
your Representative according to the tenor of your own letter; but Mr.
Mark and Mr. Speyer have both been on the search for one and have not
yet succeeded. The copper pipe for it is made and we will I believe be
obliged to wait for the glass until we can get it from the glass house
above Albany. I have requested Mr. Speyer, who has gone up to the
Oneida country, to call on Mr. Dezang for that purpose. If you know of
any to be had in New York please to inform me and I will immediately
get it.

As to your charge of my want of candor and my possessing too much
distrust, those Sir are charges which have never before been laid to
me and which I feel perfectly free from and I will recommend to the
Chancellor to meet me in future upon equally candid and fair ground. I
can assure him he shall never have reason to complain of me on that
score again.[2] We have as you observe put our hands to the oars and
ought not to look back until we reach port. This I am for, Sir, with
all my heart, and firmly believe that with this determination we have
nothing to fear, as I think, _with the wheels I have recommended_,
that the State patent may be secured. We will then have time to
prepare for your wheels, and if they should not have the effect you
promise us, we can then adopt such other plans as we may together
think best. No bad consequences need be apprehended from what I
communicated out of your letter to Smallman and Stoudinger as they are
as anxious for the success of the business and your good opinion as I
am. As to altering any of the wheels in the way you propose I cannot
approve, as the alteration will be attended with considerable expense,
and as I believe any alteration we can make with our present small
Engine will be inadequate to driving the wheels to any advantage. In
this the Chancellor will agree with me when he considers that when the
Engine making 30 strokes per minute the horizontal wheels make 120
revolutions by which 3/4 is taken from the power to afford this.

I sincerely hope that Mrs. Livingston may soon recover from her
accident so that you may not be detained long from thoroughly
investigating everything appertaining to our present concern.

I am, dear Sir, &c., &c.
N. J. ROOSEVELT.

N. B. I have not, upon overlooking what I have above written, been so
particular in my objections to your proposed alterations as may be
agreeable and will ask for a little of your patience. See how the
alteration of the wheels on the connecting rod by being smaller will
operate. They will most certainly shorten the stroke of the engine.
This therefore cannot take place unless we alter the wheels round
which they move accordingly, which may be done. At the same time in
doing it we shall be obliged to lengthen the spindle of the horizontal
wheels and disturb the wooden work the whole of which will be attended
with considerable expense and require a second alteration when we come
to operate with power equal to what those wheels will require, and
indeed, why should we go to any expense in alterations which can do us
no service; as I clearly saw from actual experiment that about 1400
pounds will be necessary to be applied directly to the wheels
independent of friction, which is equal to an engine of 24 inches
Cylinder. An Engine of this size I find has 5424 pounds power
independent of the friction of the machine and I think power enough
for the air pumps (perhaps something more.) This I cannot however
ascertain until I get a barometer and try our present engine, which I
believe perfect. I was about trying the power by weights but found
difficulties which I have not yet been able to get over, as her power
is equal both ways, and to bring the weight only to the connecting rod
would tear everything to pieces.

Yours, &c.
N. J. ROOSEVELT.

A plan of my substitute which may not be quite correct, as I do not
understand anything of drawing.
N. J. R.[3]

N. J. ROOSEVELT TO R. R. LIVINGSTON.

Second River, _Sept. 10th, 1798_.

Dear Sir,

I acknowledge receipt of yours of the 3d Inst. By this time you have
doubtless recd. mine of the 6th Inst. which gave you all the
information on the subject of the boat I was then capable of doing;
since which I have thought of trying another experiment upon _the
present plan_ and concluded to morrow to set about it. It will take us
three days with two hands which will cost very trifling and enable us
to calculate with more certainty what power will be required _for your
wheels_. The plan is this. Sun and planet wheels we will take off and
form a double crank with the coupling links, which at one end will be
fastened to the shaft of the fly wheels by taking out the brasses and
drilling holes for pins to enter. This change will give us only half
the motion of your wheels we first contemplated and consequently
double the power we now have. I will try this in the same way we did
the last time by leaving the vessel’s stern on shore, and in the
meanwhile _I hope to hear your opinion of throwing wheels over the
sides. I will also be glad_ to know if it is more agreeable to you to
give a note for the balance of your proportion of the expense
attending this business or whether you will make me a remittance in
cash. Could I at present raise money through the house of J. Mark for
all the ends I have in this quarter I would not solicit more money
until you come down. This however it is not for them to do. I hope
the Chancellor will consider my situation in the midst of many workmen
as an apology and pardon me for my impatience.

Yours, &c.
N. J. ROOSEVELT.

R. R. Livingston.

R. R. LIVINGSTON TO N. J. ROOSEVELT.

Acknowledges Wheels over the Sides to have been Proposed by Roosevelt
and rejects them.

Clermont, _18th Sept., 1798_.

Dear Sir,

Mr. Mouchette is just returned. I sincerely congratulate you upon the
success of the engine of which he gives the most favourable report &
fully justifies yr. confidence in your engines. I am sufficiently
sanguine to hope that all difficulties are now vanished. Knowing our
power nothing remains but adapt the vessel to it. In attempting this
hitherto we have deceived ourselves by wandering into the field of
conjecture rather than adhereing to plain calculations & we shall
still do so if we expect that the present engine will turn the wheels
we now have 80 times in a minute, as will appear from this
calculation. Our wells contain exactly 60 cubic feet of water. The
whole of this is set in motion at every revolution of the wheels with
a rapidity equal to the main motion of the arms, that is if the wheels
make 80 revolutions in a minute at the rate of 8 miles an hour. Now as
the boat will not remove more than 20 feet of water if she goes 8
miles an hour, if it was possible to move the wheels as they are now
constructed 80 rounds in a minute we should throw away one half of our
power, for the boat could not move faster than the water in the wheels
& the power would be uselessly expended in throwing out water
unnecessarily.

But it will be found on experiment that however perfect our engine is,
it cannot turn the present wheels 80 times in a minute. The wheels
then must necessarily be altered or the motion rendered still slower.
To make the motion slower is to diminish our chance of moving the boat
fast because she will at no rate move faster than the water in the
wheels though she may be made to move as fast as I have found on
actual experiment. The wheels then must be altered, not by making the
arms shorter for this would diminish their motion, besides that it
would require an alteration in the boat—but by diminishing their
depth. They are now if I recollect 18 Inches deep, let them be reduced
to nine Inches.

Let the motion of the wheels by no means exceed 80 nor be lower than
70 turns in a minute and I will answer for the success of the
experiment, & upon the whole it will turn out a fortunate discovery
since we shall find that our wells need not be above half the size we
have made them & of course much room and much weight of water be saved
in future. That we have erred hitherto should not discourage us. It is
the fate of all new undertakings and it is happy when the error can be
so easily discovered & detected. Another circumstance of considerable
moment must be attended to. If the diminution of the motion is brought
about by changing the sun and planet wheels, one half the motion of
the flys will be lost & they rendered almost useless from this
circumstance. If they are made heavier they will overload the boat.

I would propose as the best mode of altering the motion of the wheels
to alter the cog wheels & to leave the sun and planet wheels as they
were—this will give the proper motion to the fly & diminish the
friction. Let the cog wheels be made smaller and have no more cogs
than the trunnel rounds, or only so many more as will serve to give
the motion we require. Nor will this alteration be attended with more
trouble than the one at first proposed; but even if it is, it is so
essential to give the flys a rapid motion that we must, now we have
gone so far, submit to this trouble and expense to have this
experiment properly made. _I say nothing on the subject of_ WHEELS
OVER THE SIDES _as I am perfectly convinced from a variety of
experiments of the superiority of those we have adopted_. I expect to
be down the last of this month when I shall see you & make such money
arrangements as we may find necessary.

In the meantime I hope to hear how you go on. I flatter myself no
delay will be incurred which can possibly be avoided, every moment
being precious. Mr. Mark will I hope forward this to you the moment it
arrives, so that the necessary alterations may be made before you
proceed far on any difficult plan.

I am very much hurt that you should construe any part of my former
letters into a reflection on your candour. I am sure that nothing of
this kind was ever intended & I flatter myself that if you attend a
little more to the expressions (tho: I cannot now recollect them) that
they will not bear this harsh construction.[4]

I am dear Sir, with esteem, your most ob: hum: servt:
ROB. R. LIVINGSTON.

N. J. ROOSEVELT TO R. R. LIVINGSTON.

Experiment made & Opinion of the Spanish Minister—Again Coaxes to have
Vertical Wheels tried.

Second River, _Oct. 21st, 1798_.

Dear Sir,

I dropped you a line in haste on Friday last, since which I received
your favour of the 10th: the person to whom you gave it in charge did
not put it in the post office until yesterday. Your instructions
therefore came too late for the rims, as they had by your former
request been left off and no bad consequence has resulted. I have not
yet seen Mr. Stevens, but have been expecting him every day, as he
requested me by letter to inform him what time we would be ready,
which I did. Had I received your letter sooner I would also have sent
to see if Mr. Mouchet was still at N. Ark & requested him to come up.

There was no occasion to try the wheels from 5 Inches upwards, as I
found the Engine overloaded at 5. I think at present the most
advisable mode of proceeding for us will be to change the wheels on
shaft and spindle so as to give the Engine her full speed with 50
revolutions of the lower wheels, and if she will carry more, then
increase the width of the paddles. I have ordered a pattern made for
two wheels accordingly and will cast them the first casting we make
after it is finished. Please to write me if you agree in this respect.
The Spanish Minister was on board the day we made the last experiment
and was perfectly well pleased with the operation of the Engine and
will give us an order for one of 36 Inches. This will cost him upwards
of 13,000 Dolls: Our small one is not equal to the purposes for which
he wants his. During our sail he, at the time the tide and wind
favoured us, supposed we went at the rate of 6 miles an hour; but I
think the delight he felt expressed at the novelty of the Voyage was
the cause of his mistake. My report to you was three miles, still
water, which I have reason to believe was accurate. I have at present
a better opinion of your plan than ever, and could wish them to be
contrasted with paddles upon Mr. Stevens’ plan, OR WHEELS OVER THE
SIDES, so as fairly to ascertain the difference of the application of
the power. We have by the last experiment a striking proof in favor of
your plan which is demonstrated by the diminution in width and slow
motion of the wheels. At our last experiment the effect was certainly
greater than we could have promised ourselves.

I hope to hear from you soon, and in the meanwhile will do what
strikes me as reasonable upon our present plan so that no time is
lost.

Mrs. Mark requests me to thank you for your polite invitation of
visiting Mrs. Livingston, but does not think it will be in her power
this fall, as Mr. Mark is at present too much occupied with business
to leave home.

Yours respectfully,
N. J. ROOSEVELT.

This letter is complim’y to Livingston—about his plan of wheel—but still Roosevelt mentions that it would be prudent to try in contrast _Stevens’ paddles_—(& his _own_ plan) wheels _over the sides_. (Note by Judge Griffith.)

R. R. LIVINGSTON TO N. J. ROOSEVELT.

Liv’n Acknowledges the Boat to Answer & Refuses to use Vertical
Wheels.

Clermont, _28 Octr., 1798_.

Dear Sir,

After sending mine of yesterday I received your favor of the 21st, in
which you enter more particularly into the experiments you have made,
but not so fully as I would wish, as you will find by the queries I
have troubled you with. If you are right as to the motion through the
water, the Spanish Minister could not err much in his calculation, for
it appears to me that the tide in your river is not short of 2 miles &
I have found in my models that the velocity of the boat with the tide
is greater in proportion than the mere difference between that and
still water.

This is one of the experiments I wished you to ascertain accurately by
running one hour with the tide & determining the distance and running
back the same distance against the tide. Be it as it will, we now know
what we can do with a sufficient power, and tho’ _paddles should even
do more they are too inconvenient and too liable to accidents to be
used_—AS FOR VERTICAL WHEELS THEY ARE OUT OF THE QUESTION.

What I principally write now for is to ask you whether it would not be
better instantly to fit the boat for passengers by putting a deck over
so much as you make cabbin of. This should be the whole, only leaving
room for wood near the engine. This deck should be of inch pine boards
& rounded so as to carry off the water and made as tight as possible.
It should be raised about ten Inches so as to admit of glasses that
shove past each other all round The inside only wants to be papered
with any cheap common paper and to have two rows of benches the one
behind the other. The rear bench so low as to admit the knees under
the front one. A narrow table of one board should run through the
middle. The back cabbin should be fitted for the ship’s company and
have windows and shutters in case of bad weather. Some arrangement
should also be made for boiling in pot and kettle. All this should be
going on while you are fitting the machinery. It will I believe be
best to get two or three quick hands from New York to do it as your
shipwright is both slow and extravagant. We have yet one month to use
and a pretty important one, because the roads will soon be bad, and
tho’ we should only go 3 miles an hour we shall still be able to pick
up something besides our expenses and acquire some experience of what
further is necessary. I have provided a Captain at £5 a month who
understands the river. You say you have a steward and fire engine
hand. Tho’ I think Smallman should make the first voyage.

I am, Dr. Sir,
R. R. LIVINGSTON.

Mr. N. J. Roosevelt.

The headings of the foregoing letters are copied from their respective indorsations which would seem to have been made by different hands and as though in the preparation of a case.