The North River Steamboat, which was also known as Clermont, was designed by Robert Fulton who was a famous American engineer and inventor.Clermont was the first commercially successful steamboat and was invented in 1807. Charles Brown, with Robert Livingston’s financial assistance, built the steamboat in New York City.On November 14, 1765, Robert Fulton was born on a farm near Little Britain, Pennsylvania. Robert Fulton’s father married Mary Smith, who was the daughter of Captain Joseph Smith. Fulton grew up with three sisters and a brother. Fulton was very interested in painting and he used to paint landscapes and miniature portraits. He even painted a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. However, his paintings failed to make an impression as they lacked style and he soon accepted his defeat as a painter.In 1777, when Robert Fulton was around 12 years old, he became interested in steam engines and the concept of steamboats. He subsequently bought a steam engine from an English business founded by James Watt, who received a patent for a strong steam engine the same year Fulton was born.In 1808 Fulton married Harriet Livingston who was 19, the daughter of Walter Livingston and niece of Robert Livingston, both influential persons in the Hudson River area. Harriet and Robert had four children together; Robert Barlow Fulton, Julia Fulton, Cornelia Livingston Fulton, and Mary Livingston Fulton. He served on the Erie Canal Commission from 1811 until his death, having been appointed by the governor. In 1815 Fulton died at the age of 49 of Tuberculosis in New York City.The Invention Of The Fulton Steam EngineRobert Fulton relocated to France, where in 1801 he met Robert R. Livingston, the U.S. Ambassador. They tried to build a steamer on the river Seine but they were unsuccessful. Their cooperation remained until Fulton returned to America in 1806 and Livingston gained control of the Hudson steamboat navigation monopoly.Meanwhile, the British government invited Fulton to discuss the idea of sponsoring his submarine.For his demonstration, he blew up an old ship. Later he was asked to stop with his invention.After leaving the United States in 1786, Fulton devoted himself to research and engineering in Europe. With the help of the French government, he produced various new innovations for European nations, including the Nautilus canal construction, a prototype submarine.In 1806 Robert Fulton returned to New York and began construction of the steamboat along with Robert R. Livingston on an East River steamer.The boat was officially called the North River Steamboat of Clermont, but it is more often known as the Clermont.The North River Steamboat of Clermont made its first journey on the Hudson River on August 17, 1807, covering 40 mi (64.3 km) from New York City to Albany in a record eight hours.Robert Fulton is famous for inventing the steamboat for commercial use.Fulton’s statue is part of the National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol.Fulton Hall houses the Department of Marine Engineering.Fulton is featured beside telegraph inventor Samuel F. B. Morse on the reverse of the 1896 United States $2 Silver Certificate.Fulton was also elected to the National Inventors Hall Of Fame.The Workings Of The Fulton Steam EngineA steam engine uses steam as its working fluid to execute mechanical work. Read more about the working of the Clermont:The steamboat’s steam engine used coal to heat water in a big boiler. Steam was pumped into a cylinder, which caused a piston to rise to the cylinder’s top.A valve will then open, releasing the steam and allowing the piston to return to its original position at the bottom of the cylinder.The 150 ft (45.7 m) long successful commercial steamboat was powered by oak and pine fuel. The midsection of the boat contained a paddle wheel on both sides.The early steamboats had a noisy vessel and people believed that this could cause an explosion but despite that, they became a huge success for commercial use.After the first steamboat was running successfully, Fulton and Robert R Livingston built many other steamboats.In 1811 they expanded into other places, such as the Mississippi River, where they introduced the New Orleans riverboat.Despite the fact that steamboats are still used today, larger commercial ships and bridges have made them outdated.The steam-powered ship, on the other hand, is a popular tourist attraction for crossing rivers and lakes.The Uses Of The Fulton Steam EngineDuring the 1800s, Fulton’s steamboats were of great use for transporting commodities and people across the United States.The ship could accommodate up to 100 passengers and completed a 150 mi (241.4 km) journey on the Hudson River in 32 hours.This was a huge success since people used to sail for up to four days for the same journey.By 1810, the Clermont and two new steamboats designed by Fulton, were regularly transporting passengers and goods on the Hudson and Raritan rivers in New York.Along the rivers, fuelers met up with other steamboats and provided them with coal, oil, or wood.Fun Facts About The Fulton Steam EngineHere are some interesting facts about the North River Steamboat.James Watt patented the steam engine in 1769. The watt unit of measurement was named after him.John Fitch, John Stevens, and James Rumsey are some of the most well-known names in the steamboat industry.When steamboats were introduced, steam engines were in high demand.Many people did not believe that the steamboat could be used as a means of transportation so they called the steamboat ‘Fulton’s Folly.‘The ship, also called Fulton’s Folly, resumed scheduled passenger services on September 4, 1807, and became a commercial success, despite fears that the noisy vessel might eventually explode.Robert Fulton earned the title ‘The Father Of Steam Navigation’ because of his invention.In around 32 hours, Robert Fulton’s North River Steamboat could travel from Albany, NY to New York City, NY.Steamboats began making frequent voyages to Albany, transporting up to 100 passengers on a four-day round trip.The two-side paddle wheels were driven by engines developed by Boulton and Watt in England.Steamboats can also be called steamers.With the rise of railroads, the popularity and usage of steamboats dropped.Steamboats are propelled by paddlewheels or propellers that are powered by steam.Steam trains are much faster than steam-powered warships and they are cheaper too.Steamboats are also dangerous because of the potential explosion of boilers which could lead to massive destruction.In 1815, Fulton developed the first steam-powered warship for the U.S. Navy to aid in the War of 1812.In 1815, when saving a friend who fell in the frozen Hudson River, Fulton was drenched with freezing water. Fulton got ill and died at the age of 49.The steamboat changed travel and trading in most growing areas.The boat could carry up to 100 passengers on each voyage, with a total distance of around 150 mi (241.4 km).Throughout the 20th century, the steam turbine was the most efficient steam engine utilized in steamboats.In 1783 France introduced the Pyroscaphe, the first steam-powered watercraft.Flatboats, which were significantly less efficient than steamboats, came before them.In addition, Fulton also designed an inland waterway system, a submarine, and a steam warship.The worst maritime tragedy in U.S. history is the explosion of the steamboat Sultana that sank on the Mississippi River.At the time, it was difficult to travel upstream, but the steamboat constructed by Fulton made it possible by utilizing steam power.Steamboats are hazardous for the environment because they pollute the air and water.Another bad effect of the steamboat is deforestation, with trees and plants being used as fuel.The speed and direction of the wind has no effect on a steamboat.During the Civil War, steamboats played an important role by transporting goods up and down in the inland waterways.In 1808, many steamboats began running over the Hudson River on a regular basis, and others were built in other sections of the country.Paddle steamers were common after the middle of the 19th century, as marine propelling boats provided higher speed and burnt less fuel.In the 20th century, diesel engines replaced steam power in marine vessels.Only a few steamboats continue to travel these historic routes today, such as the American Queen which is the only night sailing paddle steamer.
The North River Steamboat, which was also known as Clermont, was designed by Robert Fulton who was a famous American engineer and inventor.
