him; but Mr. King out-herods Herod, for he claims on behalf
of the Colonel, the working of Steam expansively in 1815, for which Watt
had taken out a patent thirty-five years before. If presidents of
colleges in America cannot in their lectures deal more closely with
facts, the instruction given within the walls of the college will come
under very unfavourable suspicions.

In conclusion, I will only add a few remarks as to ocean steamers, on
which subject, as on the invention of the engine, there is considerable
difficulty in awarding the honours to any single individual. The
Americans were the first to employ steamers along the coast, and the
"Savannah," built by them in 1819, was the first vessel that crossed the
ocean employing steam in any way as an assistant. But in her the steam
was a very small auxiliary power, and upon the sails the vessel mainly
depended. She cannot, therefore, fairly be called an ocean steamer. The
"Enterprise," a vessel of 500 tons burden, with two 120 horse-power
engines, started from London for Calcutta, touching at the Cape of Good
Hope, about the year 1826; and may be fairly considered as the first
vessel that made an ocean journey essentially dependent on steam.
Subsequently the "Royal William," built at Quebec, after running between
that port and Halifax from 1831 to 1833, started in the fall of the
latter year for Falmouth; and to her belongs the honour of being the
first _bona fide_ paddle-wheel steamer that crossed the Atlantic. She
was afterwards sold to the Portuguese government, and fitted up as a
man-of-war steamer, under the name of the "Dona Isabella."

If, however, it be asked, where oceanic communication took its rise,
unquestionably that honour belongs to Bristol and the "Great Western," a
steamer of 210 feet in length, 1240 tons, fitted with two engines of 210
horse-power each. This vessel started on the 8th of March, 1838, under
the command of Captain Hosken, reached New York in thirteen days ten
hours, and made the return passage in fifteen days. Since that date
ocean steamers and steam companies have risen up like mushrooms. England
and America have established a kind of weekly Derby, Cunard entering one
horse and Collins the other. Unquestionably the Americans have been
pioneers in improving the build, and a rivalry has sprung up which is as
useful as it is honourable.

The English boats adhere to a greater proportion of sail, in case of
accidents to the engine; the A