ent was issued at about the same time, and edited by Col. E. C. Barry. It was discontinued in 1817. It is believed that there are no files of it in existence now.

Reference to all the early files of newspapers published at this day, will show how gradual and yet how certain was the progress of steamboat navigation on the Ohio. The arrival of every boat was carefully noted and always accompanied with a great flourish of trumpets and a renewed eulogy on the wonders of the new invention. Much credit is due to Capt. H. M. Shreve, lately of St. Louis, for his indefatigable and successful endeavors to improve as well as to enlarge this prominent branch of commerce. As is well known, Fulton and Livingston held a patent for the entire right to navigate all the rivers in the United States for a certain number of years. But Mr. Shreve, seeing the injustice of this grant and doubting its legality, openly defied it; and finally, after much effort and not a little pecuniary loss, succeeded in 1816 in removing the grant and throwing open the navigation of the public highways to all. It will not be uninteresting to the reader, while upon this fruitful topic, to glance at a list of all the steamboats employed upon the western waters until 1819. This list is copied from Dr. McMurtrie, whose data is not always implicitly reliable. It has however been corrected as far as was practicable at this remote period. The present tense, whenever employed, is meant to refer to the year 1819.

STEAMBOATS EMPLOYED ON THE WESTERN WATERS FROM 1812 TO 1819.

1st. The Orleans-the first boat built at Pittsburg, owned by and constructed under the superintendence of Mr. Fulton. Sailed from Pittsburg in October, 1811, and arrived at her destination, Natchez, about the 1st January, 1812. She ran between New Orleans and Natchez about two years, making her voyages to average seventeen days; was wrecked near Baton Rouge, where she sunk on the upward bound passage; 400 tons burthen.

2d. The Comet-owned by Samuel Smith; built at Pittsburg by Daniel French; stern-wheel and vibrating cylinder; on French's patent granted in 1809. The Comet made a voyage to Louisville in the summer of 1813; and descended to New Orleans in the Spring of 1814; made two voyages to Natchez, and was sold; the engine put up in a cotton gin; 45 tons burthen.

3d. The Vesuvius-built at Pittsburg by Fulton, and owned by a company of gentlemen belonging to New York and New Orleans. Sailed from New Orleans in the Spring of 1814, commanded by Captain Frank Ogden. She was then employed some months between New Orleans and Natchez, under the command of Captain Clemmont, who was succeeded by Captain John DeHart; shortly after she took fire, near the city of New Orleans and burned to the water's edge; having a valuable cargo on board. She was afterwards raised and built upon at New Orleans. She has since been in the Louisville trade, and has lately been sold to a company at Natchez; 390 tons burthen.

4th. The Enterprise-built at Brownsville, Pennsyl

vania, on the Monongahela, by Daniel French, on his patent, and owned by a company at that place. She made two voyages to Louisville in the summer of 1814, under the command of Captain J. Gregg. On the first of December she took in a cargo of ordinance stores at Pittsburg, and sailed for New Orleans, commanded by Captain H. M. Shreve, and arrived at New Orleans on the 14th of the same month. She made one voyage to the Gulf of Mexico as a cartel; one voyage to the rapids of Red River with troops; nine voyages to Natchez; set out for Pittsburgh on the 6th May, and arrived at Shippingport on the 30th, (25 days out,) being the first steamboat that ever arrived at that port from New Orleans. From thence she proceeded on to Pittsburgh, and the command was given to Captain D. Wooley, who lost her about twelve months after in Rock harbor at Shippingport; 45 tons burthen.

5th. Etna-built at Pittsburg, and owned by the same company as the Vesuvius; sailed from Pittsburg for New Orleans in March, 1815, under the command of Captain A. Gale, and arrived in April following; continued in the Natchez trade. Was then commanded by Captain R. De Hart, who made six voyages in her to Louisville; and is now commanded by Captain A. Gale in the same trade.

6th. The Dispatch-built at Brownsville, on French's patent, and owned by the same company as the Enterprise. She made several voyages from Pittsburg to Louisville, and one from New Orleans to Shippingport, where she now lies a wreck, her engine out; was commanded by Captain J. Gregg; 25 tons burthen,

7th and 8th. The Buffalo, 300 tons; and James Monroe, 90 tons; built at Pittsburg by Latrobe, for a company at New York, but failed in finishing them. They were sold at Sheriff's sale, and fell into the hands of Mr. Whiting, and finished by him with engines; both dull sailers.

9th. Washington—a two-decker; built at Wheeling, Virginia; constructed and partly owned by Captain H. M. Shreve; her engine was made at Brownsville, under the immediate direction of Captain Shreve. Her boilers are on the upper deck, being the first boat on that plan, and is a valuable improvement by Captain Shreve, which is now generally in use. The Washington crossed the falls in September, 1816, commanded by Captain Shreve, went to New Orleans, and returned to Louisville in the winter. In the month of March, 1817, she left Shippingport a second time, proceeded to New Orleans, and returned to Shippingport, being absent but 45 days. This was the trip that convinced the despairing public that steamboat navigation would succeed on the western waters. She has since been running with similar success in the same trade; 400 tons burthen.

10th. The Franklin-built at Pittsburg, by Messrs. Shires and Cromwell; engine built by George Evans; sailed from Pittsburg in December 1816; was sold at New Orleans, and has been in the Louisville and St. Louis trade since that time; she was sunk in the Mississippi near St. Genevieve a few months since, under the command of Captain Reed, on her way to St. Louis; 150 tons burthen.

11th. The Oliver Evans; (now the Constitution,)

75 tons; was built at Pittsburg by Mr. George Evans; engine his patent. She left Pittsburg in December, 1816, for New Orleans; in 1817 she burst one of her boilers, off Coupee, by which eleven men lost their lives, principally passengers. Has done but little since. Is now owned by Mr. George Sutton and others of Pittsburg; 75 tons burthen.

12th. The Harriet-built at Pittsburg; owned and constructed by Mr. Armstrong, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. She sailed from Pittsburg, October, 1816, for New Orleans, and crossed the falls in March, 1817; made one voyage to New Orleans, and has since run between that place and the Muscle Shoals; 40 tons burthen.

13th. The Pike-a small boat built by Mr. Prentiss, of Henderson, Kentucky; run some time from Louisville to St. Louis; from thence in the Red River trade. Was lost on a sawyer, March, 1818; 25 tons burthen.

14th. The Kentucky-built at Frankfort, Kentucky, and owned by Hanson and Boswell; in the Louisville trade; 80 tons burthen.

15th. The Gov. Shelby-built at Louisville, Kentucky, by Messrs. Gray, Gwathmey and Gretsinger; Bolton and Watt's engine. Now performing very successfully in the Louisville trade; 120 tons burthen.

16th. The New Orleans-built at Pittsburg in 1817, by Fulton and Livingston; in the Natchez trade. Near Baton Rouge, she was sunk and raised again, and sunk at New Orleans in Feb. 1819, about two months after her sinking near Baton Rouge; 300 tons burthen.

17th. The George Madison-built at Pittsburg in 1818, by Messrs. Voorhies, Mitchell, Rodgers, and Todd,