1803 - Half-Success for the Dundas & Symington Steam Tug

The duet composed of Thomas Laurence Dundas, Baron Dundas, 62, & William Symington, an engineer, 39, undeterred by the failure of a previous attempt in 1801, has renewed it with a stronger steamboat named Charlotte Dundas.

¤ The first steamboat built by Dundas & Symington steamed successfully on the Carron river in 1801 but was dismissed from navigating on the Forth & Clyde canal for fear of damaging the banks. She had a paddle on each side - a feature which Symington believed to lead to banning. The board of directors of the canal has perhaps been exceedingly preservative as the canal was new (it was open in 1790).

The new steamboat successfully tugs two 70-ton loaded barges over 18½ land miles on the Forth & Clyde canal to Glasgow in 9¼ hours. She steamed against a gale which prevented any other navigation on the canal. By comparison, the burden she drew would have required three horses. She is 56-foot long, 18-foot broad and 8-foot deep in hold. Her 10-hp engine has been supplied by the Carron company on a design by Symington. She is fitted with a single paddle within an internal shaft. She probably can steam faster than the two miles per hour performed for demonstration. By comparison, this is the speed of the horse-drawn barges.

This time, this is a really convincing steamboat which is submitted to an industrial agreement. Much more convincing than Jouffroy d’Abbans’ Le Pyroscaphe, and than the Fitch & Rumsey's prototypes, in terms of practicability and reliability. Charlotte Dundas is the first operational steamer in the world. However, she is once again dismissed by the board of the canal for fear of damaging the banks – which may contain a grain of truth.

Lord Dundas is said to be discouraged. William Symington places his hopes in the Bridgewater canal. But it happens that Francis Egerton, duke of Bridgewater, who has been the expected sponsor for the substitution project, has just deceased.

The steam tug, which has rightly appeared successful in its trial, turns to a sad end.

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LINKS WITH PREVIOUS CHRONICLES

1773 - French Belief in Steamboats

1776 - Steamboat Le Palmipède

1783 - Steamboat Le Pyroscaphe

1787 - Steamboat Perseverance

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IN RETROSPECT FROM TODAY

Note - On the aftermath

Charlotte Dundas is abandoned as useless. Symington has lost much money in that endeavour. A very inventive engineer though, he is not handy with contracts and money. He finishes his days in bitter poverty.

Steam navigation on the Forth and Clyde canal will finally be accepted in 1829.

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SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Louis Figuier – Les Merveilles de la Science, tome 1, Deuxième Section : Les Bateaux à Vapeur – Paris, 1867 - available on the internet