by fire in the port of this city. These losses were soon repaired. A new boat bearing the same name was built in this port in 1816 in the place of the one wrecked; and we have all witnessed the Vesuvius springing up again from her ashes in a space of two or three months, much to the credit of the skill of our ship builders and of the zeal of the companythat fine boat, although she was launched but a few weeks ago, is now nearly ready to get into operation. The committee, whom their enquiries have enabled to ascertain the truth of the facts just stated, far from thinking it useful or necessary to repeal the charter of the company, do on the contrary think that they ought to be encouraged by all possible means. Four years have hardly elapsed since the privilege was granted, and we have already seen in this state five steam boats, which contribute to give life and prosperity to commerce. Have we not every reason to hope, that in a few years hence, we shall have a sufficient number of them to allow us to carry on with the western states a trade which cannot fail to be extremely advantageous to this? Hitherto states that come and bring the fruits of their soil and industry here, used to draw the manufactured goods and colonial produce necessary for their use from the Atlantic ports. But the expenses of transportation are so considerable, that during the late war a great number of barges were employed at a very high rate, to sail up the river to carry to those states the produce of Louisiana and the goods from foreign importation. Nobody can entertain a doubt that if the numbers of steam boats were sufficient to enable us to supply regularly the countries situate on the western streams, those countries would soon abandon their connexions with the Atlantic states and draw all their wants exclusively from New-Orleans. Such an outlet for the commerce of Louisiana is very desirable, and no doubt but the surest and most efficacious

means to attain that end, is to encourage the company which best secure its success.-The spemay cie which the people of the western country carry home and send afterwards to the northward, will all remain here, and we shall soon reach that degree of prosperity which we can only expect from an extensive commerce with the interior of the country.

Well convinced of the truth of the above statement, your committee could not avoid reflecting upon the motives which had induced this honourable house to pass the resolution offered to them. No doubt the member who introduced that resolution, must have thought that the company had forfeited their privilege by violating some of the provisions of their charter. It therefore became the duty of your committee to enquire on that subject. The result of their enquiries has been most favourable to the company. They faithfully abided by the tariff of freight established by the commissioners, whose names appear at the foot of the annexed certificate, and your committee do not learn that that tariffever was departed from in any circumstance. That company have scrupulously executed all their obligations. Why should their charter be repealed? Would it not be committing a most flagrant injustice? Would it not be violating the faith of the state upon which that company must have relied when they entered into a speculation which has until now occasioned to them nothing but enormous losses? Would the legislature choose to operate their ruin at the time when they have been obliged to lay out considerable funds for the re-building of the boat destroyed by fire? Such an act on the part of a private individual would justly be reprobated by the laws; and not a legislature could be found in any of the United States, so little acquainted with their duties as to consecrate it by a statute.

Your committee are therefore of opinion, that

there is no motive for repealing the law which grants to that company the exclusive privilege of navigating with steam boats for a limited time.

(Signed) P. L. MOREL, Chairman.

On motion, resolved, that the above report be adopted.

To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in General Court assembled.

The petition of John L. Sullivan, humbly sheweth.

That after many experiments and much expense, your petitioner succeeded in adapting steam engines of a particular construction, to boats of the small burden used on our canals and rivers, so as to enable a steam boat of this size to contain a power of twenty or thirty horses, and to tow a number of luggage boats, and to overcome rapids by the same power applied to a windlass connected with the engine.

Your petitioner now owns such a boat, and put the same in operation on Merrimack river the last

year.

That this new and useful application of steam engine power, being of the nature of those inventions or discoveries which the patent laws of the United States are intended to encourage and protect, your petitioner has obtained a patent for his steam towboat, and is desirous of putting it in operation on Connecticut river, by which the western parts of this commonwealth may enjoy the advantages of greater facility in transporting the produce of the country to market in less time, and therefore at less expense; and especially in the saving that may be made in bringing up that river the various commodities that commerce furnishes to the agriculturalist, the manyfacturer and all classes of men.

Your petitioner therefore begs leave to ask the attention of the legislature to the principal obstacle to this useful design, and to the difference between his patent and those of a more common kind, the latter, usually granted for some mechanical purpose, are within reach of individuals, and require no very great expense or capital; and by being soon spread through the community, remunerate the inventor within the patent term of fourteen years: While, on the contrary, a patent competent to embrace business of the magnitude contemplated under that of your petitioner, demands a great capital which cannot be commanded for a purpose that may not be carried into complete effect before the term will expire. No prudent man will therefore engage in it, because the first expense may not so soon be remunerated. The public is therefore deprived of its advantages, and will be so for ever, without similar encouragement to that now prayed for.

Your petitioner, therefore, with a view to the formation of a company with an ample capital, and sufficiently numerous; comprehending people living near the river, as well as in other parts of the state, who may be disposed to promote improvements of this kind in the country, prays that the exclusive use of Connecticut river for steam tow-boats, so far as the same passes through this commonwealth, may be granted to him and his associates, and their successors and assigns, for the term of fifty years; provided, that within five years from the passing of the bill, at least one steam tow-boat shall have been put in operation thereon.

Your petitioner begs leave to observe, that the allowance of five years is prayed for, because considerable time will be required to prepare the machinery, boats, and store houses, and to form the boating company; and more especially, because there are falls in the river a few miles above Hartford, which

your petitioner has applied to the legislature of Connecticut for leave to lock, and which it may require two or three seasons to effect.

To obviate every objection that your petitioner can conceive it possible to raise, he begs leave to state, that he does not propose to the legislature to stop any channel of business or industry now open and in use; but proposes to leave the river free as nature and art have made it, to all who do or may hereafter ply upon it in the common way. On the contrary he asks only the necessary protection for those who may join him in establishing steam towboats to aid the business of that section of the country, and give even to those who navigate in the old way the advantage of the improvements on the river, that may be found necessary-so that the number of men employed will increase, and the great river, in effect, will be converted into a canal, and the navigation thereon attain that regularity and despatch necessary to gain the confidence of the trader and the farmer, and by the greater facility of transportation augment the profits on the produce of the country.

Nor is this undertaking uninteresting to the metropolis of the state; for your petitioner looks forward with confidence to the formation of a canal, some time ago projected between Weymouth and Taunton. By that route and Connecticut river, merchandize will be carried to and from the western parts of this commonwealth; and though circuitous it will be less expensive than land carriage, and open a new market for the bulky produce of those counties: while at the same time the very probable connexion of Merrimack river with Connecticut river, across the country between Concord in New-Hampshire and Windsor in Vermont, by means of Sunapee lake, on the highest of the intermediate lands forming the source of Sugar river, running to the west, and the Contoocook running to the east, will lead the