“The forms of four persons were distinctly visible on the deck as she passed the bluff—­one of whom, doubtless, was Robert Fulton, who had on board with him all the cherished hopes of years, the most precious cargo the wonderful boat could carry.

“On her return trip, the curiosity she excited was scarcely less intense.  The whole country talked of nothing but the sea-monster, belching forth fire and smoke.  The fishermen became terrified, and rowed homewards, and they saw nothing but destruction devastating their fishing-grounds; while the wreaths of black vapor, and rushing noise of the paddle-wheels, foaming with the stirred-up waters, produced great excitement among the boatmen, which continued without abatement, until the character of that curious boat, and the nature of the enterprise which she was pioneering, had been understood.”

The alarm of the sailors and dwellers on the river shore disappeared as the character of the steamer became better known; but when it was found that the “Clermont” was to run regularly between New York and Albany, as a packet-boat, she became the object of the most intense hatred on the part of the boatmen on the river, who feared that she would entirely destroy their business.  In many quarters Fulton and his invention were denounced as baneful to society, and frequent attempts were made by captains of sailing vessels to sink the “Clermont” by running into her.  She was several times damaged in this way, and the hostility of the boatmen became so great that it was necessary for the Legislature of New York to pass a law declaring combinations to destroy her, or willful attempts to injure her, public offenses punishable by fine and imprisonment.

It had been supposed that Fulton’s object was to produce a steamer capable of navigating the Mississippi River, and much surprise was occasioned by the announcement that the “Clermont” was to be permanently employed upon the Hudson.  She continued to ply regularly between New York and Albany until the close of navigation for that season, always carrying a full complement of passengers, and more or less freight.  During the winter she was overhauled and enlarged, and her speed improved.  In the spring of 1808 she resumed her regular trips, and since then steam navigation on the Hudson has not ceased for a single day, except during the closing of the river by ice.

In 1811 and 1812, Fulton built two steam ferry-boats for the North River, and soon after added a third for the East River.  These boats were the beginning of the magnificent steam ferry system which is to-day one of the chief wonders of New York.  They were what are called twin-boats, each of them consisting of two complete hulls, united by a deck or bridge.  They were sharp at both ends, and moved equally well with either end foremost, so that they could cross and re-cross without being turned around.  These boats were given engines of sufficient power to enable them to overcome the force of strong ebb tides; and in order to facilitate their landing, Fulton contrived a species of floating dock, and a means of decreasing the shock caused by the striking of the boat against the dock.  These boats could accommodate eight four-wheel carriages, twenty-nine horses, and four hundred passengers.  Their average time across the North River, a mile and a half wide, was twenty minutes.