Memoir of a mechanic Being a sketch of the life of Timothy Claxton . s new steamer, letus now imagine a little excursion with it. Supposeall the passengers safely on board, and she startsfrom some central part of the city, and enters the n 154 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. bay by a gently inclined road. Very soon afterthe fore part of the boat touches the water, the forewheels will leave the inclined plane ; and whenshe is afloat, the paddle wheels may be set in mo-tion. (In crossing some rivers, velocity enoughmay be given in descending, to drive her across tothe inclined plane on the opposite side w

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Memoir of a mechanic Being a sketch of the life of Timothy Claxton . s new steamer, letus now imagine a little excursion with it. Supposeall the passengers safely on board, and she startsfrom some central part of the city, and enters the n 154 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. bay by a gently inclined road. Very soon afterthe fore part of the boat touches the water, the forewheels will leave the inclined plane ; and whenshe is afloat, the paddle wheels may be set in mo-tion. (In crossing some rivers, velocity enoughmay be given in descending, to drive her across tothe inclined plane on the opposite side without theuse of paddle wheels.) We may now visit theislands in the bay, catch a few fish, and afterwardsproceed to Nahant, or pass up the beach at somesuitable place, and return by land, crossing theferry from Chelsea, to the place from whence westarted. The following engraving will illustrate the thingmore clearly. The name I have adopted is theAlligator; and I have endeavored to give it some-what the form of that animal. [Steamer Alligator, entering the water.]. ENCOURAGBMENT OF GENIUS. 155 SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENTOF MECHANICAL GENIUS. The products of a mans mind are as much his property asthose of his hands. If this assertion be true, ought not something tobe done to secure the credit to those who spendmuch time and thought in perfecting useful inven-tions ? The patent office is not adequate to this.It has been stated that very few of the patentswould stand if tried in a law-mill. There are somany points to be attended to—such as originality, the oldest patent, the claiming of too much or notenough, the not being sufficiently explicit, and notfurnishing proper drawings or models, he, thatthe expenses of a law-suit are so frightful that apoor man dare not engage in it. Several plans have been proposed to effect thisobject. One is, for a company, after examining theproject, to raise the needful to carry the plan intoexecution ; said company to become co-proprietors. 1 w