ts without
disturbing their cargoes.

The British government gave Mr. Fulton a patent upon it.

Mr. Fulton wrote a book about canals and the ways in which they help
a country.

He sent copies of this book to the President of the United States,
and other men in high offices.

He thought canals would help America.

But it was ten years before he could get people to think much about
it.

Then Mr. Fulton helped in planning the Erie Canal.

This was very successful.

You can see this canal now.

It is in the State of New York and is still used.

Mr. Fulton planned a cast-iron aqueduct which was built in Scotland.

An aqueduct is often made to carry water to cities.

He invented a mill for sawing marble, a machine for spinning flax,
another for scooping out earth, called a dredging machine, and
several kinds of canal boats.

You will wonder before reaching the end of this story how one man
could do so many things.

But you must remember that he was never lazy as a boy, and so
learned to make good use of every moment.

In 1797, Mr. Fulton went to the greatest city in France, called
Paris.

There he made a new friend.

This was Joel Barlow, an American and a poet.

Mr. Fulton thought that all ships should have the freedom of the
ocean.

He thought it would take hundreds of years to get all nations to
consent to this.

He believed that he could find a quicker way.

He thought it would be best to blow up all warships.

He made a little sub-marine boat.

Sub-marine means under the sea.

This boat could be lowered below the surface of the water.

He found a way to supply it with air.

But he could not get it to run swiftly.

It took much money to build such boats.

He tried to get the French government to help him.

He was often tired and disappointed.

But he never stopped trying.

He tried to destroy some large boats.

This was to be done with torpedoes.

But he was not very successful.

He succeeded in destroying one boat.

But since then others have carried out his plan, and torpedoes are
often used in war.

This little story is told of Mr. Fulton:--

He was once in New York working upon his torpedoes.

He invited the Mayor and many others to hear him lecture.

They came and were all much interested.

He showed them the copper cylinders which were to hold the powder.

Then he showed them the clockwork, which, when it was set running,
would cause the cylinders to explode.