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6 ing his device to ships of war rather than to those of commerce. In December 18MD, Captain Van Cleve was in New York City. While there he was called upon by Josiah I. Marshall, formerly of the firm of Bronson, Marshall & Company, of Oswego. Marshall informed him that their friend Sanderson of Brockville, Canada West, who operated boats on the Rideau Canal, had requested him to examine Ericsson's propeller (5) and give him his opinion as to its application to propelling boats on the canal. Marshall said that as he had no practical experience in steam machinery, he wished him to go with him to the engine works of Messrs. Hogg and Delamater and examine the propeller hung there upon a shaft for the inspection of all parties interested and give him his opinion on it, which he would transmit to Sanderson. (6). Van Cleve examined the propeller with great care and told Marshall that his opinion was that it would produce a revolution in the propelling of vessels and that it would bring about a complete change in the steam marine of the lakes. Marshall then introduced Van Cleve to Captain John Ericsson, the patentee who had rooms at the Astor House. After a conversation of about two hours, respecting the commerce of the lakes, Ericsson got up from his chair, walked two or three times across the room and made him the following propositions 'Captain Van Cleve, if you will put a vessel in operation with my propeller on the Lakes within one year, I will assign to you one-half interest in my patent for all the North American Lakes.1 Van Cleve accepted this proposition and the papers were drawn accordingly. He left or Oswego where he exhibited the model and the plans that he took with him. After a short time and after he had partially completed an arrangement to install a propeller in a vessel already built, he made an agreement with Sylvester Doolittle, merchant and shipwright who had a shipyard there, to build a new vessel, he taking a quarter interest, Doolittle a quarter, Bronson and Crocker, merchants and forwarders of Oswego a quarter, and Captain Rufus Hawkins a quarter. (7). Bronson and Crocker operated a line of canalboats on the Oswego and Erie canals. The new ship, if successful, would extend this service to the upper lakes, by-passing Buffalo through the Welland Canal. A through service between New York and Chicago with transshipment at Oswego would then be a possibility. Doolittle, who recognized the value of the propeller to the upper lakes trade, went to New York and arranged with Ericsson that he and his associates should be permitted to use his device without payment of royalty, on five vessels, the construction of which was to be promptly proceeded with. (8). This was the beginning of the New York, Oswego and Chicago Line. On 17 March 18^1, the OSWEGO COUNTY WHIG carried a notice to owners of vessels on the North American Lakes, that Van Cleve (9) 'had the agency, being a joint proprietor in the right on the above waters of Ericsson's propellers,(10) a recent invention by which vessels can be propelled in the absence of favorable winds, at the rate of seven miles an hour, at a trifling expense -thus enabling vessels to make about double the trips made with canvas only. The weight of the machinery necessary for a vessel of one hundred and fifty tons, including water in boiler, is five and a half tons. In point of speed, certainty and economy, this improvement cannot but be received most favorably by all interested, and is confidently recommended to their consideration. ' For further particulars they were to apply to him. The keel of the new boat was laid early in April in the Doolittle yard at the foot of West Cayuga Street. Van Cleve contracted with the firm of Dennis, Wood and Russell of Auburn, New York, for the engines and propellers which they built at the State Prison, the plans being furnished by Ericsson. Their cost was estimated at $2,000. (11).