Washington District of Columbia
Biographies

Robert Fulton
1765 - 1815
Furnished by : John Sharp

Robert Fulton, was born in Pennsylvania; he received early training as an artist and lived abroad in England and France. While in Europe he conducted some experiments with early steam engines and boats. In 1807 he designed and built the first practical steam boat Claremont. Thomas Jefferson was impressed by his early designs. In 1810 the US Congress appropriated $ 5,000 for his development of a submarine and torpedo prototype. While his rudimentary submarine and torpedo had shown some success, most naval officers remained skeptical. Commodore Tingey was often asked to provide employees to support and assist test Fulton's experiments (see Paul Hamilton letter to Commodore Tingey 4 May 1810). In 1813 Fulton; took out a patent for "Several Improvements in Maritime Warfare, and Means for injuring and destroying Ships and Vessels of War by igniting Gunpowder under Water. His last project was a modification of his submarine the Nautilus. He died in New Jersey in 1813.

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