The steam engine familiarly explained and illustrated; with an historical sketch of its invention and progressive improvement; its applications to navigation and railways; with plain maxims for railway speculators. By the Rev. Dionysius Lardner ... With additions and notes by James Renwick ...

276 THE STEAM ENGINE.
of the stations described by Dr. Lardner, those of the United
States appear to be seriously occupied in carrying into effect
a direct communication from New York to Liverpool. At
the speed which has been given to the American steamboats,
this presents no greater difficulties than the voyage from the
Azores to New York, would, to one having the speed of no
more than 7~ miles per hour. As this attempt is beyond the
limit of individual enterprise, there is, at the present moment, an application before the Legislature of the State of
New York for a charter to carry this project into effect. It
will be difficult to estimate the results of this enterprise,
which will bring the old and new world within 12 or 15
days' voyage of each other. —A. E.*
* Dr. Lardner appears purposely to have omitted any detail of the history of
Steam Navigation. It would be an invidious task on the part of a mere editor
to attempt to supply what he has thought proper to avoid. We therefore merely
refer to this subject for the purpose of expressing the hope, that this silence is
an earnest that the writers. of Europe are about to abandon the claims they have
set up for their countrymen to the merit of introducing the successful practice
of steam navigation, and that the respective services of Fitch, Evans, Fulton,
and the elder Stevens will soon be universally acknowledged.-A. E.