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USS Demologus:
Known as the Demologus or Fulton, this vessel had a catamaran hull with a paddle-wheel between the hulls. Not intended as a seagoing ship, she was built to protect New York Harbor from British warships during the War of 1812. Unfortunately, Demologus was not completed until after the war ended and immediately laid up or placed "in ordinary". The ship burned on June 4, 1829.
Robert Fulton (1765-1815)
The son of Pennsylvania farmers, Fulton's first interest was art. After finding little success as a painter, he turned his focus to the newly invented steam engine and embarked on a successful career as an inventor.
Fulton is credited with a number of ingenious devices, including a submarine, amphibious boats, and the first commercially successful steamboat, the Clermont. In 1814 and 1815, he designed Demologus ("Voice of the People") or Fulton, the first steam-powered warship for the United States Navy. |