Mark Twain Speaking

175. Fulton Day

MARK TWAIN SPEAKING· 175 · 587 Mark Twain was soon involved in the familiar routine of dinners and ceremonials, his presence having become a greater attraction because of the Oxford honor. Elaborate plans were made to celebrate Fulton Day at the Jamestown Exposition. Henry Rogers's yacht, Kanawha, was to transport Mark Twain and Grover Cleveland, orator ofthe day. Arrived offJamestown, they were to steam in between lines ofbattleships andyachts while salutes boomed and a marine paradeformed. These plans collapsed. Mr. Cleveland could not make the trip because of illness, no battleships appeared, no marine parade occurred, and high seas delayed the shore program until 4 P.M. But the shore part went better. Mark Twain, introduced by Lieutenant Governor Ellyson, was greeted by a storm ofapplause and cheers. When he held up his handfor silence, too moved to speak, the audience burstforth louder than before. Speech Fulton Day, Jamestown Exposition, Jamestown, Virginia, September 23, ~907 Ladies and gentlemen: I am but human, and when you give me a reception like that I am obliged to wait a little while I get my voice. When you appeal to my head, I don't feel it; but when you appeal to my heart, I do feel it. We are here to celebrate one of the greatest events of American history, and not only in American history, but in the world's history. Indeed it was-the application of steam by Robert Fulton. It was a world event-there are not many ofthem. It is peculiarly an American event, that is true, but the influence was very broad in effect. We should regard this day as a very great American holiday. We have not had many that are exclusively American holidays. We have the Fourth of July, which we regard as an American holiday, but it is nothing of the kind. I am waiting for a dissenting voice. All great efforts that led to the Fourth ofJuly were made, not by Americans, but by English residents of America, subjects of the King of England. They fought all the fighting that was done, they shed and spilt all the blood that was spilt, in securing to us the invaluable liberties which are 588 MARK TWAIN SPEAKING incorporated in the Declaration of Independence; but they were not Americans. They signed the Declaration of Independence; no American 's name is signed to that document at all. There never was an American such as you and I are until the Revolution, when it had all been fought out and liberty secured, after the adoption of the Constitution , and the recognition of the independence of America by all powers. While we revere the Fourth ofJuly-and let us always revere it, and the liberties it conferred upon us-yet it was not an American event, a great American day. It was an American who applied that steam successfully. There are not a great many world events, and we have our full share. The telegraph, telephone, and the application of steam to navigation -these are great American events. Today I have been requested, or I have requested myself, not to confine myself to furnishing you with information, but to remind you of things, and to introduce one of the nation's celebran~s. Admiral Harrington here is going to tell you all that I have left untold. I am going to tell you all that I know, and then he will follow up with such rags and remnants as he can find, and tell you what he knows. No doubt you have heard a great deal about Robert Fulton and the influences that have grown from his invention, but the little steamboat is suffering neglect. You probably do not know a great deal about that boat. It was the most important steamboat in the world. I was there and saw it. Admiral Harrington was there at the time. It need not surprise you, for he is not as old as he looks. That little boat was interesting in every way. The size ofit. The boat was one [whispering to Admiral Harrington ], he said ten feet long. The breadth of that boat [consulting the admiral], two hundred feet. You see, the first and most important detail is the length, then the breadth, and then the depth; the depth of that boat was [another consultation]-the admiral says it was a flatboat . Then her tonnage-you know nothing about a boat until you know two more things: her speed and her...