"
"Spaniard or no Spaniard, the Spanish claim the discovery of steam
through Don Blas; the Italians likewise claim the discovery for a
mechanician, named Bianca; the Germans assign its discovery to
Solomon de Causs; the French urge Denis Papin; and the English claim
the invention for Roger Bacon."
"You have forgotten the Swiss," said Jack.
"The Swiss," replied Fritz, with an air of dignity, "put forward no
candidate: steam and vapor and smoke are not much in their line. They
discovered something infinitely better--the world is indebted to them
for the invention of liberty. I mean rational, intelligent, and true
liberty--not the savagery and mob tyranny of red republicanism. The
three discoverers of this noble invention were Melchthal, Furst, and
William Tell."
"You can have no idea," continued Willis, "of the stir that steam was
creating in Europe the last time I was there. Of course there were
plenty of incredulous people who said that it was no good; that it
would never be of any use; and that if it were, it would not pay for
the fuel consumed. On the other hand, the enthusiasts held that,
eventually, it would be used for everything; that in the air we should
have steam balloons; on the sea, steam ships, steam guns, and perhaps
steam men to work them; that on land there would be steam coaches
driven by steam horses.
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