# Jonathan Hulls

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**Jonathan Hulls** or **Hull** (baptised 1699 – 1758) was an English inventor, a pioneer of [steam navigation](/source/Steam_navigation). Traditionally, he was recognised as the first person to make practical experiments with steam to propel a vessel; but evidence to substantiate the claim that he did more than propose a steam vessel on paper is lacking.[1]

## Life

Hulls was born at [Hanging Aston](/source/Hanging_Aston), [Gloucestershire](/source/Gloucestershire). It has been suggested that the background to the efforts of Hulls was the 1734 publication in the abridged *[Philosophical Transactions](/source/Philosophical_Transactions)* of a paper by the French engineer Monsieur Duquet on ships and mechanical propulsion.[1] Duquet was a controversialist also active at that time in a debate on his ideas with [Henri Pitot](/source/Henri_Pitot).[2] He died in the middle of 1758 in [Broad Campden](/source/Broad_Campden), where he had lived almost all his adult life.[1]

## Work

The protection of his invention by Hulls depended on the financial support of his neighbour named Freeman at [Batsford Park](/source/Batsford_Park).[1] The patent for the invention by Hulls is dated 21 December 1736, and his account of it appeared as *Description and Draught of a new-invented Machine for carrying Vessels or Ships out of or into any Harbour, Port, or River against Wind and Tide, or in a Calm; for which his Majesty has granted Letters-patent for the sole benefit of the Author for the space of fourteen years* (London, 1737). It was reprinted in facsimile in 1855.[3]

A [Newcomen engine](/source/Newcomen_engine) was to be set up on a tow-boat in front of another vessel, connected by a tow-rope. Six paddles in the stern of the tow-boat were to be fastened to a cross axis connected by ropes to another axis which was turned by the engine. Hulls showed how to convert the rectilineal motion of a [piston-rod](/source/Piston-rod) into a rotatory motion.[3]

The *[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography)* casts doubt on the traditional story about practical trials by Hulls.[1] The *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)* first edition related that they were made on [River Avon](/source/River_Avon,_Warwickshire) at [Evesham](/source/Evesham) in 1737; that they were a failure; and that Hulls was the butt of humour.[3] This sentiment is displayed in a rhyme contrived by the people of [Chipping Campden](/source/Chipping_Campden) which was said to still be known in the area over 100 years after his passing:[4]

Johnathan Hull With his paper skull, Tried hard to make a machine That should go against wind and tide: But he, like and ass, Couldn't bring it to pass, So at last was ashamed to be seen.

In 1754 Hulls published *The Art of Measuring made Easy by the help of a new Sliding Scale*; he also wrote the *Maltmakers' Instructor*.[3]

## Influence

[Augustus De Morgan](/source/Augustus_De_Morgan) says that Hulls's work very likely gave suggestions to [William Symington](/source/William_Symington); and that [Erasmus Darwin](/source/Erasmus_Darwin) was thinking of Hulls when he prophesied that steam would soon "drag the slow barge".[3]

## Notes

1. Robinson, J. C. "Hulls, Jonathan". 14115.

1. [*Journal des savants*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5zEL9qVIVvQC&pg=PA537) (in French). Librairie Klincksieck. 1729. p. 537.

1. Vol. 28.

1. Rolt, L. T. C (1950). *The Inland Waterways of England*. 2nd ed. London: George Allen and Unwin LTD. pp. 151–52. ISBN 9780043860038.

**Attribution**

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jonathan Hulls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Hulls) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Hulls?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.