FITCH. 685 FITCHBURG. a year later, while traveling, was captured Ijy the Indians, but soon released, lie- next devoted himseli to the production of a map of the North- western country, and the idea oi employing Bteani in the navigation of the Western rivers, on which In- sailed, having occurred to him, lie sought by 1 In- sale of this map to obtain the means for his experiments. Unsuccessful in lliis, he nexi sought help from the Slate Legislatures, but failed to obtain an appropriation. He at last succeeded in forming a company, and, with the assistance thus obtained, constructed a steam packet, which was launched on the Delaware in 1787, and reached a speed of three miles an hour. This boat was fitted with paddles at the sides, which were moved forward and back in a manner similar to that followed in propelling a canoe. A second boat had similar paddles at the stern. Fitch had obtained exclusive rights of steam navigal ion in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and in ] 790 built a boat to convey passengers on the Delaware River for hire. The scheme proved unfortunate, and the company which sustained him was dissolved. In 1793 he went to France, with the hope of introducing his invention, but failed, and returned to Ameri- ca disheartened and impoverished. In 1796 he constructed a small screw steamboat, with which he experimented on the 'Collect' Pond in New York City. In the meantime his Virginia lands had fallen a prey to 'squatters,' and, heart- broken by his failures and disappointments, he committed suicide. Consult: Westcott, Life of John Fitdh ( 1857) , and, for a brief account of his work, Thurston, Growth of the Steam Engine (New York, 1878). FITCH, Leroy (1835-75). An American naval officer, born in Indiana. He graduated in 1856 at the United States Naval Academy, .served during the Civil War in the Mississippi Squadron, and rose in 1870 to be commander. He participated in the capture of Fort Donelson and Fort Pillow, and in 1863. while commanding the Moose, he prevented Morgan's attempted crossing of the Ohio River, and captured the wagon train and part of the artillery of that leader. Subsequently he directed the defense of Johnsonville, Tenn., against Gen. N. B. Forrest. FITCH, Ralph. An English merchant and traveler of the sixteenth century. Nothing is known of his birth or early life. In 1853, with several other Englishmen in the service of the Levant Company, he set out on a journey to the Far East. The party traveled from Aleppo, in Syria, down the valley of the Euphrates to Bas- ra, at the head of the Persian Gulf, being the first Englishmen known to have made the over- land trip. Continuing their journey to Ormuz, they were there imprisoned by the Portuguese Governor. From Ormuz they were conveyed as prisoners to Goa. After some months spent in captivity the prisoners were released, and Fitch and two companions started overland across India. Fitch ultimately parted company with his companions, and, after spending some time in the valley of the Ganges, took ship to Pegu, near Rangoon, in Burma, which coun- try he was the first Englishman to visit. From Pegu he traveled through Siam. and visited Malacca and Singapore, returning thence to Pegu, Bengal, and. by way of the Mala- bar coast, to Goa, whence he returned to Europe ii i he same route ovei « hich he I and arrived in England in 1591, after an absence oi eight ■ < ' i l le co ni inued it i I ile b ness, and was probablj one oi th< of the East India Company. His account ol bis journey has been printed in Hakluyt's Voyages and in Pinkerton'a Collections of Trwvelt (Lon don, 1812-14). FITCH, simiin Walbbooke (1820—). A Canadian surgeon, born in Horton, Nova Scotia. He graduated from Edinburgh I trivei itj in 1841; practiced medicine and Burgerj in Saint John, N. II., Portland, Maine, and New Vork City; and afterwards beet i con tilting surgeon of the Victoria General Hospital at Halifax, . s. lie invented several important surgical instruments for uterine and gynecological sub- jects, and contributed widely to surgical jour nals in Europe and America. His published works include: Lithotomy (1858); Excision of Uterine Tumors (1862); Medical and Surgical Practice in Qreat Britain (1872); Three Great Ovariotomists (1872): Paracentesis, Aspiration, and Transfusion (1886). FITCH, William Clyde (1865 — ). An Ameri- can playwright. He was born in New York, and educated at Amherst College, where he was graduated in 1886. He had already published a story, The Knighting of the Twins, when he pro- duced his first play. Beau Brummel, which was brought out by Richard Mansfield at the Madi- son Square Theatre, New York, in 1890. Since then he has become the author of a surprising number of pieces, besides adaptations, such as The Masked Ball, from the French and German. Among his plays are: Betty's Finish; Fr4d4ric Lcmaitre; A Modern Hatch; Pamela's Prodigy; April Weather; Mistress Betty; The Moth and ttie Flame (a development from his earlier our act Harvest) ; Nathan Sale, which has been his greatest success (produced December 31, 1898, in Chicago, by Nat. Goodwin and Maxine El- liot; published, New Y'ork, 1899) ; The Cowboy and the Lady; Sapho (from Daudet's novel); Barbara Frietchie (published Nev York, 1900); The Climbers; Captain Jinks of the Horse Via rines ; Lovers' Lane; The Way of the World; The Last of the Dandies; The Girl and the Judgi ; and The Stubbornness of Oeraldine. Besides his comedies and other writings, he has published a novel, .1 Wave of Life. FITCH'BTJRG. A city (including the vil- lages of West Fitchburg, South Fitchburg, Cleg- horn, Crockerville, Rockville. and Traskville) and one of the county-seats of Worcester County, Mass., 25 miles north of Worcester and 50 miles northwest of Boston ; on a branch of the Nashua River, and on the Fitchburg division of the Bos- ton and Maine, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads (Map: Massachusetts, D 2). It is the seat of the Fitchburg State Normal School, and has a public library. Bur- bank Hospital, an old ladies' home, and a chil- dren's home. The industrial interests include granite quarries, and manufactures of cotton yarns and woolens, ginghams, zephyrs, worsteds, cars, firearms, bicycles, steam-engines, electrical appliances, saws, paper, machinery, tools, etc. Fitchburg was settled in 1719, but formed a part of Lunenburg until 1764, when it was in- corporated. It was chartered as a city in 1872. The government is administered, under the orig-
