The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Eckford, Henry

ECKFORD, Henry, American naval architect: b. Irvine, Scotland, 12 March 1775; d. Constantinople, 12 Nov. 1832. He became a ship-builder in New York, in 1796; designed and constructed a fleet of war vessels for the United States government in 1812-14; built the Robert Fulton, which made the first voyage by steam from New York to New Orleans and Havana; became naval constructor at the Brooklyn navy yard in 1820; and built several war vessels for European and South American governments. At the invitation of the sultan he became chief constructor in the Turkish navy, and established a navy yard at Constantinople.