In the meanwhile Patrick Miller, a gentleman of property residing on his estate at Dalswinton, Dumfriesshire, had for some time been engaged in making various experiments for the improvement of naval architecture, and had constructed a double or twin-boat, with paddle-wheels, to be moved by manual labour. At this point Miller was informed by Mr. James Taylor, a tutor in his family, of Symington's model steam-carriage, and they both called at Mr. Meason's house in Edinburgh to see it. During the course of conversation with Symington, the practicability of advantageously employing steam for the purposes of navigation was talked about, and it was ultimately arranged that Symington should endeavour to construct a steam-engine to be fitted on board Miller's twin-boat, and capable of moving the paddle-wheels. This was accomplished in the autumn of 1788, when a trial was made, in the presence of Mr. Miller and various others, of so satisfactory a nature, that it was immediately determined to commence another experiment, upon a larger scale. It may, however, be satisfactory to state here, that this, the parent engine of steam navigation, after enduring many vicissitudes, was ultimately rescued from destruction by Mr. Bennet Woodcroft, and contributed by him for exhibition in the South Kensington Museum. In the month of October 1789, a second exemplification of the practicability of steam navigation was afforded by Miller and Symington, on the Forth and Clyde Inland Navigation Canal, in the presence of many hundreds of spectators; the boat proceeding along at the rate of nearly six miles an hour. In this instance the machinery was constructed at the Carron Works, under the direction of Symington, and placed on board a boat which had been used in Miller's previous experiments. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller now withdrew from the concern; he had already expended nearly thirty thousand pounds on various experiments, and he determined to devote his time to the improvement of the Dalswinton estate.