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THE GREAT AMERICAN CANALS

the time, although it would go with the wind abaft the beam, but at a speed proportioned to the angle with the plane of the sails. It was but a clever toy, but had its use at the time in showing how little power of propulsion was necessary upon a railway, compared with the best of the roads that had preceded it."[1] The "Æolus" attracted much attention; Baron Krudener, envoy from the emperor of Russia, made an excursion in the sailing car, managing the sail himself. On his return he declared he had never before travelled so agreeably, and remarked that he 'would send his suite from Washington to enjoy sailing on the Rail Road.' The President of the Company, to whom he had been introduced, caused a model sailing car to be constructed, fitted with Winans' friction wheels, which he presented to him, with the reports that had been published by the Company, to be forwarded to the Emperor. As a result Ross Winans of Baltimore was invited to Russia to take charge of the emperor's plan of binding that empire with railways. His success marked one of

  1. Scharf's History of Maryland, vol. iii, p. 167.