Witch, John

(1743-1798), was born in Connecticut. He was a watchmaker, and at the outbreak of the Revolution, engaged in gun making for the American forces. He spent the winter with the troops at Valley Forge, and in 1780 was appointed deputy-surveyor of Virginia. In 1785 he constructed a boat propelled by steam power, and in 1790 one of his improved pa enger boats plied regularly between Philadelphia and Burlington. Robert Fulton is said to have had acce to his drawings and papers, and it was proved by the courts in 1817 that his inventions and those of Fitch were in substance the same. Five-Cent Piece, or Half-Dime, originally a silver coin authorized in 1792, and coined the same year (original weight, 20.8 grains). In 1853 it was reduced to 19.2 grains. In 1873 it was discontinued. In 1866 the coinage of nickel five-cent pieces was authorized, the value remaining, as at first, one-twentieth of the standard dollar. The legal tender value was, however, reduced from five dollars to thirty cents. ‘There were no i ues of half-dimes during the years 1798, 1799, 1804, 1806 to 1828 inclusive. Some silver half-dimes were the first coins struck by the U. S. Mint in 1792.