Steam-ships

by R. A. Fletcher

CONTENTS

CHAP.		PAGE
	List of Illustrations	[xiii]
I.	Primitive Experiments in Propulsion — Some Early Experiments with Steam	[1]
II.	American Pioneers in Steam Navigation	[19]
III.	The Progress of Steam-ship Building in Great Britain	[56]
IV.	Railway Companies and their Steam-ships	[102]
V.	Opening of the Transatlantic Service	[122]
VI.	Development of the Transatlantic Service	[149]
VII.	The Development of Steam Auxiliary — Ocean Routes	[164]
VIII.	Experimental Iron Shipbuilding — The Great Britain	[193]
IX.	Development of Iron Shipbuilding — The Great Eastern	[228]
X.	The Building of Steel Ships — Modern Lines — Turbines	[279]
XI.	Steam-power and the Navy — Other Navies	[311]
XII.	Miscellaneous: Tugs — Cargo-boats — Floating Docks, etc. — Eccentricities of Design	[341]
	Bibliography	[391]
	Index	[395]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
[1].	The William Fawcett, the first P. & O. Steam-ship; with a Bomb Ketch and H.M.S. St. Vincent.	[To face title-page
	From a painting by Charles Dixon; by kind permission of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.
[2].	The Chancellor Livingston	Headpiece to Preface
	From a drawing by W. T. Loveday
[3].	Primitive Paddle-boats		3
	From Robertus Valturius, De Re Militari, 1472
[4].	“Barque à Roues”: Primitive Chinese Paddle-boat		5
	Sketched from a drawing
[5].	“Liburna” or Galley, worked by Oxen		7
	From Morisotus, Orbis Maritimi Historia, 1643
[6].	Jonathan Hulls’ Paddle-steamer, 1737	To face	14
	From the drawing in the Science Museum, South Kensington
[7].	The Marquis de Jouffroy’s Steamboat, 1783	To face	16
	From a copy of a French print published in 1816
[8].	John Fitch’s Oared Paddle-boat, 1786		22
	From a contemporary drawing
[9].	John Stevens’ Phœnix, 1807	To face	28
	From a contemporary picture, by courtesy of E. A. Stevens, Esq., Hoboken, N.J.
[10].	Robert Fulton’s Clermont, 1807		37
	By courtesy of the Shipping World
[11].	The Paragon, built 1811	To face	40
	By courtesy of the Master, Mate, and Pilot
[12].	The Philadelphia, built 1826	To face	44
	From a contemporary picture, by courtesy of E. A. Stevens, Esq., Hoboken, N.J.
[13].	The De Witt Clinton, built 1828	To face	46
[14].	The William Cutting, built 1827	To face	48
	By courtesy of the Master, Mate, and Pilot
[15].	The Mary Powell (Hudson River Day Line)		50
	Sketched by E. Coffin from a photograph
[16].	The Hendrick Hudson (Hudson River Day Line), 1906	To face	50
	Photograph by courtesy of the Hudson River Day Line
[17].	The Robert Fulton (Hudson River Day Line), 1909	To face	52
	As the last
[18].	The William M. Mills	To face	54
[19].	The City of Cleveland	To face	54
	Both by courtesy of the Shipping World
[20].	Patrick Miller’s Triple Boat the Edinburgh	To face	56
	From the engraving at South Kensington
[21].	Model of Miller’s Double Boat	To face	58
	From the original at South Kensington
[22].	The Charlotte Dundas: longitudinal section		60
	From a drawing
[23].	Symington’s Original Engine of 1788	To face	60
	Preserved at South Kensington
[24].	Model of the Charlotte Dundas	To face	62
	From the original at South Kensington
[25].	The Original Engines of the Comet	To face	64
	Preserved at South Kensington
[26].	The Comet, 1812	To face	66
[27].	The Industry, 1814	To face	68
	Both by courtesy of the Institute of Marine Engineers, from the lecture by J. H. Hulls, delivered Feb. 26, 1906
[28].	Plan and Lines of the Comet	To face	70
[29].	The Engine of the Leven	To face	70
	Both by courtesy of Messrs. MacLehose and Sons and of the author, from Captain Williamson’s “Clyde Passenger Steamers”
[30].	The Sea-Horse, about 1826	To face	72
	By courtesy of the Institute of Marine Engineers, from the lecture by J. H. Hulls, delivered Feb. 26, 1906
[31].	The Monarch and Trident, convoying the Royal George Yacht, with Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort, to Edinburgh, August 1842	To face	80
[32].	The Trident, in which the Queen and Prince Consort returned, Sept. 1842	To face	82
	Both by courtesy of the General Steam Navigation Co.
[33].	The Carron	To face	84
	By courtesy of the Carron Co.
[34].	The Kingfisher	To face	84
	By kind permission of the General Steam Navigation Co.
[35].	The Fingal	To face	86
	By courtesy of the London and Edinburgh Shipping Co.
[36].	The Lady Wolseley	To face	86
	By courtesy of the British and Irish Steam Packet Co.
[37].	The Ben-my-Chree (I.), built 1845	To face	88
[38].	The Tynwald (I.), built 1846	To face	90
[39].	The Mona’s Isle (II.), built 1860, as a paddle steamer	To face	92
[40].	The Ellan Vannin (the foregoing, altered to a screw steamer and re-named, 1883)	To face	94
	The last four illustrations by courtesy of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.
[41].	The Majestic	To face	96
	From a photograph of a contemporary bill, by courtesy of J. W. Little, Esq., of Little and Johnston
[42].	The Lady Roberts	To face	98
	By courtesy of the British and Irish Steam Packet Co.
[43].	The Augusta, 1856		100
	By courtesy of F. H. Powell and Co., Liverpool
[44].	The Turbine Steamer Marylebone (G.C. Railway)	To face	104
[45].	The Cambria (L. & N.W. Railway)	To face	104
[46].	The Turbine Steamer St. Patrick (G.W. Railway)	To face	114
[47].	The R.M. Turbine Steamer Copenhagen (G.E. Railway)	To face	116
[48].	The Scotia (L. & N.W. Railway)	To face	120
	The last five by courtesy of the respective companies
[49].	The Savannah	To face	124
	By kind permission of the Master, Mate, and Pilot
[50].	The Rising Star		130
	Drawing by E. Coffin from a very rare picture
[51].	The Dieppe (L.B. & S.C. Railway)	To face	134
	By permission of the Company
[52].	The United Kingdom	To face	134
	By courtesy of Syren and Shipping
[53].	The Sirius, from a print of 1837	To face	140
[54].	The Great Western, from a print of 1837	To face	142
	Preserved at South Kensington
[55].	The President		146
	Drawn by E. Coffin from a contemporary picture
[56].	The British Queen	To face	146
	From an original oil-painting in the possession of the Author
[57].	The Britannia, 1840	To face	152
	By courtesy of the Cunard Co.
[58].	The Atlantic		156
	Drawn by E. Coffin from a contemporary picture
[59].	The Adriatic (Collins Line, 1857)	To face	160
	From “The Atlantic Ferry,” by A. J. Maginnis, by kind permission of the publishers, Messrs. Whittaker and Co.
[60].	The Earl of Hardwicke		168
[61].	The Massachusetts		171
	Both drawn by E. Coffin from contemporary pictures
[62].	The Hindostan, 1842	To face	178
[63].	H.M. Troopship Himalaya in Plymouth Sound	To face	180
	Both from prints kindly supplied by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.
[64].	H.M. Troopship Himalaya	To face	182
	By courtesy of the Thames Iron Works and Shipbuilding Co.
[65].	The Norman (Union-Castle Line, 1894)	To face	184
	By permission of the Engineer
[66].	Maudslay’s Oscillating Engine	To face	200
	From the original at the Science Museum, South Kensington
[67].	Model of the Engines of the Leinster	To face	204
	From the original at South Kensington
[68].	The Pacific		205
	Drawn by E. Coffin from a contemporary picture
[69].	Stevens’ 1804 Engine, showing Twin-screw Propellers	To face	208
	By courtesy of E. A. Stevens, Esq., Hoboken, N.J.
[70].	The Q.E.D.		211
	Drawn by E. Coffin from a contemporary picture
[71].	The John Bowes, launched 1852	To face	214
[72].	The John Bowes, 1906	To face	214
	By courtesy of Palmer’s Shipbuilding and Iron Co.
[73].	The Novelty, built 1839	To face	218
	From the model at the Science Museum, South Kensington
[74].	The Great Britain	To face	222
[75].	Engines of the Great Britain	To face	224
	From the models at South Kensington
[76].	The Sarah Sands, 1846	To face	230
[77].	The City of Glasgow (Inman Line, 1850)	To face	236
[78].	The City of Rome (Inman Line, 1881)	To face	242
	The last three from “The Atlantic Ferry,” by kind permission of the publishers, as above
[79].	The City of Chicago		244
	Drawn from a contemporary print
[80].	The Persia and Scotia (Cunard, 1856 and 1862)	To face	244
[81].	The China (Cunard, 1862)	To face	246
[82].	The Russia (Cunard, 1867)	To face	246
	The last three from “The Atlantic Ferry,” by kind permission of the publishers, as above
[83].	Model of the City of Paris, 1866	To face	248
	From the original at South Kensington
[84].	The Oregon (Cunard and Guion Lines, 1883)	To face	250
	From “The Atlantic Ferry,” by kind permission of the publishers, as above
[85].	The America (National Line, 1884)	To face	254
	From “The Atlantic Ferry,” by kind permission of the publishers, as above
[86].	The Delta leaving Marseilles for the opening of the Suez Canal	To face	260
	From a photograph kindly supplied by the P. & O. Co.
[87].	The Thunder		265
	Drawn by E. Coffin from a contemporary picture
[88].	Model of the Great Eastern	To face	270
[89].	Longitudinal section of the Great Eastern	To face	272
	From the originals in the Science Museum, S. Kensington
[90].	Caricature of the Great Eastern	To face	274
	From a contemporary print
[91].	Model of the Paddle-engines of the Great Eastern	To face	276
	From the original at South Kensington
[92].	The Britannic (White Star Line, 1874)	To face	280
	By courtesy of the White Star Line
[93].	The Umbria and Etruria (Cunard)	To face	280
	By courtesy of the Cunard Co.
[94].	The Mauretania (Cunard, 1907)	To face	282
	By courtesy of the Cunard Co.
[95].	The Campania (Cunard, 1892)	To face	282
	From “The Atlantic Ferry,” by kind permission of the publishers, as above
[96].	The Teutonic and Majestic (White Star Line, 1889)	To face	288
	By courtesy of the White Star Line
[97].	The Olympic (White Star Line, 1910)	To face	288
	From the painting by Charles Dixon
[98].	The Olympic building, October 18, 1909	To face	290
	By courtesy of the White Star Line
[99].	The St. Louis (American Line)	To face	294
	By courtesy of the American Line
[100].	The Morea (P. & O. Line)	To face	294
	By courtesy of the P. & O. Co.
[101].	The Assiniboine (Canadian Pacific Railway Co.)	To face	300
	By courtesy of the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.
[102].	The Kronprinzessin Cecilie (Norddeutscher Lloyd)	To face	304
[103].	The Kaiser Wilhelm II. (Norddeutscher Lloyd)	To face	304
	Photographs by G. West and Son
[104].	The Turbinia	To face	308
	Photographs by G. West and Son, and by courtesy of the Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co.
[105].	The Otaki (New Zealand Shipping Co.)	To face	310
	By courtesy of W. Denny and Sons
[106].	H.M.S. Waterwitch, armoured gunboat		321
	Drawn by E. Coffin from a contemporary picture
[107].	H.M.S. Minotaur	To face	326
	By courtesy of the Thames Iron Works and Shipbuilding Co.
[108].	The Koenig Wilhelm, German Navy	To face	328
[109].	The Baden, German Navy	To face	328
[110].	H.M.S. Devastation	To face	330
[111].	H.M.S. Thunderer	To face	330
[112].	H.M.S. Dreadnought	To face	332
[113].	H.M.S. Lightning, torpedo-boat	To face	334
[114].	H.M.S. Tartar, torpedo-boat	To face	334
[115].	H.M.S. Lord Nelson	To face	336
[116].	H.M.S. Invincible, armoured cruiser	To face	336
	The last nine from photographs by G. West and Son
[117].	The Minas Geraes, Brazilian battleship	To face	336
	By special permission of the Brazilian Naval Commission, from a photograph kindly supplied by Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co.
[118].	The Kearsarge, U.S. Navy	To face	340
[119].	The San Francisco, U.S. Navy	To face	340
	Both from photographs by G. West and Son
[120].	The Monitoria	To face	348
	By courtesy of Messrs. Osbourne Graham and Co.
[121].	The Iroquois and Navahoe	To face	348
	By permission of the Syren and Shipping
[122].	The Monitoria, transverse section		350
	By courtesy of Messrs. Osbourne Graham and Co.
[123].	The old Floating Dock at Rotherhithe, circa 1800	To face	354
	By courtesy of Messrs. Clark and Standfield
[124].	Model of the Bermuda Dock	To face	356
	From the original at South Kensington
[125].	Self-docking of the Bermuda Dock (well heeled)	To face	358
[126].	Bermuda Dock: Centre Pontoon Self-docked	To face	358
[127].	Bolted Sectional Dock lifting a Vessel	To face	360
[128].	The Cartagena Dock	To face	362
	The last four by courtesy of Messrs. Clark and Standfield
[129].	The Baikal	To face	362
	By courtesy of the Magazine of Commerce
[130].	The Drottning Victoria	To face	366
	From a photograph by Frank and Sons, by courtesy of the Shipbuilder and Messrs. Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson
[131].	The Ermack	To face	370
	By courtesy of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co.
[132].	The Earl Grey	To face	370
	By courtesy of the Magazine of Commerce
[133].	The Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert	To face	372
[134].	The Imperial Yacht Hohenzollern	To face	372
	Photographs by G. West and Son
PLANS
[135].	The Evolution of Floating Docks, 1800-1910		389
	By courtesy of Messrs. Clark and Standfield

CHAPTER I
PRIMITIVE EXPERIMENTS IN PROPULSION—SOME EARLY EXPERIMENTS WITH STEAM

Opinions are divided as to whether the paddle-wheel is a development from the action of a man paddling a canoe, or the result of applying to a vessel an ordinary wheel, with blades to make it bite the water; or it may be stated thus: Did the paddle-blades grow out of the wheel, or the wheel out of a number of paddle-blades? There is no satisfactory evidence one way or the other; suffice it that the idea of revolving paddles was developed.

How the power which caused the revolution of the paddles was applied at first is as unknown as the identity of the man who first thought of making navigation easier by mechanical means. It was probably human power, as the first inventor can hardly have discovered how to utilise animals for the purpose, and from what we know of primitive expedients we may conjecture what the first contrivance used to urge a boat onwards without sails or oars was like. The craft would be a small one. Perhaps the proprietor was too poor to hire rowers. Perhaps, a subtle financier, he realised that if he could bring his goods to a certain place before rival shippers he would secure the market. Hence, stimulated by poverty or cupidity or both, he reflected, experimented, and finally invented the revolving paddle. But his apparatus was probably nothing more than a smooth, straight branch or tree log, which projected over either side of the boat and carried at each end paddles fixed radially. He probably used two or four paddles, as it would be easier to attach them to the axle in pairs. The radii of the paddles consisted of two poles tied at right angles about the middle and there fastened to the axle ends, rough-hewn boards or strips of bark being attached at the extremities of the poles to form the paddle-blades. The axle was doubtless kept in place either by pins in the gunwales placed before and after it, or by bringing two of the ribs on either side above the gunwale line and disposing the axle between them. In many modern row-boats one or other of these plans is adopted for the accommodation of the oars or sculls. This much being accomplished, it only remained to apply the power. The inventor now passed a rope twice round the middle of the axle, and tied the ends together. By hauling on it he got all the power he was likely to require; to go astern he had merely to pull the rope the other way. If more power was required more men tugged at the rope.

When paddles were made larger to suit hulls of larger dimensions, it may fairly be assumed that a winch turned by several men was used, and that the power was transmitted to the axle of the paddle by means of an endless rope. But soon it occurred to the shipowners that animals might be used to produce the power instead of men. Horses or oxen were made to drive a turntable or capstan, to work in a cage after the fashion of white mice in their cylinders, or on a moving floor which imparted its motion to an axle connected by an endless rope with the axle of the paddle. Such boats, deriving their power from animals, were built by the Romans, were in use in the early centuries of the Christian era, and were not unknown in the nineteenth century in Britain and the United States.