| CHAPTER I. |
| Earliest modes of propulsion—Suggested partly by nature—Hero of
Alexandria, B.C. 120—Dancing steam ball—Æolipile—Application
of science to superstitious purposes—Revival of learning—Robertus
Valturius, 1472—Blasco de Garay—Story of his experiment, 1543—Disproved
by Mr. MacGregor’s investigations, note—Progress of
invention—Bourne—Solomon de Caus, Marquess of Worcester, &c.—Morisotus’
vessel with paddle-wheels—Hollar’s drawing—Absurd
patents—Phillips and his windmill—Papin and Morland—Savery—Jonathan
Hulls—James Watt’s engine—Matthew Wasborough—Marquis
de Jouffroy—Bramah’s screw-propeller—Mr. Miller of
Dalswinton—Mr. Symington and Mr. Taylor—The Charlotte Dundas—Rumsey
and Fitch—J. C. Stevens—Oliver Evans—Robert Fulton
and Mr. Livingston—Plan really derived from the English experiments
of Symington—Fulton builds steamers in the U.S.—The
Clermont—Merits and demerits of Fulton—At all events the first
to “run” a steam-vessel regularly and to develop its power and
usefulness—First steamboat on the St. Lawrence, 1813. |
| Pages [1]-[59] |
| CHAPTER II. |
| Progress of steam navigation in Europe—Clyde mechanics take the
lead—James Watt, 1766—Henry Bell, 1800—Correspondence
between Bell and Fulton—Letter from Bell to Miller of Dalswinton—The
Comet steamer, 1811, plies between Glasgow and Greenock,
and afterwards on the Forth—Extraordinary progress of shipbuilding
on the Clyde—Great value and importance of the private
building yards—J. Elder and Company; their extensive premises,
note—Steam between Norwich and Yarmouth, 1813; between
London and Margate, 1815—The Glasgow—Early opposition to the
employment of steam-vessels—Barges on the Thames—First steamer
between Liverpool and the Clyde—H. M. steam-ship Comet—The
Rob Roy and other vessels, 1818—The United Kingdom, 1826—First
idea of iron ships, 1830—Proposals of Trevethick and Dickenson,
1809-1815—The Vulcan, 1818—The Aaron Manby, 1821—The
Shannon Steam Packet Company, 1824—Mr. John Laird and Sir
William Fairbairn—The Elburkah, 1832, and Garry Owen, 1834—The
Rainbow, 1837—Messrs. Tod and MacGregor—The Great Britain,
1839-1843—Advantages of iron ships—Action of salt water on iron
inconsiderable—Durability, strength, and safety of iron—Affords
greater capacity for stowage—Admiralty slow to adopt iron for ships
of war—Mr. Galloway’s feathering paddles, 1829—Story of the
screw-propeller—Joseph Bramah, 1785—Mr. J. Stevens, 1804—Richard
Trevethick, 1815—Robert Wilson, 1833—Captain Ericsson,
1836—The Francis B. Ogden, though successful, fails to convince
the Admiralty—Mr. T. P. Smith—The Archimedes—Her trial with
the Widgeon, Oct. 1839, and its results—The Rattler and the Alecto,
1843—The Rattler not as successful as expected—Captain Robert
F. Stockton efficiently supports Ericsson’s views—His vessel, a
complete success, and the first “screw” used for commerce in
America—Superiority of Mr. Woodcroft’s “varying” propeller, 1832—In
building fit vessels, the trade in which they are to be employed
must be considered |
| Pages [60]-[120] |
| CHAPTER III. |
| Steam-ships of the United States—Improvements in form of hull—Natural
facilities for Steam Navigation in America—Her lakes—Canals—Harbours—Rivers—Seaboard—Bays
and roadsteads—Rapid
increase of steam-vessels—First vessels built for the western rivers
and lakes—Dangers of River Navigation—Number of steamers lost
by “snags,” ice, fire, and collision, 1831-1833—Peculiar description
of wharves and levees—Description of steamers employed—Boats of
the Mississippi—Boatmen—Engines of the steamers—Different construction
of the steamers on the Atlantic rivers—Great speed of
American lake and river steamers—Peculiarity of construction—Steamer
New World—Details of her construction—The Daniel Drew—Her
enormous speed—Pacific Steam-ship Company started, 1847—Cost
of establishing it—Speed of its vessels—Difficulties to
encounter—Number of its steamers—Services performed—China
and Japan line—“Law” line of steamers—South American Steamship
Company—Mr. Randall’s projected large American steamer—Details
of proposed ship—Two sets of paddle-wheels—Principle
of construction—Advantages to be derived from vessels thus built—Mr.
Randall’s experience of steamers employed on the lakes, and
the Pacific |
| Pages [121]-[162] |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| Struggle between Great Britain and United States for the Atlantic
carrying trade—English shipowners cleave to Protection—“Baltimore
clippers” and “American liners”—The Savannah, the first
American Atlantic steamer, 1819—The Curaçoa, 1829—The Royal
William, 1833, from Quebec—The Sirius and Great Western, 1838—Successful
voyages of these vessels—Details of Great Western—The
Royal William, second of that name, the first steam-ship from
Liverpool, 1838, followed by the Liverpool—Origin of the Cunard
Company—Contract for conveyance of mails—Conditions—Names
and particulars of the first steamers in this service—The Britannia—Comparative
results of different vessels—Building (1839) and
loss (1841) of the President—Building of the Great Britain in 1843—Advantages
of iron ships—American auxiliary screw steamer
Massachusetts, 1845—American line of steamers to Europe, 1847—First
ocean race won by the English—Not satisfied with Cunard
line, the Americans determine to start one of their own—Reasons
for so doing—American shipowners complain justly of the “Protective”
policy of their own Government—Nevertheless adopted—Collins
line established—Original terms of subsidy—Dimensions of
their steamers—Mr. Faron’s visit to England—Details of the build
of these vessels—Engines—Frame sustaining engines and dead
weight—Cost of steamers greatly increased by demand for increased
speed—Further details of competing lines—Speed obtained and cost—Great
competition, 1850-1852—Results of it |
| Pages [163]-[220] |
| CHAPTER V. |
| Dangers of Atlantic Navigation—Collision of Arctic and Vesta, 1854—Arctic
founders—Loss of Pacific, 1856—Renewed exertions of the
Collins and, also, of the Cunard Company—Launch of the Persia—Collins
line relinquished, 1858—Scotia—Her great strength and speed—Russia,
first Cunard iron screw-steamer, 1862—Bothnia and
Scythia, 1874—Their construction, outfit, and cabin accommodation—Vessels
now owned by Cunard Company—Comparison of Britannia
and Bothnia—Cunard Company never lost a life nor a letter during
thirty-five years—Reasons—Value of punctuality—Admirable discipline
in their ships—Regulations of the Company—Most disasters
may be prevented by foresight—Success depends on fitting means—Cunard
line shows what can be done |
| Pages [221]-[250] |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia Steamship Company—City of
Glasgow, 1850—City of Manchester, 1851—Speed of City of Paris and
City of Brussels—Exertions of Mr. Inman to improve and facilitate
cheap emigration to the United States—Large number of emigrants
carried in the Inman steamers—City of Chester, 1873—City of
Berlin, 1875—Ocean steamers to Canada, 1853—First mail contract,
1852—Allan line of steamers, 1856—Extent and capacity of its fleet—Speed
of these vessels—Galway line a failure—Loss of Connaught,
1860—Rapid Passage of Adriatic, 1861—Struggles between sailing-clippers
and iron screw-ships—National Steam Navigation Company,
1863—Their splendid ships—Old Black Ball line—The Guion line,
1863—Mississippi and Dominion Company—White Star line, 1870—Strict
regulations for safety—Britannic and Germanic—Their
great speed—Details of Britannic and form of her screw—Difficulty
of estimating real cost of steamers—Pennsylvania Company, 1873—Anchor
line from the Clyde, 1856—Prodigious range of their trade
operations—The Victoria—Hamburg American Steam Packet Company—North
German Lloyd’s |
| Pages [251]-[291] |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| Royal West India Mail Steam Packet Company, 1841—Number of their
ships—Conditions of mail contract—Large subsidy—Heavy loss
during the first year of their operations—Capital of the Company—Liberal
concessions by Government—Complaints of the public—Improved
prospects of the company from improved management—Contract
renewed, 1850—Its conditions—Fresh conditions, 1857—Contract
again renewed, 1864—Further renewal, 1874—The steam-ship
Forth—Losses of various ships of the company—Causes of these
losses—Loss of the Amazon—Terrible sufferings—Loss of the
Demerara—Additions to their fleet, and superior class of vessels |
| Pages [292]-[313] |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| Pacific Steam Navigation Company—First steamer on the Pacific, 1825—Mr.
Wheelwright—Obtains a charter, 1840—First vessels, the Chili
and Peru—Warm reception at Valparaiso—The Company persevere—Appointment
of Mr. Just, 1846—Extension of contract, 1850—Marked
improvement in the prospects of the Company, 1860—New
lines—Vast increase of capital, 1867—Further increase of capital to
3,000,000l., 1871—Capital increased to 4,000,000l., 1872—Extent of
fleet, Iberia and Liguria—Chimborazo, 1871—Too rapid increase—Loss
arising therefrom—Modification of mail contract and reduced
services—West coast steamer Bolivia—Future prospects of the
Company—Trade with Mexico—First line of steamers from Liverpool
to Chagres—West India and Pacific Steam Navigation Company—Liverpool,
Brazil, and River Plate Steam Navigation Company |
| Pages [314]-[335]
|
| CHAPTER IX. |
| Steam to India and overland routes—East India Company establish a
Tátar post between Constantinople and Baghdad—First public
meeting in London to promote steam communication with India,
1822—Captain Johnston—Calcutta meetings, 1823—The Enterprize,
first steamer to India by Cape, 1825—Sold in Calcutta to East
India Company—Other steamers follow—Pioneers of overland route
viâ Egypt—Sir Miles Nightingall in 1819 and Mount-Stuart Elphinstone
in 1823 return home by this route—Mr. Thomas Waghorn
visits England to promote the Cape route, 1829-30—Returns to
India by way of Trieste and the Red Sea—Still advocates Cape
route, 1830—Mr. Taylor’s proposal—Reply of Bombay Government
and discussion of the question—Supineness of the Court of Directors—Their
views—Official report of the first voyage of the Hugh
Lindsay, 1830—Report of the Committee of 1834—Decision of the
House of Commons Committee influenced by political considerations—Admiralty
packets extended from Malta to Alexandria—Steamers
of the Indian navy—Modes of transport across the Isthmus of Suez—Great
exertions of Waghorn in the establishment of this route—Suez
Canal—Popular errors on this subject—M. de Lesseps—His
great scheme—Not fairly considered in England—Commencement
of M. de Lesseps’ works in 1857—General details—Partial opening
of Canal, April 18th, 1869—Finally opened by Empress Eugénie,
November 17th, 1869 |
| Pages [336]-[375] |
| CHAPTER X. |
| Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company—Its founders and
origin—Messrs. Willcox and Anderson—Mr. James Allan—How the
Peninsular mails were originally conveyed—Proposal of Peninsular
Company for their conveyance—Contract concluded August 29th,
1837—Conveyance of mails to India previously to 1839—Government
applies to the Peninsular Company and accepts their proposals,
though reluctantly—Proposed direct line from Falmouth to Calcutta—First
vessels hence, on Indian postal service to Alexandria—Original
postal service from Suez to Bombay—Contract for mails
between Suez and Calcutta, September 1842—Further proposals
made by the East India Company and Government, but finally
rejected by the East India Company—Further contracts for mail
service to China and Singapore—Peninsular and Oriental Company
undertake the line between Bombay and Suez, 1854—House of
Commons Committee on Australian mail service, 1849—Eastern
Steam Navigation Company and Peninsular and Oriental Company
tender for it, but the Peninsular and Oriental succeed—The Himalaya
built—New contract with Peninsular and Oriental Company,
January 1853—Failure of Service during the Crimean War—Proposals
for an independent Australian mail service—Tender of European
and Australian Company accepted—Their entire failure—Speech
of Lord Overstone, March 24th, 1859—Royal Mail Company
undertakes the Australian service and fails—New tenders invited—That
of Peninsular and Oriental Company accepted, 1859—Consolidation
of services in the Peninsular and Oriental Company—Its
present condition and fleet of ships—Terms of the contract now
in force—Revenue and expenditure—Coals required—Descriptions of
vessels—Screw steamer Khedive—Particulars of this ship—Uniform
and regulations of the Company |
| Pages [376]-[415] |
| CHAPTER XI. |
| Changes produced by the opening of the Suez Canal—Sailing fruit-clippers—Introduction
of steamers into the Mediterranean trade,
1840—Establishment of various steam lines, 1850—That of Messrs.
Frederick Leyland and Co., &c.—Their fleets—Messageries Maritimes
Company—Its origin and management—First contract for the
conveyance of the oversea French mails, 1851—Extension of contracts,
1854-56—Brazil line, 1857—Vast extent of its fleet—Largest vessels—Trade
viâ the Suez Canal—Presumed advantage of auxiliary
engines—Not borne out by the results—Conveyance of the Australian
mails—Peculiar conditions of contracts—Failure of the service—Stringent
penalties—Australian steam services—Mr. Alfred Holt’s
line of steamers to China—Its success—Messrs. Gellatly, Hankey,
and Company—Messrs. Green and Company—Messrs. Rathbone
Brothers—Messrs. George Smith and Sons—Letter from Mr. George
Smith—Messrs. Smiths’ ships and their voyages to and from India—Changes
in the mode of conducting commerce with India and China—Number
of vessels through Suez Canal since its opening, and their
nationality |
| Pages [416]-[446] |
| CHAPTER XII. |
| First application of steam-vessels on the rivers and coasts of India,
1825—S.S. Diana—S.S. Burhampooter and Hooghly, 1828—Arrival in
India of Lord William Bentinck as Governor-General—His efforts
to promote Steam Navigation—Voyages of the S.S. Hooghly up the
Ganges, 1828, 1829 and 1830—Other vessels recommended to be built—Two
of them of Iron—Steam Companies formed, 1845—Steam
Committee, 1857, and rapid progress of steam-vessels from this
date—Improved troop steamer for the Lower Indus—Sea-going
steamers of India—S.S. John Bright—British India Steam Navigation
Company established, 1857—Its fleet, and extent of its operations—Origin
of this Company—Its early difficulties, and rapid extension—Number
of ships lost—Effect of the opening of the Suez Canal on
the trade of this Company—The Holy Ship, note—Netherlands Steam
Navigation Company, 1866—Its fleet, and how employed—Irrawaddy
Flotilla and Burmese Steam Navigation Company, 1865—Services
of this Company—Extent of inland trade—Fleet of the Company—Interior
trade of China—The Yang-tse-Kiang—Its source and extent—Opened
to trade, 1860—First steam-ship direct from Hankow
to England, 1863—Passage of the Robert Lowe and her cargo—Number
of steamers employed on the Yang-tse 1864 and in 1875—S.S.
Hankow—Her power and capacity, note—Chinese Steam Navigation
Company—Proposed Imperial fleet of steamers—Increase of
trade with China—The resources of the interior—Mode of conducting
business—“Hongs” or Guilds—Chinese Bankers—River and
coasting trade of China—Japanese line of steamers—How employed |
| Pages [447]-[485] |
| CHAPTER XIII. |
| Eastern Steam Navigation Company—Detailed proposals of the directors—Capital
subscribed to build the Great Eastern—Relative size
and speed of sailing-ships—Mr. Brunel proposes to build a ship five
or six times as big as any existing vessel, and is supported in his
views by Mr. Scott Russell—Plan of construction, size, &c.—Mr.
Atherton considers the views of the directors are not supported by
their data—The Great Eastern commenced May 1, 1854—Details of
her dimensions and mode of construction—Practically, one ship
within another—Compartments and bulkheads—Floor—Construction
of the iron plates for hull—The deck and its strength—Enormous
steam-power from combination of paddle and screw—Paddle-wheel,
auxiliary, and screw-engines—Donkey-engines—Proposed accommodation
for passengers, &c.—View of deck, &c.—Saloon—Intended
to carry twenty large boats and two steamers—Compasses—Size
of sails—Magnetic apparatus of Mr. J. Gray—Apparatus for steering—Rudder
and anchors, and note—The ship itself a marvel, though
commercially, a failure—Preparations for, and details of, the launching
of the Great Eastern |
| Pages [486]-[515] |
| CHAPTER XIV. |
| Commencement of launch of the Great Eastern, November 3rd, 1857—Christened
by Miss Hope—Comparative failure—Renewed efforts
scarcely more successful—Hydraulic ram bursts—Floats of her own
accord, January 31st, 1858—The whole scheme of this launch a
thorough mistake—Difficulties of the Company—Offer to Government
wisely declined—Further proposal to employ her as a cable layer—Makes
her first sea trip, September 9th, 1859—Accident off Hastings,
and the opinion of the pilot—Reaches Holyhead; and details of her
voyage—Makes her first voyage across the Atlantic, June 1860—Second
voyage, May 1861—Third voyage, to Quebec, July 1861—Fourth
voyage, September 1861—Heavy gale off S. W. coast of
Ireland, and compelled to return to Cork—General remarks on the
sea-going qualities of different ships, and on the effect of wind in
causing “rollers”—Real truth about “momentum”—Very large
ships not so safe as smaller ones, as their damages are less easily
repaired—Chief later use of the Great Eastern as a cable layer, but
not, even here, remunerative—Concluding remarks. |
| Pages [516]-[543] |
| CHAPTER XV. |
| River and coast trade of Great Britain—The Iona, paddle steamer—First
screw collier Q. E. D.—The King Coal collier—Her dimensions
and crew, note—Improvement in care of seamen—Leith and London
traders—Dublin and Holyhead Mail-Packets—Their great speed and
regularity—Dimensions, power, capacity, and cost—Dover and Calais
Mail-Packets—The Victoria—Her speed—Proposed tunnel and other
modes of crossing the Straits of Dover—Mr. Fowler’s plan—The
Castalia—The Bessemer—Her swinging saloon—The cigar-ship built
at Baltimore, 1858—Similar ship built on the Thames, 1864—Perkins’s
economical steam-engine and proposed fast boat—The Engine
of the Comet—Modifications in the construction of Marine Engines—Ratio
of speed to power—The Compound Engine more economical
than the simple—Great skill required for building perfect
ships, and especial importance to England of having the best ships—But
her ships not yet perfect, though great progress has been
made during the last half century |
| Pages [544]-[584] |
| PAGE |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” (Longitudinal Section and Scale) | [Frontispiece.] |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” View of Deck | [Frontispiece.] |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” Wheel-house and Steering Apparatus | [Frontispiece.] |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” Laying Cable | [ Frontispiece.] |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” At Sea | [Frontispiece.] |
| The Paper Nautilus | [3] |
| Hero’s Steam Cauldron (First Idea of the Power of Steam, B.C. 120) | [5] |
| Hero’s Steam Æolipile (First Steam Machine) | [ 6] |
| First Vessel Propelled by Wheels (Seventh Century) | [10] |
| Illyrian Barge with Oxen driving Paddle-wheels | [19] |
| Curious Vessel built in Rotterdam, A.D. 1653 | [20] |
| First Steam-boat (by Jonathan Hulls of Campden, Gloucestershire), 1736 | [26] |
| Murray River Steamer | [27] |
| Water-wheel | [33] |
| Miller’s Treble Vessel, to which a Steam-engine was applied, 1787 | [33] |
| Sectional View of the S.S. “Charlotte Dundas” | [37] |
| First American Steam-boat by John Fitch, U.S., 1786 | [42] |
| Second American Steam-boat by John Fitch, First Used, 1790 | [44] |
| S.S. “Clermont” by Robert Fulton, U.S. First Steam-vessel used successfully in America, 1807 | [51] |
| S.S. “Comet.” First Passenger Steamer on the River Clyde, Scotland, 1812 | [66] |
| Thames Sailing Barge | [75] |
| Stationers’ Company’s Sailing Barge | [76] |
| S.S. “United Kingdom” (London and Edinburgh) | [81] |
| Galloway’s Patent Paddle-wheel | [99] |
| Different Forms of Screws | [101] |
| Screw Steamer “Robert F. Stockton” | [114] |
| Woodcroft’s Varying-pitch Screw-propeller | [117] |
| Early American Lake Screw-propeller | [133] |
| American River Steamer “New World” | [145] |
| Longitudinal and Transverse Midship Sections of proposed large American Steamer | [158], [159] |
| First Cunard Steam-ship “Britannia” | [182] |
| Steam-ship “Great Britain” | [188] |
| Auxiliary U.S. Steam-ship “Massachusetts” | [191] |
| American Steam-ship “Washington” | [196] |
| Collins’s U.S. Steam-ship “Atlantic” | [206] |
| Cunard’s Steam-ship “Scotia” | [229] |
| Cunard’s Steam-ship “Bothnia” | [233] |
| Harfield’s Steam Windlass | [234] |
| Saloon Cabins S.S. “Bothnia” and “Scythia” | [236] |
| Inman’s Screw Steam-ship “City of Manchester” | [252] |
| Inman’s Screw Steam-ship “City of Chester” | [258] |
| White Star Steam-ship “Britannic” | [278] |
| Screw-shaft of S.S. “Britannic” | [280] |
| Midship Section of “Britannic” | [281] |
| Anchor Line S.S. “Victoria” | [289] |
| Royal Mail West India S.S. “Forth” | [303] |
| Royal Mail West India S.S. “Amazon” | [306] |
| Pacific Company’s S.S. “Peru” | [319] |
| Pacific Company’s S.S. “Chimborazo” | [325] |
| Pacific Company’s S.S. “Santa-Rosa” | [328] |
| S.S. “Enterprise.” First Steamer that Doubled the Cape of Good Hope | [340] |
| Map of Suez Canal and surrounding District | [364] |
| Peninsular and Oriental Company’s S.S. “Royal Tar” | [380] |
| Peninsular and Oriental Company’s S.S. “Khedive” | [411] |
| Leyland and Company’s S.S. “Bavarian” | [420] |
| Lindsay’s Auxiliary Steam-ships | [429] |
| Swires’ Yang-tse Steamer “Hankow” | [471] |
| Chinese Tea-boat | [475] |
| Japanese Cargo-boat | [485] |
| Platform on which S.S. “Great Eastern” was built | [497] |
| Transverse Midship Section of “Great Eastern” | [498] |
| Transverse Midship Section of Engine-room of “Great Eastern” | [501] |
| Grand Saloon Cabin of “Great Eastern” | [506] |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” ready to be Launched | [517] |
| S.S. “Great Eastern” at Sea under full Sail | [527] |
| Modern Screw Collier “King Coal” | [548] |
| Channel Packet S.S. “Victoria” | [556] |
| Fowler’s proposed Channel Steam Ferry | [559] |
| Channel Packet S.S. “Castalia” | [562] |
| Channel Packet S.S. “Bessemer” | [565] |
| Perkins’ proposed Transatlantic Steam-ship | [572] |
| Transverse Midship Section of ditto | [572] |
| Engine of the First Clyde Steamer “Comet” | [574] |
| Latest and most Improved Compound Surface Marine Steam Engine | [578] |
The whole of these Illustrations have been re-drawn on block, and a great many of them are original. It is, however, only due to the memory of a truly good and unassuming man to state, more especially as he was a thorough genius in the illustration of all nautical subjects, that many of the drawings are reduced copies from those of the late Edward Weedon, who, for many years, and up to his untimely death in 1874, was one of the staff of artists of the Illustrated London News.
MERCHANT SHIPPING.