Identifier: cu31924030903052 (find matches)
Title: A sketch of the origin and progress of steam navigation from authentic documents
Year: 1848 (1840s)
Authors: Woodcroft, Bennet, 1803-1879
Subjects: Steam-navigation Steamboats Patents
Publisher: London : Taylor, Walton, and Maberly
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ays he, was the prejudice against steam boat navigation, by thehue and cry raised by the fly boat and coach proprietors, that for thefirst six months very few would venture in her. But in the courseof the winter of 1812, as she had plied all the year, she began to gaincredit; as passengers were carried 24 miles as quick as by thecoaches, and at a third of the expence, besides being warm and com-fortable. But even after all, I was a great loser that year. In thesecond year, I made her a jaunting boat all over the coasts of Eng-land, Ireland, and Scotland, to show the public the advantage ofsteam boat navigation over the other mode of sailing. Previously to the voyages of the Comet, the average number oftravellers between Greenock and Glasgow was eighty up and eightydown ; in four years afterwards it was not unusual for five or sixhundred passengers daily to enjoy the healthful amusement of a waterexcursion, and the enchanting beauties of the Clyde. ; * Stuai-t, vol. ii. p. 525. f Ibid.
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STEAM NAVIGATION. 87 Shortly after this period, steam navigation by paddle-wheels be- isii.came general in Great Britain. The first steam vessel which crossed the Atlantic was the Sa-vannah, built and equipped at New York. This vessel proceeded in1819 from New York to Liverpool, without stopping at any interme- i8i9.diate port: she then went to St. Petersburgh, touching at Copenha-gen, and subsequently recrossed the Atlantic. Steam was employedduring only a part of these voyages. She was of 350 tons burden,and the steam apparatus occupied the greater part of the hold fromthe main-mast to the fore mast, a small space being reserved at eachside for the stowage of coals, which in this engine amounted to aboutten tons per day; and from this it will be seen that little room wasleft for the cargo. The paddle-wheels in the Savannah were fixed to a cast ironaxletree, passing through the sides of the vessel above the bends:nearly the whole of each wheel was constructed so that it could betaken

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