Steam-ships: The story of their development to the present day

About this book

The work is a comprehensive technical history of steam‑propelled vessels, tracing their evolution from the first experimental paddle‑boats of the late eighteenth century to the turbine liners of the early twentieth century. The author opens with a sweeping overview that situates the steam‑ship’s hundred‑year rise against the backdrop of a world where steam now outweighs sail nine to one, and then proceeds to outline the book’s structure, chapters on early experiments, American pioneers, British shipbuilding, railway‑owned steamers, trans‑Atlantic services, and the progressive innovations in hull material, propulsion, and engine design. The introductory pages are dense with factual detail, acknowledgments to engineers, shipyards, and maritime societies, and a long list of illustrations that promise visual support for the narrative.

Written in a formal, scholarly tone typical of early‑1910s engineering literature, the prose combines precise terminology with occasional rhetorical flourishes, reflecting the author’s background in naval engineering and his reliance on contemporary institutions such as the Institute of Marine Engineers. Readers with an interest in maritime technology, industrial history, or the engineering advances that reshaped global trade will find the book rewarding, while those seeking a light narrative should be aware of its exhaustive, documentary style.

Opening lines

The story of the Steam-ship, and of its development up to the present time, covers little more than a hundred years. In the companion volume,[1] the evolution of the sailing ship necessitated a comprehensive survey of some eight centuries; but that we need vessels, not only faster than the sailing ship, but also more independent of the weather conditions, is shown by the fact that in the world’s shipping tonnage of to-day (omitting small vessels) the proportion of steam to sail is as nine to one. The “seven seas” must be crossed with speed and safety, in the interest of all nations that have a mile of sea coast; but the Anglo-Saxon race, as it has contributed--from either side of the Atlantic--most largely to the mechanical and structural development of the steam-ship, now depends most vitally upon the organisation of its naval and transportation systems. …

Keep reading free · chapter 1 needs no account