" Down to the Sea in Ships " 



war, for exploration, for purposes of trade, dis- 

 covering unknown lands, penetrating towards the 

 North Pole, mapping out the Ocean. 



Other Nations took their part in these explora- 

 tions, and the honour of finding a New World 

 did not rest with our ancestors. But in more 

 recent days the Lion's share of research has 

 undoubtedly fallen to the British ; and the coast- 

 lines of the world have been surveyed and 

 mapped out chiefly by ships of the British 

 Royal Navy. 



Up to the beginning of the Nineteenth Cen- 

 tury, all vessels, small or large, moved by means 

 of the wind or by oars. 



Then began a change of immense importance, 

 due to the use of steam for carrying ships across 

 the sea, not only with but in the teeth of the 

 wind. 



This method took hold and prevailed, though 

 at first very slowly. Even in the present day 

 hosts of merchant-ships still travel by means of 

 sails only, making systematic use of the Trades 

 and other steadfast winds. When time is not 

 a prime consideration, sailing is of course far 

 cheaper than steaming. On the other hand, the 

 carrying power of a steamer is about three times 

 that of a sailing-vessel of the same size, since 



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