II 



THE FIRST STEAMERS 



IT has been well said that steam has 

 been the greatest agent in bringing about 

 a better understanding between nations, 

 whilst, again, steam has completely revo- 

 lutionised warfare afloat. If you will now 

 turn to our " family tree ", you will 

 find our first date of moment under 1736. 

 At this period the stationary steam engine 

 was in a crude state, and we shall not 

 be surprised to find that Jonathan Hulls 's 

 experimental steamer had but a short 

 life. All the records I can find of it are 

 very meagre in details, but, as we must 

 start our '* family tree " somewhere, I 

 think we can reasonably accept this as a 

 definite starting point in the growing up 

 of the steamship. 



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