40 Book of Steamships 



In a very few years after the advent of 

 Bell's steamer there were many sister 

 vessels on the Clyde, and other rivers 

 had begun to turn their attention to the 

 new form of transit. 



London had steamers in Waterloo year ; 

 the same month in which that great battle 

 was fought saw a tiny steamer, the 

 Elizabeth, making a trip from the Clyde 

 to Liverpool. 



When we learn that her crew consisted 

 of only three boys, and that they won 

 through two gales and managed machinery 

 of which many grown men stood in awe, 

 we feel like giving them a cheer. One of 

 them had sea experience as he was a 

 young naval officer, but he must have 

 been quite unused to a steamship. 



The next step was to place the steamer 

 on cross-Channel services, but here again 

 prejudice died very hard. The engine was 

 looked upon merely as an auxiliary to sails, 

 and, except in calms, steam was only used 

 to get the ships in and out of harbour. 



