46 Book of Steamships 



clipped through the sea instead of push- 

 ing a blunt nose into it, which only 

 retarded forward progress. 



The clipper bow is still seen on many 

 of our finest craft both steam and wind 

 driven but in the case of the steamer it 

 is now more usual to find the straight 

 stem. 



We must now leap forward another 

 eight years and see how the Canadians 

 added lustre to their seamanship by build- 

 ing the first British steamer to cross the 

 Atlantic. This was the Royal William. 

 The latter was built at Quebec, but her 

 engines came from Boulton and Watt, of 

 Birmingham. By noticing very briefly 

 her dimensions we see that the steamship 

 was indeed growing up. 



The Royal William had a tonnage of 

 830, length 176 ft., breadth 27 ft., breadth 

 across hull and paddles 44ft., and 

 draught 13 ft. She had a freightage capac- 

 ity of 300 tons, and her passenger accom- 

 modation provided for 60 persons. When 



