Last of the Paddle Liners 79 



down to history as being the last paddle- 

 wheel Atlantic liner. 



From the date quoted onwards the screw 

 propeller reigned supreme for the big 

 ship and also for the very small one. But 

 even now for coasting passenger steamers 

 up to, say, 1,000 tons, paddle-wheels are 

 preferred. The Scotia was re-built as a 

 screw-propelled vessel after being sold out 

 of the Cunard service, and was then used 

 for cable laying. 



Although other lines had adopted the 

 screw propeller, the Cunard were rather 

 inclined to await their experiments, and go 

 on with the paddle-wheeler until it was 

 clearly proved that the screw was superior. 

 Once it was proved, the Cunard allowed no 

 false sentiment to weigh, but sold their 

 paddle- wheelers, and laid down some of 

 the best screw-driven ships of that era. 



The passing of the paddle-wheeler from 

 the chief position in steam-propelled craft 

 marks a very definite point in our history, 

 and before we leave paddle-wheels to the 



