Last of the Paddle Liners 8 5 



history of steam navigation would have 

 been written on different lines. 



You will remember that the Great 

 Eastern was fitted with paddle-wheels and 

 screw propeller, and also that her engine 

 power, though vast, was insufficient. In 

 the early 'sixties two things came about 

 which materially affected the future of the 

 steamship; the first, the undoubted 

 superiority of the screw was established; 

 secondly, a vast improvement in marine 

 engines was effected, principally by the 

 adoption of compound working. 



The old method of steaming was waste- 

 ful in the extreme, especially before the 

 introduction of surface condensation. A 

 word on the latter system may not be out 

 of place. Originally sea- water was used for 

 the boilers, often with disastrous results, 

 and in every case with the great incon- 

 venience of what was called " blowing- 

 off " to get rid of the salts always found 

 in sea-water. The blowing-off was to pre- 

 vent the deposit of these salts which would 



