92 Book of Steamships 



It was only a pigmy, it is true, and 

 was, I imagine, intended to show what an 

 advantage steam would give to a river 

 patrol boat. 



Fulton called her the Demologos. She was 

 built in 1814, and we learn that she had 

 a double hull, between which a single 

 paddle-wheel acted as the propelling force. 

 The Demologos was 156 ft. long, so that 

 she was quite a small affair. She does not 

 appear to have done any righting in the 

 thirteen years of her life. Her end was 

 that of many early steamers she blew up. 



For fighting purposes the British Navy 

 does not seem to have possessed a steam- 

 driven vessel for a great many years after 

 this. 



The Admiralty were very conservative, 

 and they advanced many reasons against 

 the use of steam. It might be useful for 

 non-fighting units of the fleet, such as 

 despatch vessels, supply ships and tugs, 

 but, said the Admiralty in effect, " Let us 

 stick to the wooden walls and sail power 



