i oo Book of Steamships 



1849, when the paddle sloop Basilisk tried 

 conclusions with the screw corvette Niger 

 when again the screw demonstrated its 

 superiority. 



On our " family tree " we find an entry 

 Agamemnon, 1852. The coming of the 

 Agamemnon marked a definite advance for 

 the Navy. Here we find big warships 

 designed expressly for the screw pro- 

 peller, though hull and sails still reminded 

 one of Nelson's Victory. 



Meanwhile with the advance of steam 

 in the Navy, ordnance had also made 

 rapid strides. During the Crimean War 

 two factors were brought very forcibly 

 under the eyes of naval architects. First, 

 that explosive shells had made the wooden, 

 high-sided man-of-war a back number; 

 secondly, that a ship must be able to 

 manoeuvre without dependence on sails 

 for doing, it. 



Already the paddle-wheel had proved 

 a draw-back because of its size. Now came 

 the screw to redress the balance. It then 



