File:Cassier's magazine (1904) (14768635052).jpg

Identifier: cassiersmagazi2719041newy (find matches)
Title: Cassier's magazine
Year: 1891 (1890s)
Authors:
Subjects: Engineering
Publisher: New York Cassier Magazine Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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were radically different fromthose obtaining at the present day.Records anterior to this date may havean antiquarian interest, but they are notof much practical value. The era of thewooden merchantman in all the glory ofwidespread canvas is gone beyond re-call; it has disappeared as completelyas the three-decker, the gallion and thetrireme. We will, therefore, not pur-sue our investigations beyond the limitof half a century; in fact, it is desirableto confine it to the period subsequent tothe advent of the Great Eastern. The year i860 marked an epoch inthe history of British shipbuilding. Itwas a time of much controversy anddispute. The old order of things waspassing away. After centuries of sailpower, steam was becoming definitelyand universally recognised as in everywav superior for purposes oi navigation.Iron was, moreover, rapidly supplantingtimber in the hulls of vessels, and screwpropellers were usurping the functionsof paddles. Yet the old system died 233 234 CASSIERS MAGAZINE
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THE BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE 235 hard. As much as two-thirds of thetonnage added to the British register atthis date was wood-built, and the finestvessel of the day was a paddle steamer.Wood, in fact, continued to be morelargely used than iron for nearly anotherdecade. Despite, however, the mostpersistent and zealous opposition of con-servative ideas, revolutionary changeswere inevitable, and they came. Thegreatest scope in design afforded by theemployment of metal and the restrictions ers have had their day, and have givenplace to steel vessels; scarcely any ofthe former are now constructed. Let us look at some instances of ship-building enterprise forty years ago.Exclusive of the Great Eastern, whichmust always be considered an abnormalcase, the finest steamers of the day werethe Persia and the Scotia, both belong-ing to the Cunard Company, the formerbuilt in 1859, and the latter in 1862.There was not very much difference be-

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