A history of the growth of the steam-engine . hem for steamers supplied to the British Gov-ernment for general mail service. The steam-vessels of the time are well represented inthe accompanying engraving (Fig. 91) of the steamshipAtlantic—a vessel which was shortly afterward (1851) builtas the pioneer steamer of the American Collins steamship was one of several which formed the earliestof American steamship-lines, and is one of the finest exam-ples of the type of paddle-steamers which was finally super-seded by the later screw-fleets. The Collins Line existedbut a very few years, an
A history of the growth of the steam-engine . hem for steamers supplied to the British Gov-ernment for general mail service. The steam-vessels of the time are well represented inthe accompanying engraving (Fig. 91) of the steamshipAtlantic—a vessel which was shortly afterward (1851) builtas the pioneer steamer of the American Collins steamship was one of several which formed the earliestof American steamship-lines, and is one of the finest exam-ples of the type of paddle-steamers which was finally super-seded by the later screw-fleets. The Collins Line existedbut a very few years, and its failure was probably deter-mined as much by the evident and inevitable success ofscrew-propulsion as by the diificulty of securing ample cap-ital, complete organization, and efiicient general manage-13 290 THE MODERN STEAM-ENGINE. ment. This steamer was built at New York—^the hullby William Brown, and the machinery by the NoveltyIron-Works. The length of the hull was 276 feet, itsbreadth 45 feet, and the depth of hold 31^ feet. The. Jig. 91.—The Atlantic, 1S51. width over the paddle-boxes was 75 feet. The ship meas-ured 2,860 tons. The form of the hull was then peculiarin the fineness of its lines ; the bow was sharp, and thestern fine and sniooth, and the general outline such as bestadapted the ship for high speed. The main saloon wasabout 70 feet long, and the dining-room was 60 feet inlength and 20 feet wide. The state-rooms were arrangedon each side the dining saloon, and accommodated 150passengers. These vessels were beautifully fitted up, andwith them was inaugurated that wonderful system of pas-senger-transportation which has since always been distin-guished by those comforts and conveniences which theAmerican traveler has learned to consider his by right. The machinery of these ships was, for that time, re-markably powerful and efficient. The engines were of the STEAM-NAVIGATION. 291 side-lever type, as illustrate^ in Pig. 92, which representsthe engine of t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidc, booksubjectsteamengines
