CHAPTER VIII.

THE PRODUCTION OF LARGE STEAMSHIPS.

List of Vessels over 4000 Tons Presently or at one time Afloat— The Years in which the Production of Large Steamships have been Greatest—The Individual Share of the several Districts in Producing Large Steamships 198

APPENDIX.

CALCULATING INSTRUMENTS.

Fuller’s Spiral Slide rule—Amsler’s Polar Fixed-scale Planimeter— Amsler’s Proportional or Variable-scale Planimeter—Amsler’s Mechanical Integrator 207

PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

JOHN BURNS, _facing Page_ 2 NATHANIEL DUNLOP, ” ” 12 THOMAS HENDERSON, ” ” 20 WILLIAM PEARCE, ” ” 30 JAMES ANDERSON, ” ” 36 ALEXANDER C. KIRK, ” ” 44 BENJAMIN MARTELL, ” ” 60 WILLIAM H. WHITE, ” ” 86 JOHN INGLIS, JUN., ” ” 106 SIR EDWARD J. REED, ” ” 108 PROF. FRANCIS ELGAR, ” ” 114 WILLIAM DENNY, ” ” 118 WILLIAM JOHN, ” ” 124 CHARLES MARK PALMER, ” ” 172 JAMES LAING, ” ” 178

VIEWS OF NOTABLE STEAMSHIPS.

S.S. “City of Rome,” Anchor Line, _Frontispiece_. S.S. “Umbria,” Cunard Line, _facing Page_ 6 S.S. “Austral,” Anchor Line, ” ” 36

ERRATA.

PAGE 11.—Thirteenth line from top: for 1883 read 1884. PAGE 81.—Fourth line from top: for “a single trial” read “one or two trials.” PAGE 163.—Fourth line from top: for 1884 read 1845. PAGE 187.—Third line from top: for “fluctuations” read “fluctuation.” PAGE 200.—Dimensions of “City of Rome”: for 546 by 52 by 58¾ read 546 by 52 by 38¾.

“Into a ship of the line man has put as much of his human patience, common sense, forethought, experimental philosophy, self-control habits of order and obedience, thoroughly wrought handwork, defiance of brute elements, careless courage, careful patriotism, and calm expectation of the judgment of God, as can well be put into a space 300 feet long; by 80 feet broad.”—_Ruskin._

“If any body of men have just cause to feel pride in their calling, and in the fruits of their labour, shipbuilders have. If we look at the magnitude of the operations of building, launching, engining, and completing a modern passenger ship of the first rank, and regard the multiplicity of the arrangements and beauty of finish now expected, and then think this structure has to brave the elements, make regular passages, convey thousands of human souls, and tens of thousands of tons of merchandise every year across the ocean, in storm or calm, we cannot but feel that they are occupied in useful human labour. But more than this, there is a public sentiment surrounding ships that no other mechanical structures can command. Beautiful churches, grand buildings, huge structures of all kinds have a certain interest pertaining to them, but it is different in kind from that which surrounds a ship. The former are fixed, immovable, inert; the ship is here to-day and gone to-morrow, building up a history from day to day with a reputation as sensitive as a woman’s to calumny, and like her consequently often a bone of contention as well as an object of admiration.”—_William John._

MODERN SHIPBUILDING.