Various forms of man-operated paddle-wheel boats were in use long before the introduction of any kind of power, both in China and later in Europe. With the development of steam propulsion in the latter half of the 18th century various experiments were made in Europe to apply it to paddle wheels. The first to make a practical success of powering a boat in this way was a French engineer, the Marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans — Another pioneer, the American John Fitch —98 , after a successful trial of a metre ft paddle steamer in , built a larger one the next year which ran regularly between Philadelphia and Burlington, NJ, though it was not large enough to be economically viable.
The same year, in England, Patrick Miller also launched a steamboat. This was powered by an engine made by William Symington which drove a paddle between two hulls, and in William Symington produced the Charlotte Dundas. The first paddle steamer in Europe to run a regular commercial service for passengers was the metre ft 6-in. Comet which, from , plied between Glasgow and Greenock.
Other early paddle steamers such as the Clermont, Savannah, Enterprize, Great Western, and Sirius, all contributed to the slow transition from sail to steam. The earliest powered paddle wheels carried six or more fixed floats, and some, like those fitted to the Savannah, could be dismantled and carried on deck when not in use.
By about most paddle wheels were fitted with a feathering device in which radial rods mounted on an eccentric moved the floats in turn so that as they entered the water and left it they remained nearly upright, thereby gaining more propulsive power and causing less wash.
In the early days of the 19th century there were also many experiments in the arrangement and shape of the floats, from single paddles to multiple shutters, all aimed at increasing the wheel's efficiency and reducing the shocks as the floats struck the water. Many variations of these ideas in model form can be seen in the Science Museum, South Kensington, London. Up to the end of the paddle steamer era, however, the traditional wheel with feathering floats was almost universal.
For the first fifty years of steam propulsion at sea the paddle steamer had few rivals. But shipowners were well aware of some of its disadvantages. There were many steamboats in the 19th century in the United States and other countries. However, the first steamboat was built by John Fitch in It had many paddles. Fitch tried to make money from the steamboat, but could not do so. He died in , and did not live long enough to see Robert Fulton become the first person to build a steamboat that could make money.
Steamboats became much faster later in the 19th century. After the middle 19th century paddle steamers became rare, as the marine propeller gave more speed and burned less fuel. The new vessels were suited to the open ocean, and were usually called "steamships". During the 20th century, marine Diesel engines largely replaced steam propulsion. Look out Transport Steamer on Tennessee River , ca. Charlotte Dundas , built by William Symington. The replica of the North River Steamboat , the first steamboat to achieve commercial success transporting passengers along the Hudson River.
Most people who see them do marvel at these magnificent pieces of machinery and they add something special to the excursion experience. Posted by Juniorsbook in TellMeWhy. Posted by Juniorsbook in Articles. Advertise Here! Wed 09 How Did Neckties Originate?
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