CHAPTER I. Pages 1-59 Earliest modes of propulsion—Suggested partly by nature—Hero of Alexandria, B.C. 120—Dancing steam ball—Æolipile—Application of science to superstitious purposes—Revival of learning—Robertus Valturius, 1472—Blasco de Garay—Story of his experiment, 1543—Disproved by Mr. MacGregor’s investigations, _note_—Progress of invention—Bourne—Solomon de Caus, Marquess of Worcester, &c.—Morisotus’ _vessel with paddle-wheels_—Hollar’s drawing—Absurd patents—Phillips and his windmill—Papin and Morland—Savery—Jonathan Hulls—James Watt’s engine—Matthew Wasborough—Marquis de Jouffroy—Bramah’s screw-propeller—Mr. Miller of Dalswinton—Mr. Symington and Mr. Taylor—The _Charlotte Dundas_—Rumsey and Fitch—J. C. Stevens—Oliver Evans—Robert Fulton and Mr. Livingston—Plan really derived from the English experiments of Symington—Fulton builds steamers in the U.S.—The _Clermont_—Merits and demerits of Fulton—At all events the first to “run” a steam-vessel regularly and to develop its power and usefulness—First steamboat on the St. Lawrence, 1813. CHAPTER II. 60-120 Progress of steam navigation in Europe—Clyde mechanics take the lead—James Watt, 1766—Henry Bell, 1800—Correspondence between Bell and Fulton—Letter from Bell to Miller of Dalswinton—The _Comet_ steamer, 1811, plies between Glasgow and Greenock, and afterwards on the Forth—Extraordinary progress of shipbuilding on the Clyde—Great value and importance of the private building yards—J. Elder and Company; their extensive premises, _note_—Steam between Norwich and Yarmouth, 1813; between London and Margate, 1815—The _Glasgow_—Early opposition to the employment of steam-vessels—Barges on the Thames—First steamer between Liverpool and the Clyde—H. M. steam-ship _Comet_—The _Rob Roy_ and other vessels, 1818—The _United Kingdom_, 1826—First idea of iron ships, 1830—Proposals of Trevethick and Dickenson, 1809-1815—The _Vulcan_, 1818—The _Aaron Manby_, 1821—The Shannon Steam Packet Company, 1824—Mr. John Laird and Sir William Fairbairn—The _Elburkah_, 1832, and _Garry Owen_, 1834—The _Rainbow_, 1837—Messrs. Tod and MacGregor—The _Great Britain_, 1839-1843—Advantages of iron ships—Action of salt water on iron inconsiderable—Durability, strength, and safety of iron—Affords greater capacity for stowage—Admiralty slow to adopt iron for ships of war—Mr. Galloway’s feathering paddles, 1829—Story of the screw-propeller—Joseph Bramah, 1785—Mr. J. Stevens, 1804—Richard Trevethick, 1815—Robert Wilson, 1833—Captain Ericsson, 1836—The _Francis B. Ogden_, though successful, fails to convince the Admiralty—Mr. T. P. Smith—The _Archimedes_—Her trial with the _Widgeon_, Oct. 1839, and its results—The _Rattler_ and the _Alecto_, 1843—The _Rattler_ not as successful as expected—Captain Robert F. Stockton efficiently supports Ericsson’s views—His vessel,