For permission to reproduce many illustrations of models, &c., in the Science Museum at South Kensington, I am indebted to the Board of Education; while for particular information I am glad to acknowledge the especial courtesy of Messrs. Barclay, Curle and Co., Ltd., of Whiteinch, Messrs. R. and W. Green, Ltd., Messrs. Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson, Ltd.; and, for revising the portion relating to Floating Docks and supplying illustrations thereof, to Messrs. Clark and Standfield. To many other famous shipbuilding firms who have supplied material or illustrations thanks must also be tendered: Messrs. Harland and Wolff of Belfast; Messrs. A. and J. Inglis of Glasgow; Messrs. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd.; the Carron Company; Messrs. Yarrow; Messrs. Eltringham and Co., Ltd.; Messrs. Smith’s Docks Co., Ltd.; Messrs. Palmer’s Shipbuilding and Iron Co., Ltd.; Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd.; the Parson’s Marine Steam Turbine Co., Ltd.; the Thames Iron Works and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.; the Vulcan Shipbuilding Co. of Stettin; Messrs. W. Denny and Brothers, Ltd., of Dumbarton; Messrs. Osbourne Graham and Co., Ltd.; Messrs. William Gray and Co., Ltd.; Sir Raylton Dixon and Co. of Middlesbrough; Messrs. W. Doxford and Sons of Sunderland; and the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, U.S.A. To many shipowning firms I and my publishers are alike indebted for information and the loan of illustrative material; the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., Ltd.; The Cunard Company; the White Star Line; the American Line; the Pacific Steam Navigation Company; the Orient Line; Messrs. Shaw, Savill and Co., Ltd.; Lund’s Blue Anchor Line; the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company; Messrs. Elder, Dempster and Co., Ltd.; the General Steam Navigation Company; the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Ltd.; the principal Railway Companies owning steam-ships; the Anchor Line; the Allan Line; Messrs. Brocklebank and Co.; the Bibby Line; Messrs. George Thompson and Son’s Aberdeen Line; the North German Lloyd, and the Hamburg-American Line. Certain illustrations appear by arrangement with the editors of the _Magazine of Commerce_, the _Shipping World_, the _Syren and Shipping_, the _Master, Mate, and Pilot_ (of New York), the _Engineer_, and the _Shipbuilder_. The photograph of the _Minas Geraes_ is reproduced by special permission of his Excellency the Chief of the Brazilian Naval Commission. R. A. FLETCHER _June 1910_ CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii I. PRIMITIVE EXPERIMENTS IN PROPULSION -- SOME EARLY EXPERIMENTS WITH STEAM 1 II. AMERICAN PIONEERS IN STEAM NAVIGATION 19 III. THE PROGRESS OF STEAM-SHIP BUILDING IN GREAT BRITAIN 56 IV. RAILWAY COMPANIES AND THEIR STEAM-SHIPS 102