“The THAMES, steam yacht,” (says the London “Times,” of the 8th July, 1815), “from London to Margate, starts from Wool Quay, near the Custom House, Thames Street, every Tuesday and Saturday at 8 o’clock a.m., precisely, and leaves Margate on her return to London every Monday and Thursday at the same hour. This rapid, capacious and splendid vessel lately accomplished a voyage of 1,500 miles, has twice crossed St. George’s Channel, and came round the Land’s End with a rapidity unknown before in naval history, and is the first steam vessel that ever traversed those seas. She has the peculiar advantage of proceeding either by sails or steam, separated or united, by which means the public have the pleasing certainty of never being detained on the water after dark, much less one or two nights, which has frequently occurred with the old packets. Against the wind, the tide, or in the most perfect calm, the passage is alike certain, and has always been achieved in one day. Her cabins are spacious, and are fitted up with all that elegance could suggest, or personal comfort require; presenting a choice library, backgammon boards, draught tables, and other means of amusement. For the express purpose of combining delicacy with comfort a female servant attends upon the ladies. The fares (which include Pier Duty) are in the Chief Cabin 15s., and in the Fore Cabin 11s., children half price. No articles or goods will be taken, except the luggage accompanying passengers; and the proprietors will not be answerable for any of the above, unless delivered into the care of the Steward, nor to the amount of more than £5 value, except entered and paid for as such.” A narrative of the remarkable voyage of this steamer from the Clyde to the Thames, referred to in the above quotation from the “Times,” will be found in the following chapter. [Illustration: Sailboat near land] CHAPTER IV. “The Year 1815.” To the student of British history, the year 1815 is one of the most remarkable of the nineteenth century. In June of that year was fought the Battle of Waterloo—a victory for the British which effectually destroyed the power of the first Napoleon, and delivered Europe from the terror of a military despotism. The merchants of the “good old town” of Liverpool were determined that the famous victory should never be forgotten by their descendants, and so they perpetuated the name in the “Waterloo Road,” the “Waterloo Dock,” and their latest seaside suburb “Waterloo.” Another event occurred in that same eventful month of June, 1815, an event unheralded at the time, but whose results have been more widely spread and more beneficent than those which resulted from the Battle of Waterloo. This was the arrival from the Clyde of the first steamer ever seen on the river Mersey. The following brief and unsatisfactory paragraph appeared in the “Liverpool Mercury” of the 30th June:—