1701. 1793. 1803. 1901. Number of ships 3,281 16,079 20,893 20,258 Tonnage 261,222 1,540,145 2,167,863 15,357,052 Seamen 27,196 118,286 -- 247,973 The Scottish fleet, which is not included for 1701 and 1793, was much smaller, alike in the size of units and aggregate tonnage. [12] Holmes's "Ancient and Modern Ships," page 130. [13] Weir's "History of Greenock." [14] Brown's "Early Annals of Greenock," page 138. [15] Murray's "Shipbuilding in Iron and Wood," page 60. [16] Lindsay's "Merchant Shipping," vol. iii, page 294. [Illustration: decoration] The Development of the Steamship. [Illustration: decoration] A close association existed between the Scotts and the family of James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine: the founder of the Scotts' shipbuilding firm and the father of Watt were identified with several schemes for the improvement of Greenock; and the signature of John Scott, of the third generation, whose portrait is the second reproduced on Plate II., is taken from a document in connection with some intromissions of town's funds, to which also is adhibited the signature of Watt's father. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Scotts were early close students of Watt's inventive work, and among the first to enter upon the building of steamships; while at the same time, as we have shown in the preceding pages, building many of the fine sailing ships which established British shipping supremacy in the early half of the nineteenth century, and raised Greenock by 1829 to a port having trade with every part of the world.