MAYFLOWER THE WORD'S OLDEST OPERATIONAL STEAM BOAT

摘要

In addition to this unique honour, Mayflower has a number of other claims to fame which make her one of the most important surviving ships in the world. Mayflower is: the oldest surviving tug in the world one of the five oldest iron vessels in existence, definitely pre-dated only by SS Great Britain (1843), the Bristol drag-boat Bertha (1844), HMS Warrior (1860) and the German submarine Brandtaucher (1850); however of these only Warrior is still afloat, and none is operational. the oldest surviving Bristol-built vessel afloat, and one of only three vessels built by the famous firm of Stothert known to survive.