Shallow draught river steamers

摘要

Russell's reason for addressing the meeting was that he was convinced that lessons learned from the highly developed US Eastern and Western river boats could be applied to steamers for the growing numbers of British colonies and dependencies, many of which had extensive river networks and a pressing need for improved transport infrastructure. He noted that "wherever this class of vessel has come into competition with English steamers the latter have always been beaten out of the field." To make himself acquainted with these American river steamers he had "examined carefully the most remarkable vessels of each kind, I have watched them in course of construction, I have made drawings of the most remarkable points in their naval construction. The most striking peculiarities of the machinery, boilers, wheels and working gear; and I now proceed to lay before the meeting the practical results of my four month study." The conclusion was that there was basically one pattern of vessel plying the eastern rivers and the New York area; longer, narrower, stronger, fine lined but deeper draught than the steamers of the Mississippi and linked rivers in the west. Low pressure engines were almost universal, highly developed versions of the Watt-type beam engine directly coupled to large fixed-float side paddle wheels.