Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

318 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. LEFT) AND “ GREAT EASTERN ” COMPARED. Developments during the Past Fifty Years. notable ships the present time the development of the steamship, in regard to both size and speed, has been steady and continu- ous ; but in the space at our disposal it is impossible to make more than a brief refer- ence to improvements in ship- building methods, and to the of the past fifty years. From about the year 1870 iron screw steamers began to supersede sailing ships in very many of the ocean trades of the world, a result due largely to the rapid strides made in marine engineering. The in- creased use of water ballast in steamers directed a second hull. The longitudinal bulkheads were carried right up to the upper deck, thus contributing largely to the longitudinal strength of the ship. The inner skin, while giving addi- tional structural strength, acted as a safe- guard in the event of collision or grounding ; and the space between the outer and inner skin was utilized for carrying an immense quantity of water ballast. The transverse strength was supplemented by the bulkheads carried in that direction, and there was no transverse framing, as in present-day steamers. Experience at sea proved that structurally the Great Eastern was an unqualified success, for she never showed any signs of weakness. On her preliminary sea trip the highest speed attained was 15 knots. Although a triumph of shipbuilding skill, the vessel was a great failure commercially. She was never placed in the trade for which, she was designed, but commenced running in the Atlantic, for which she was wholly unsuited. In 1865 and 1866 she performed good service in laying two of the Atlantic telegraph cables, but in 1888 she was sold to be broken up. It is a splendid tribute to the genius of the two famous engi- neers who were responsible for her design that even now, after the lapse of half a century, our naval architects look to the Great Eastern for inspiration and guidance in ship design. From the building of the Great Eastern to • 5MANHAH 1019 • £>fliT/Mrr «045 (jf?EAT 1859 DIAGRAM SHOWING DEVELOPMENT IN THE SIZE OF STEAMSHIPS DURING THE PERIOD 1819-1907.