Chapter II

THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_). Charles I. and Ship Money—Improvements made by him in the 28 Navy—His great Ship, the _Royal Sovereign_—The Navigation Laws of Cromwell—Consequent War with the Dutch—Capture of Grand Spanish Prizes—Charles II. seizes 130 Dutch Ships—Van Tromp and the Action at Harwich—De Ruyter in the Medway and Thames—Peace—War with France—La Hogue—Peter the Great and his Naval Studies—Visit to Sardam—Difficulty of remaining _incognito_—Cooks his own Food—His Assiduity and Earnestness—A kind-hearted Barbarian—Gives a Grand Banquet and _Fête_—Conveyed to England—His stay at Evelyn’s Place—Studies at Deptford—Visits Palaces and Public-houses—His Intemperance—Presents the King with a £10,000 Ruby—Engages numbers of English Mechanics—Return to Russia—Rapid increase in his Navy—Determines to Build St. Petersburg—Arrivals of the First Merchantmen—Splendid Treatment of their Captains—Law’s Mississippi Scheme and the South Sea Bubble—Two Nations gone Mad—The “Bubble” to pay the National Debt—Its one Solitary Ship—Noble and Plebeian Stockbrokers—Rise and Fall of the Bubble—Directors made to Disgorge CHAPTER III. THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_). A Grand Epoch of Discovery—Anson’s Voyage—Difficulties of manning 45 the Fleet—Five Hundred Invalided Pensioners drafted—The Spanish Squadron under Pizarro—Its Disastrous Voyage—One Vessel run ashore—Rats at Four Dollars each—A Man-of-war held by eleven Indians—Anson at the Horn—Fearful Outbreak of Scurvy—Ashore at Robinson Crusoe’s Island—Death of two-thirds of the Crews—Beauty of Juan Fernandez—Loss of the _Wager_—Drunken and Insubordinate Crew—Attempt to blow up the Captain—A Midshipman shot—Desertion of the Ship’s Company—Prizes taken by Anson—His Humanity to Prisoners—The _Gloucester_ abandoned at Sea—Delightful Stay at Tinian—The _Centurion_ blown out to Sea—Despair of those on Shore—Its safe Return—Capture of the Manilla Galleon—A hot Fight—Prize worth a Million and a half Dollars—Return to England CHAPTER IV. THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_). Progress of the American Colonies—Great Prevalence of 62 Piracy—Numerous Captures and Executions—A Proclamation of Pardon—John Theach, or “Black Beard”—A Desperate Pirate—Hand-and-glove with the Governor of North Carolina—Pretends to accept the King’s Pardon—A Blind—His Defeat and Death—Unwise Legislation and consequent Irritation—The Stamp Act—The Tea Tax—Enormous Excitement—Tea-chests thrown into Boston Harbour—Determined Attitude of the American Colonists—The Boston Port Bill—Its Effects—Sympathy of all America—The final Rupture—England’s Wars to the end of the Century—Nelson and the Nile—Battle of Copenhagen CHAPTER V. THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_). Early Paddle-boats—Worked by Animal Power—Blasco de Garay’s 77 Experiment—Solomon de Caus—David Ramsey’s Engines—The Marquis of Worcester—A Horse-boat—Boats worked by Water—By Springs—By Gunpowder—Patrick Miller’s Triple Vessel—Double Vessels worked by Capstans—The First Practical Steam-boat—Symington’s Engines—The Second Steamer—The _Charlotte Dundas_—American Enterprise—James Rumsey’s Oar-boats worked by Steam—Poor Fitch—Before his Age—Robert Fulton—His Torpedo Experiments—Wonderful Submarine Boat—Experiments at Brest and Deal—His first Steam-boat—Breaks in Pieces—Trip of the _Clermont_, the first American Steamer—Opposition to his Vessels—A Pendulum Boat—The first Steam War-ship—Henry Bell’s _Comet_ CHAPTER VI. THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_). The Clyde and its Ship-building Interests—From Henry Bell to 97 Modern Ship-builders—The First Royal Naval Steamer—The First regular Sea-going Steamer—The Revolution in Ship-building—The Iron Age—“Will Iron Float?”—The Invention of the Screw-propeller—Ericsson, Smith, and Woodcroft—American ’Cuteness—Captain Stockton and his Boat—The First Steamer to Cross the Atlantic—Voyages of the _Sirius_ and _Great Western_—The International Struggle—The Collins and Cunard Lines—Fate of the _Arctic_—The _Pacific_ never heard of more—Why the Cunard Company has been Successful—Splendid Discipline on board their Vessels—The Fleets that leave the Mersey CHAPTER VII. THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_). A Contrast—Floating Palaces and “Coffin-ships”—Mr. Plimsoll’s 112 Appeal—His Philanthropic Efforts—Use of Old Charts—Badly-constructed Ships—A Doomed Ship—Owner’s Gains by her Loss—A Sensible Deserter—Overloading—The Widows and Fatherless—Other Risks of the Sailor’s Life—Scurvy—Improper Cargoes—“Unclassed Vessels”—“Lloyd’s” and its History CHAPTER VIII. THE HISTORY OF SHIPS AND SHIPPING INTERESTS (_continued_.) The Largest Ship in the World—History of the _Great Eastern_—Why 129 she was Built—Brunel and Scott Russell—Story of the Launch—Powerful Machinery Employed—Christened by Miss Hope—Failure to move her more than a few feet—A Sad Accident—Launching by Inches—Afloat at last—Dimensions—Accommodations—The Grand Saloon—The Paddle-wheel and Screw Engines—First Sea Trip—Speed—In her first Gale—Serious Explosion on Board off Hastings—Proves a fine Sea-boat—Drowning of her Captain and others—First Transatlantic Voyage—Defects in Boilers and Machinery—Behaves splendidly in mid-ocean—Grand Reception in New York—Subsequent Trips—Used as a Troop-ship to Canada—Carried out 2,600 Soldiers—An eventful Passenger Trip—Caught in a Cyclone Hurricane—Her Paddles almost wrenched away—Rudder Disabled—Boats carried away—Shifting of Heavy Cargo—The Leviathan a Gigantic Waif on the Ocean—Return to Cork