The first steamboat in history that could be used in shipping was invented by the Irish mechanical engineer Robert Fulton, a self-taught genius born into a family of poor peasants. Fulton tested his first, imperfect steamboat in 1803 on the Seine River in Paris. It could be said that the experiment was a success, the ship stayed afloat for 1.5 hours, the speed that the steamer developed reached 5 km / h.
The next was the Claremont, a paddle steamer built by Fulton in 1807. He installed a Watt steam engine on it. The steamer was 43 meters long, the engine power reached 20 horsepower, and the carrying capacity was 15 tons. The Claremont managed to make its first flight in 1807 along the Hudson. The entire journey, the length of which is 150 miles (270 km), from New York to Albany, with a headwind and against the current, the ship did in 32 hours. It was thanks to the Claremont that the steam shipping company was founded.
The construction of steamships, after that, began in other countries. Next, attempts are made to technical improvement of all types of maritime transport. So on the transatlantic line in 1819 between America and Europe, the Savannah steamer began its journey. He was taking cotton to England. The Savannah was on the road for 26 days. In 1819, this ship also visited the port of St. Petersburg. It was the first foreign ship to visit Russia.
In 1825, the journey from London to Calcutta was completed in 113 days by the English steamer Enterprise. The Curacao from Holland covered the distance from Holland to the West Indies in 32 days. But in the 40s of the 19th century, maritime shipbuilding developed rather slowly. It was not possible to immediately eliminate the shortcomings in the design that were revealed during operation, and this hampered the construction of steamships.
The impetus for the rapid development of marine shipbuilding was the fundamental changes in the design of steamships and engines. An important role was played by the use of new building materials for the creation of ships. The transition to the construction of hulls from iron and steel was of the greatest importance in shipbuilding.
The first propeller steamboat in history was invented and built in 1838 by the English engineer-inventor Smith. He named his brainchild "Archimedes". Further improvements in screw steamers led to the fact that by the end of the 40s, the comb screw quickly began to displace the paddle wheels.
The appearance of the first steamships, on which it became possible to make regular ocean voyages, should be attributed to the beginning of the thirties of the XIX century. And in the late 30s, steamboats began to regularly sail on flights from Europe to America and back. A little later on the steamer it was possible to get to other continents. The first circumnavigation of the world by steamboat took place in 1842. Like railroads, steamship lines were able to ensure the speed of movement and its regularity, as well as reduce the cost of transporting goods.
The history of any invention plays a big role in moving humanity along the path of progress. People give special importance to the emergence of steamships, and rightly so, because from that moment on, water transport has become faster and more powerful at times and the development of civilization has risen to a new level.
- So who was first?
- How the oceans were conquered
- Device principle
- Video: Modern steamships
So who was first?
If you analyze the history of the emergence of steam ships, it is difficult to determine which of them appeared first, although it is believed that the first was the Claremont (North River Steamboat), built by Robert Fulton in 1807 and set sail on the Hudson River from New York Wharf. York to Albany.
Steamboat Claremont by Robert Fulton
It is not clear how to deal with the fact that there was still a ship "Charlotte Dundas" in England and freely transported barges on the London Canal already in 1801 and its steam power was 10 horsepower. The very strong wooden hull of the ship was 17 meters long, it was a rather unique phenomenon, but somehow it was not noticed and not taken seriously, therefore the name of the creator of the Englishman William Symington remained in the shadows. The steamboat became unclaimed a year later, in 1802 it became a permanent mooring for itself and stayed there until 1861, when it was taken apart for parts.
But Robert Fulton did not suffer such a fate. His steamer, on its first voyage, went almost under the hooting of onlookers on the pier, everyone was waiting for it to sink or stop, but the ship quickly moved away from the coast and, overtaking all the boats and sailboats along the way, everything accelerated. For that time, a speed of 5 knots for water transport was fantastic.
Standing on the deck of his ship, Robert Fulton understood that a miracle was happening and steam, as a propulsion for ships, would henceforth replace the sail and the fleet would become completely different.
How the oceans were conquered
The steamer arrived in the ocean in 1819. It was the Savannah from America with paddle wheels, like all the very first ships. It was it that conquered the Atlantic, the ocean was crossed, although many miles of the journey were sailed. Then all ships were equipped with additional sails, this was the possibility of maneuvering in an emergency and speed control.
Only in 1838 they were able to completely abandon the sails and the English ship Sirius decided on a sailless passage across the Atlantic. He also, like all ships before him, was with paddle wheels, which were installed on the side or rear. In the same year (1838) the first version of the screw steamer appeared, the ship was called the Archimedes, it was built by the English farmer Francis Smith. This became a revolution in the global shipping industry, because the speed of movement increased significantly and the course of the ship itself became different, it was a completely new level of development of maritime transport, and it was screw steamers that completely replaced the sailing fleet.
Device principle
In the future, all steamers were designed according to a similar principle. The propellers were mounted on a single shaft with a steam engine. There were other steamships - with turbines, they are driven through a gearbox or a turbine is driven by an electrical transmission, they are called turboships and also have their own history from low-speed turbines to high-speed ones.
The eve of the 20th century, namely 1894, was another milestone in the history of shipping, Charles Parsons built a vessel based on the type of the Turbinia prototype, which was driven by a steam turbine. It was the first high-speed ship, it accelerated to 60 kilometers per hour. Even the steamships of the middle of the 20th century were inferior to turboships, the efficiency of steamships was 10% less.
About the beginning of the Russian shipping company
In Russia, the name of Fulton is also associated with the development of the shipping company. In 1813, he decided to apply to the Russian government with a request to grant him a privilege to build a steamship he created and use it on Russian rivers. Emperor Alexander I granted the designer a monopoly right to set up steamship communication between St. Petersburg and Kronstadt and in other Russian rivers for 15 years. But the inventor could not fulfill the contract in three years, as stipulated by the contract, and lost his privilege. The contract began to be carried out by Bird from 1815.
Karl Byrd owned a mechanical foundry in St. Petersburg, the plant manufactured a 4 hp Wyatt steam engine. and a boiler, which were installed in a wooden boat and set the side wheels in motion. The first steamboat was named in honor of the Empress "Elizabeth" and sailed from St. Petersburg to Kronstadt in 5 hours and 20 minutes. The people waiting on the shore were very surprised at such a speed, since this rowing journey took a whole day. It was difficult to believe in this, and therefore they decided to test a rowing speedboat and a steamer in a competition. "Elizaveta" overtook the boat and it became clear to everyone that Russia has the prospect of building a new fleet.
The main milestones in the development of steamships in Russia
Further, the development of shipbuilding began to grow gradually, the era was marked by a new development of river routes, at first it affected the Volga region. In 1816, the Pozhva steamer began to run on the Kama River between Pozhva and Yaroslavl; it was built at an iron foundry in the city of Pozhva, which belonged to V.A. Vsevolzhsky.
Byrd also continued to build steamboats, in 1820 he launched the Volga steamer along the Mologa River, the ship then cruised on the Volga until the middle of the century, it was modernized, the machines and hull were improved, and the ship regularly served on the great Russian river.
In 1823, the baton was picked up by the Dnieper, the Pchelka steamer was built on his estate by the governor of Novorossia, Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov, the ship overcame the Kherson rapids and regularly made trips along the Kherson-Nikolaev route.
Then in the business of shipping in Russia comes the season of calm. This happened because horse-drawn ships sailed on all rivers, barge haulers worked, the traditional technology of moving goods along the waterway won and destroyed the desire for a new one. But the commercial interests of business increasingly demanded the acceleration of traffic and an increase in the transportation of cargo volumes, and this could be done only if steam-powered ships were included in the cargo transportation. Merchants and industrialists were ready to create a river fleet, public opinion turned out to be a brake, people considered shipping a frivolous occupation, including officials, on whom the movement along the path of creation depended.
The situation has changed in a quarter of a century. By the middle of the 19th century, the shipbuilding industry began to grow at a rapid pace. Historical data testify that by 1850 about one and a half hundred steamboats were already navigating the Russian rivers. By this time, joint-stock companies and shipyards began to open on the Volga, on the Kama, in the North Dvina region, in Siberia. This fact contributed to active industrial activity and the growth of cities along the Volga and in Siberia, the development of the natural resources of these lands and an increase in the population on the outskirts of Russia.
Thus, the appearance of the first steamboat in America on the Hudson River can be considered a global event and a positive moment for a new round in the development of world civilization.
Video: Modern steamships
These days, steamboats are popular mainly with enthusiasts. Look at the video.
If we turn to the history of the creation of steam engines, it will certainly seem that the steamboats were greatly delayed with their appearance in the light of God.
Archimedes was the first to think of using the power of steam, creating a steam gun - architronito. Roman ships experienced the power of this weapon as early as 215-212. BC e. - Siege of Syracuse.
The use of the driving force of steam for ships was first attempted in France. Back in 1707, the inventor Papin installed a steam engine on a boat that sailed along the Weser River. Seventy years later, the 45-meter ship "Piroskaf" was built in Lyon. Before the eyes of eyewitnesses, it rose up the river, having managed to go a significant segment of the way against the current. The next attempt was made by the Americans.
In 1787, inventor John Fitch built a steam boat called the Experiment. She could reach speeds of 6.5 knots. This ship was driven by a steam engine, which moved three oars, similar to duck paws. The boat made regular trips up and down the Delaware River, but the passengers were afraid of her.
Steam boat "Experiment" by J. Fitch
The first steamship appeared in England in 1788. It had two whole hulls, between which there was a pair of paddle wheels. Its speed was relatively low - only 5 knots. The British built a real steamer with a stern paddle wheel only four years later. They named him "Charlotte Dundas". This 17 m long vessel with a powerful power plant of 12 horsepower (hp) can be considered the first tug in the history of shipbuilding. Steam shipping owes much of its official recognition to the American inventor and merchant Robert Fulton. He was the first to understand how to ensure the normal interaction of the hull, machine and paddle wheels.
In 1802, Fulton proposed to Emperor Napoleon a project for steam ships that could transfer passengers to England. But Napoleon did not appreciate the proposal of the inventor.
However, Fulton did not lose heart and, with the financial support of friends, built the Claremont steamship. On it he installed Watt's universal steam engine. True, the machine was underpowered, and the speed of the ship was only 4.6 knots.
Steamboat Claremont - the first steamboat from Robert Fulton
In September 1807, the Claremont embarked on its first commercial voyage on the Hudson River, marking the beginning of a regularly operating New York-Albany passenger line. Steamships as ships suitable for sea navigation were discussed in 1809, when the steam ship Phoenix made its way from New York to Philadelphia.
The first steamship to cross the Atlantic was the Savannah. In 1819 she made a 24-day voyage from New York to Liverpool. But the steamships managed to finally master the transoceanic lines only 30 years after the Phoenix cruise, and only thanks to the further improvement of the steam power plant.
Not relying entirely on the steam engine, some shipbuilders left sails on steamboats. It took almost 50 years until the steamboats managed to push the sailing ships. Thanks to an economical steam engine, they began to develop good speed, among other things, they had to go into ports less and less to replenish their coal reserves. In 1881, the steamer Aberdeen made the transition from England to Australia, spending only 42 days. Five years later, the total tonnage of ships sailing on transoceanic lines equaled the tonnage of commercial sailboats.
In Russia, as in other maritime powers, the appearance of steam ships was at first treated with distrust. Many scientific discoveries of Russian scientists, capable of making a revolution in shipbuilding, were often “put on the shelf”. As far back as 1782, the talented Russian mechanic I.P. Kulibin created a “navigable” vessel with a hydraulic engine. Academician B.S. Jacobi invented an electric motor in 1834, and four years later he tested it to drive a ship. The government did nothing to introduce the original novelty into the industry. The same thing happened with many other inventions. However, in the first half of the nineteenth century steam ships also appeared in Russia.
"Water" vessel I. P. Kulibin
The first voyage of the steamboat from St. Petersburg to Kronstadt took place on November 3, 1815. The steam boat made the entire journey in 5 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 9.3 km/h. The length of the vessel was 18.29 m, width - 4.57 m, draft - 0.61 m. Paddle wheels with a diameter of about 2.5 m had six long blades mounted on spokes. The creator of the first Russian steamship was K. Byrd, the owner of a mechanical foundry on Galerny Island.
The first steam tug "Skory" was launched in 1818. Three years later, the Nikolaev Admiralty built the Black Sea steamer "Vesuvius". These vessels became a test of strength for the Russian military steamship industry.
In 1833, the Russian fleet received the warship Hercules, rebuilt into a 28-gun wheeled steam frigate.
During operation, the steam engine created a strong vibration, due to which the wooden hull was greatly loosened, leaks and damage appeared, reducing the already short life of the vessel. This led to the fact that the hulls of steamships began to be made of iron. In 1787 the first iron barges were built to transport coal. They were about 20 m long and lifted up to 20 tons of cargo. These barges plied the waterways of England. But the construction of iron steamers was clearly not in a hurry. The first such ship called "Aaron Manby" was launched only in 1822. It traveled from London to Paris at a good speed of 8-9 knots.
In 1837, the British, having completed the construction of the ocean-going iron steamer Rainbow, opened a new passenger line between London and Antwerp. The last steamship with a wooden hull, the Adriatic, was built in the USA in 1857. Its length reached 107 m, and it could take on board 376 passengers and 800 tons of cargo.
Black Sea steamship "Emperor Nikolai"
But despite the fact that new technologies made it possible to make an iron hull strong enough, it was still not difficult to sink an iron steamer. A few cannonballs or a good high-explosive bomb were enough. However, steamships were put into service. The first of them - "Nemesis" was launched by the British in 1839. And just a year later, the British Navy was replenished with three more iron gunboats. The United States, not wanting to lag behind the mistress of the seas of England, built its own iron ships: the Michigan, the Water Witch and the Allegheny.
In the middle of the XIX century. military ships began to build in Russia. After the lost Crimean War, Russia accelerated the pace of building ships with a steam engine. In 1857 the Russian government approved a new shipbuilding program. After its completion, the Baltic Fleet was to receive more than 150 steam ships of various types. The implementation of this program was undertaken so zealously that already in the early 1870s, England, a trendsetter, was forced to recognize the superiority of Russian shipbuilding.
The ships got bigger and bigger. The iron hull, even if it had a considerable length, made it possible not to worry about the strength of the vessel, since the edges of the hull sheets were now joined closely with rivets. Giants began to appear among the steam ships. Thus, the English steamer Great Eastern, which left the stocks in 1858, was 210.4 m long, and its displacement reached 33,000 tons. It was built for 4,000 passengers. The steam engine of this ship with a capacity of 8000 liters. With. powered the stern propeller and two large paddle wheels mounted on the sides. The first large military steamship was built by the Italians. 20 years after the Grent Eastern went to sea, they launched the armored cruiser Italy with a displacement of 15,200 tons. With a speed of 18 knots, the huge cruiser was considered very fast for a steam ship of its time.
"Great Western" - the largest paddle steamer of its time
Gradually, shipbuilders began to use steel instead of iron. The first steel ships appeared in England in the early 1860s. They were built from expensive puddling steel, the production method of which had been known since the 17th century. One such ship, the Banshee, a wheeled warship sent by the British to the States, was tested in the Civil War of the North and South.
However, most shipbuilders recognized the new material only after the appearance of mild open-hearth steel. The Frenchmen Pierre and Emile Martin managed to get it by melting cast iron together with scrap iron in regenerative fiery furnaces. The strength of this steel made it possible to reduce the weight of the ships. Now it was possible to build steel ships with a large carrying capacity. However, steel was still very expensive. Only towards the end of the 1880s. it became possible to manufacture strong steel structures that were thinner and cheaper than iron ones.
In modern Russian, there are two small correlative groups of complex terms in which a kind of opposition of the morphemes go and cart has been created: a ship, a steam ship and an electric ship, on the one hand, and a diesel locomotive, a steam locomotive and an electric locomotive with ... ... History of words
STEAMBOAT, steamboat, male. A ship powered by a steam engine. Ocean ship. Sea steamer. Passenger ship. Coastal steamer. Ride on a steamboat, steamboat. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
steamer- waverlay. STEAMBOAT, a ship driven by a steam engine or turbine (turbine steamers are called turboships). The first steamboat, the Clermont, was built in 1807 in the USA by R. Fulton. In Russia, one of the first steamships "Elizaveta" was built in 1815 ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Steam engine, pyroscaphe, steam locomotive, steamboat, steamer, liner, whistle, ship Dictionary of Russian synonyms. steamboat see steam locomotive Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova ... Synonym dictionary
A ship propelled by a steam engine or a turbine (turbine steamers are usually called turboships). The first steamship Claremont was built in 1807 in the USA by R. Fulton. In Russia, one of the first steamers Elizabeth (for flights between St. ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
STEAMBOAT, see par. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dal. 1863 1866 ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary
- (Steamer) a ship of more than 100 tons displacement, driven by a steam engine (steam engine or turbine). The first steamship was built in Sev. America by Fulton in 1807. Samoilov K.I. Marine Dictionary. M. L .: State Military ... ... Marine Dictionary
STEAMBOAT, see SHIP ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
STEAMBOARD, a, husband. Steam powered ship. | adj. steamboat, oh, oh. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov
STEAMBOAT- a self-propelled river or sea vessel, the main engine of which is steam-powered (see). The propeller is propelled by a propeller or paddle wheels. In the modern fleet, the main type of self-propelled vessel (see), the main engine of which is ... ... Great Polytechnic Encyclopedia
Books
- The steamboat goes to Jaffa and back, Gekht Semyon. Semyon Gekht's book includes short stories and the story "Steamboat Goes to Jaffa and Back" (1936) - works that most clearly represent this writer of the Odessa school. Close attention to…
- Steamboat to Argentina, Alexey Makushinsky. "Steamboat to Argentina" is the author's third novel. Its action covers the entire 20th century and takes place in the space from the Baltic States to Argentina. The focus of the novel is the story... electronic book