Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Steam navigation. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![k<tea ]*Ao \yl \. S6$r STEAM NAVIGATION, BY B. WOODCROFT. TEAM Navigation, in its present practical state, owes its origin and progress to the improvements recently made in the Steam Engine in this country. The employment of animal power in the pro- pulsion of vessels by means of paddle-wheels is of very ancient date ; and the substitution of steam for the same purpose was suggested as soon as the steam engine was rendered effective in pumping water from mines, long before it was found capable, from its then imperfect state, of propelling a vessel advantageously. Mr. R. Stuart, in his Anecdotes of the Steam Engine,* informs us, that in some very ancient manuscripts extant in the King of France's library, it is said the boats by which the Roman army under Claudius Caudex was transported into Sicily were propelled by wheels moved by oxen. And in many old military treatises, the substitution of wheels for oars is mentioned. Robert Valturius gives a view of two galleys moved by wheels 1472.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b20998417_0005.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
