David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Chapter IV

Sailing Packet

Chapter IV: Business Life in Glasgow

In commencing the business of marine engineering Mr. Napier at the same time made a beginning as an owner of steamboats. His first engine, of twenty horse-power, was fitted into the little steamer Marion, a sketch of which (reproduced from an engraving dated 1825, and belonging to Mr. J. M`Phail, 219 Argyle Street, Glasgow, who kindly allowed its reproduction), forms the frontispiece. In the following year he engined two cargo boats, and then took up the question of extending steam-power to deep-sea navigation. This was still reckoned a problem of difficulty and danger; and although steamboats had now been running on the Clyde for about five years, the notion that hulls of sufficient size and strength could be made to carry the heavy and powerful machinery required to propel them safely and in all seasons through stormy seas was still regarded as visionary.

The Memoir alludes to the model experiments — then a novelty — which Napier carried out prior to building the Rob Roy, and it refers also, with pardonable pride, to the success of that vessel in "proving the practicability of navigating the open sea by steam." This effort, although on a small scale, was sufficient to inspire confidence among commercial men, and led to the construction without delay of other vessels designed specially for sea-going traffic. These formed the pioneer boats of several important companies, as indicated by particulars that follow; and in these further ventures Mr. Napier appears to have borne a large share of the financial responsibility. The first steam company to trade between Glasgow and Liverpool was commenced with his steamers in 1819, and other lines were similarly organised under his guidance from time to time thereafter. He likewise from an early date carried on a considerable passenger traffic on the Clyde on his own account, being the first to establish a service to some of the Clyde watering-places, and upon the waters of Loch Lomond and Lock Eck. He made a further effort to extend these local developments by offering to assist a scheme for the improvement of the River Cart, in order that Paisley might have the advantage of regular steamboat communication. The project however did not meet with sufficient public support, and the object aimed at, notwithstanding later efforts, has not yet been realised.

The shipping companies with the building up of which Napier was identified appear to have met with much success. His vessels attracted attention as being the largest and fastest of their time; and within a comparatively short period his reputation as a leading authority in steamship affairs had become well established. An official report of 1822 refers to "Mr. Napier, Engineer, Glasgow, whose skill in the construction of steamboats is allowed to be great. He has also been enterprising and successful, having established the Steam Packets between Glasgow and Belfast, Greenock and Liverpool, Holyhead and Dublin, Dover and Calais." This enumeration affords striking evidence of the amount and value of the pioneer work which Napier had been able to carry through in the first seven years of his engineering career. These earlier achievements led gradually to undertakings not relatively more important but involving work of a heavier description, — larger and improved vessels were provided for the companies already established, and others were built for new lines, such as that between Leith and London. This service was opened in 1826 by the United Kingdom, regarded then as the finest steamship afloat; and steamers were also built, or sold, for routes managed at Hull and other ports. Napier at the same time kept up his connection with these vessels, and carried on experiments in them with his improvements.

With the yearly increase of steam navigation many new firms took up the business of shipbuilding and marine engineering throughout Great Britain, but alike in respect of improvements introduced, and of successful results, Napier maintained a leading position to the close of his business career in 1836. On removing then to London his subsequent work was wholly of an experimental character, and his active promotion of over-sea navigation came gradually to a close. His Clyde steamboats were then disposed of, but he continued for many years thereafter to be principal proprietor of the steamers on Loch Lomond, and to hold also a substantial interest in some of the larger shipping companies that he had been instrumental in founding.

As presenting an outline of Mr. Napier's earlier work, by a competent and well-informed writer, the following extract may be found of interest:

FROM MR. JOHN SCOTT RUSSELL'S Steam and Steam Navigation, 1841.

"From the commencement of steam navigation in Great Britain, no great stride appears to have been made until the year 1818, when Mr. David Napier, the engineer, entered on the construction and improvement of steam navigation. We believe that from the year 1818 until about 1830 David Napier effected more for the improvement of steam navigation than any other man. It is necessary to distinguish betwixt him and Mr. Robert Napier, whose successful efforts in steam navigation are of later date.

"It is to Mr. David Napier that Great Britain owes the establishment of deep-sea communication by steam vessels, and of Post Office Steam Packets. Previous to his time, steam vessels ventured rarely, and only in fine weather, beyond the precincts of rivers and the coast of friths. He adventured at once to establish regular communication between Britain and the surrounding countries, Ireland and France, by steam vessels plying even during the stormy months of the winter. It is said that the following is the manner in which he first essayed his arduous attempts. Not long after the introduction of steam navigation on the River Clyde, he had entertained the idea of establishing steam communication on the open sea; and, as a first step, he endeavoured to ascertain the amount of the difficulties to be encountered. For this purpose he took a place, at the stormy period of the year, in one of the sailing packets which then formed the only means of intercourse between Glasgow and Belfast, and which then required often a week to accomplish what is done by steam in nine hours. The captain of the packet in which he sailed remembered distinctly a young man, whom he afterwards knew as Mr. Napier, being found, during one of the winter passages to Belfast, constantly perched on the bows of the vessel, and fixing an intent gaze on the sea when it broke on the side of the ship, quite heedless of the waves and spray that washed over him. From this occupation he only ceased at intervals, as the breeze freshened, to ask the captain whether the sea was such as might be considered a rough one, and being told that it was by no means unusually rough, he returned to the bows of the vessel and resumed his study of the waves breaking at her stem. Some hours after, when the breeze began to freshen into a gale and the sea to rise considerably, he again enquired of the captain whether now the sea might be considered a rough one, and was told that as yet it could not be considered very rough. Apparently disappointed, he returned once more to his station at the bows and resumed his employment. At last, however, he was favoured with a storm to his contentment, and when the seas breaking over the vessel swept her from stem to stern, he found his way back to the captain and repeated his enquiry, do you call it rough now? On being told that the captain did not remember to have faced a worse night in the whole of his experience the young man appeared quite delighted, and muttering as he turned away, ‘I think I can manage if that be all,’ went down contentedly to his cabin, leaving the captain not a little puzzled at the strange freak of his passenger. Napier saw the end of his difficulties, and soon satisfied himself as to the means of overcoming them.

"His next enquiry regarded the means of getting through the water with least resistance. To determine this, he commenced a series of experiments with models of vessels on a small tank of water, and found in a short time that the full round bluff bow adopted for sailing vessels was quite unsuitable to speed with mechanical propulsion of a different nature. He was soon led to adopt the sharp fine wedge-like entrance by which the vessels built under his superintendence were so much distinguished.

"In 1818 Mr. David Napier established between Greenock and Belfast a regular steam communication, by means of the Rob Roy, a vessel built by Mr. William Denny of Dumbarton, having about 90 tons burden, and thirty horse-power. She plied two winters between these ports with perfect regularity and success, and was afterwards transferred to the English Channel to serve as a packet between Dover and Calais.

"Having thus acquired dominion of the open sea, Mr. Napier was not slow to extend it. In 1819 the Messrs. Wood built for him the PS Talbot of 150 tons, with two of Mr. Napier's engines, each thirty horse-power; this vessel was by far the most perfect vessel of her day, in all respects, and formed a model which was long in being surpassed. The Talbot plied between Holyhead and Dublin, and was the means of conferring on Ireland the advantage of a direct, certain, and rapid communication with England. The Talbot was succeeded by the PS Ivanhoe, built by Mr. Scott of Greenock, of 170 tons burden, with Mr. Napier's engines of sixty horse-power in the aggregate, and she also long continued the best packet on the station between Holyhead and Dublin.

"At the same time that Mr. Napier was thus engaged in conferring on the public the benefits of the Post Office steam packet system, he also established the first line of commercial steamships on a station, which, ever since that time, has continued to be occupied by the finest, most powerful, expert and fastest steam packets in Europe — the station between Liverpool, Greenock and Glasgow. The Robert Bruce of 150 tons, built by Messrs. Wood, with Mr. Napier's engines of sixty horse-power; the PS Superb of 240 tons, by Mr. Scott, with Mr. Napier's engines of seventy horse-power; the Eclipse, by Mr. Steele, of 140 tons burden, with Mr. Napier's engines of sixty horse-power, all these were established as regular deep-sea traders, under the direction of Mr. Napier, before the year 1822. They were all vessels of a much stronger hull, a better form, and more correct proportion of parts than any others; and in these three years from 1818, the art of steam navigation had received in the Clyde an extension and perfection that rendered it an object of great national importance. The United Kingdom was properly speaking a frigate, being a ship of 160 feet long, 262 feet beam, and 200 horse-power. It was built by Mr. Steele of Greenock, and the engines were constructed by Mr. David Napier. This vessel was by far the most splendid of her day, and gave rise to the large class of merchant ships of which the advantages are now reckoned so great, and which are now in common use. Mr. Napier was also one of the first persons to introduce surface condensation in marine engines. He used it successfully in the Post Boy, a steam vessel built by him in 1822. The condenser was made of a series of small copper tubes, through which the steam passed towards the air-pump, and by a constant current of cold water encircling the pipes, the steam was cooled and returned into water, which was again sent into the boiler for conversion into steam, without being mixed with the cold salt water, which in the usual plan is injected into the condenser. The next change introduced very extensively into steam vessels by Mr. Napier, was the use of an upright or vertical steam-engine, or engine of direct connection. He made several modifications of the vertical engine, which appear to include all the best that have yet been introduced, although many appear to claim the invention. It does not appear ever to have been established that the engine of direct connection is practicably preferable to the lever engine, but the plans of Mr. David Napier appear to have been the best ever adopted."

See Also

• David Napier by David Napier and David Bell
• David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Chapter III
• David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Chapter V