Who invented the first steamboat? The first steamship of the Russian Empire

Robert Fulton (1765-1815)

Sailing shipbuilding, having created a type of vessel called a clipper, has reached its limit. These were unusually elegant and sometimes quite large (up to 3,000 tons of displacement) ships with a huge sail area, which made it possible to use the slightest wind. But the opposite wind, or calm (calm), clippers could not oppose anything.

The first attempt to apply steam to the movement of the ship was made by the Spaniard Blasco de Garay in 1543. Sketches of a ship equipped with side paddle wheels have been preserved in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. In 1705, the Frenchman Denis Papin put the steam-atmospheric machine he invented on a boat and got the desired result. But the boatmen of the river, where Papin made his experiments, destroyed his boat for fear of competition. Papin could not find funds to continue the experiments.

In 1750, the Paris Academy of Sciences announced a competition for an engine that would replace the force of the wind in the movement of ships. Then Daniel Bernoulli, a prominent scientist, the founder of hydrodynamics, proposed the use of paddle wheels, proving that the existing Newcomen steam engine would not be able to give practically valuable results. Somewhat later, when Watt's machine appeared, the Frenchman Geoffrey built a paddle steamer, but he could not use his invention.

The American Fitch was working at the same time on a different type of engine: he was trying to adapt a steam engine to oars. In 1768 and 1801 the English engineer Symington built two successful steamboats, but the canal owners forbade navigation on the pretext that the steamboats would destroy the canals. Samington turned down further work. Some inventors have tried to use a jet engine, using for this a jet of water thrown out by a strong pump installed on a ship.

Robert Fulton was the first to build a steamboat, the practical value of which seemed undoubted.

Robert Fulton was born in 1765 in America, the son of an Irish laborer. The death of his father forced Fulton to take up work very early. Twelve-year-old Robert goes to apprenticeship with a jeweler in Philadelphia.

Spending the whole day at hard work, Fulton at night enthusiastically engaged in drawing. Frequent caricatures of the owner finally led to a quarrel, and Fulton was kicked out of the workshop. A few successful sketches made in a tavern secured Fulton's fame as a good portrait painter. Fulton painted portraits of his fellow citizens for six years and considered himself an artist by vocation.

In 1786, Fulton was confronted by the famous American politician and scientist Benjamin Franklin. Franklin easily proved to Fulton that he was still very far from perfect, and offered to help him go to London to his friend, the famous painter West.

A few months spent with West convinced Fulton that he would never succeed in becoming a good artist, and Fulton found the courage to say goodbye to illusions. He went on a journey through the industrial cities of England as a simple worker, diligently studying the machines that had long interested him.

Scheme of the engine part of the steamer R. Fulton "-Clermont" -

So three years passed. During this time, Fulton gained fame as a skilled mechanic. In 1789 he returned to London, and here he met with the American Ramsay. Ramsay is hard at work on the invention of the steamboat. He enlists the talented mechanic Fulton to work with him.

Soon Ramsay died, but Fulton never parted with the idea of ​​a steamboat. Fulton himself does not have a single shilling, and it is not possible to find a person who would finance further work on the steamer. At this time, many canals were being built in England.

In 1793, Fulton, as a well-known mechanic, was invited to take part in these works. A number of significant inventions of Fulton in the field of canal construction and in other branches of technology date back to this time. Instead of a very slow wire of ships through locks, he proposes to use the movement of ships on rollers along special inclined planes; in addition, he invented a special plow for digging channels, machines for sawing and polishing marble, machines for buckling flax and hemp and twisting ropes. Fulton publishes several articles on the benefits of using steam in navigation on rivers, canals and seas. However, Fulton's inventions and plans were not appreciated by the English government.

In 1796 the American poet Barlow, who at that time was the ambassador of the United States to France, invited Fulton to Paris. The inventor gladly accepted this invitation, hoping that the bourgeois revolution in France had broken the deep conservatism with which he had so often encountered in England.

In Paris, Fulton begins to intensively study mechanics, mathematics and physics - he diligently studies languages, knowing full well that in most cases the failures of his predecessors in working on a steamship were due to insufficient theoretical training.

However, the money accumulated during the years of work in England was soon spent, and it was inconvenient to continue to enjoy Barlow's hospitality. Then once again painting comes to the rescue. Fulton paints a panorama depicting the leaders of the revolution and episodes of the battles of the French army. The panorama was a huge success with patriotic Parisians. Fulton got money to continue experiments and studies.

Despite the brilliant successes of the French revolutionary armies on the continent, England, hostile to France, remained dominating at sea. The French fleet was too weak. Fulton, given this circumstance, turns to the French government with a proposal to build a cheap but formidable weapon - an underwater vessel equipped with mines.

According to Fulton, this type of vessel could break through the English blockade and provide France with freedom of maritime trade. For three years Fulton has been trying to convince the government of this. Finally, Napoleon Bonaparte appointed an authoritative commission to consider Fulton's invention. The commission approved the project and the funds were released. In 1800, in the city of Cherbourg, Fulton launched the first submarine, but she almost died when she ran aground.

Drawing of a steamship built according to the design of R. Fulton

In 1801, Fulton continued his experiments with the second ship, first on the Seine, then in Brest. The results were excellent. During the experiments in the summer of 1801, Fulton spent 4.5 hours under water and covered about 8 km during this time. With the underwater mines invented by him, Fulton blew up the old ship, proving the combat capability of his submarine.

It should be noted that Fulton was not the inventor of the submarine, he only continued and improved the idea of ​​the American inventor Byuchnel.

Fulton's first submarine was called the Nautilus. It was built of wood and, in principle, almost completely anticipated modern submarines. The screw for movement under water was set in motion manually. The second boat, built in 1801, was more advanced: made of sheet copper, it could accommodate 4 people, its speed under water reached 60 m per minute. The boat was armed with a mine invented by Fulton (torpedo prototype).

Fulton's experiments were not always successful, and the government's patience soon wore out. A commission consisting of famous scientists - Laplace and Monjou - petitioned Napoleon for further funding of Fulton's experiments, but Napoleon, under the influence of the conservative naval minister Decre, rejected the petition.

When meeting with Fulton, Decre hypocritically stated that his submarine was a weapon for corsairs, and not for a powerful power, which is France. In desperation, Fulton decided to go to America, but the new United States ambassador to France, Livingston, who himself worked a lot on the invention of the steamboat, suggested that Fulton build a steamboat in France. Fulton enthusiastically took up the construction.

Having decided to implement the engine in the form of an endless chain with blades, Fulton learned about the failure of the French mechanic Deblanc, who worked in Lyon on a ship with a similar engine, and decided to build the engine in the form of a wheel with blades. In the winter of 1802, Fulton's little steamboat was already sailing on the Seine. In the spring of 1803, a second steamship was built, but unknown intruders destroyed it.

In the summer of 1803, a new ship was ready, of quite considerable size. And so, on August 2, 1803, admiring Parisians saw an extraordinary vessel on the Seine, going against the current without oars and sails. Fulton's brilliant success, however, did not convince Napoleon of the suitability of the steamer. He called the inventor a dreamer and rejected the steamboat construction project.

French industrialists also did not understand what the greatest invention they could acquire. Fulton and Livingston approached the New York state government in America with a proposal to organize steamboat traffic on the Hudson River. The contract was signed, Fulton and Livingston set about building a steamer. Machine 20 l. from. for the steamer was ordered from Watt's factory in England. Fulton, living in England, watched its construction, checking every little thing.

Steamboat Robert Fulton "-Clermont"-

At this time, the British government, alarmed by rumors of a new invention, wanting to maintain dominance over the seas, decided to lure Fulton away. The experiments made by Fulton with mines, the presented drawings of the submarine convinced the British Admiralty of the great importance of the invention. The Admiralty offered Fulton a large sum so that he would forever abandon the construction of a submarine ... - Fulton, furious at the cynical proposal, interrupted the negotiations.

In the autumn of 1806, the machine for the steamer was ready and brought to America. Fulton and Livingston spent all their property on the construction of the steamboat, even pawning Livingston's house.
The Clermont, that was the name of the steamer, was a fairly large ship, 50 meters long and 5 meters wide. It was equipped with a Watt machine with a capacity of 20 liters, s. The steamer was propelled by two side paddle wheels.

Fulton checked all the calculations dozens of times, not losing sight of the slightest screw, taking into account the mistakes of his predecessors. Yet Fulton was agonizingly worried. Finally, the day of descent came. The Claremont, churning up the foam with her clumsy wheels, moved confidently and quickly up the river. The inventor's gigantic perseverance was rewarded. Practical Americans very quickly appreciated the advantages of the steamboat. Fulton waited for the complete triumph of his idea.

Arriving in New York in December 1806, Fulton oversees the construction of a steamship that was planned in Paris with Livingston. He also tries to interest the American government in the submarine, but its demonstration ends in failure.

By the beginning of August 1807, the "Steamboat" (as Fulton called it), 45 m long, was ready for testing. Its steam engine had only one cylinder and used oak and pine wood as fuel. In trials, the steamboat covered the 240 km distance from New York to Albany in just 32 hours at an average speed of 4.7 mph, while the monopoly only required a speed of 4 mph.

After installing seats in the cabins of a steamboat renamed the Northern River Steamer, Fulton began commercial trips in September 1807. He made three round trips every two weeks between New York and Albany, carrying passengers and light freight. During the first winter season, Fulton expanded the ship's hull, made improvements to the design of the crankshaft, wheels, and improved passenger accommodation. After these modifications, the steamer was registered in 1808 as the Claremont Northern River Steamer, whose name was soon reduced to Claremont by the press.

In 1808 Fulton married his partner's niece, Harriet Livingston.

In 1811, the New Orleans steamship designed by R. Fulton was built. He was sent south to establish the monopoly of R. Livingston and R. Fulton in navigation in the territory of New Orleans. Travel was slow and risky due to river conditions and the danger of earthquakes.

In 1812, R. Fulton built the first steam-powered warship to defend New York Harbor from the British "Demologos" or "Fulton" fleet. It had two parallel hulls with paddle wheels in between. The steam engine was placed in one building, and the steam boiler in another. It had a displacement of 2,745 tons, a length of 48 m and a speed of no more than 6 knots (or 11 km/h). In October 1814 this armored steamer underwent successful sea trials, but was never used in battle. In 1829 it was destroyed by an accidental explosion.

From 1810, three Fulton steamboats served voyages on the Hudson and Raritan rivers. His steamboats also replaced those in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

Fulton spent much of his capital in litigation over infringement of his steamboat patents and in an attempt to suppress rival steamboat builders who found loopholes in the state-granted monopoly. His wealth was then depleted by unsuccessful undersea projects and financial philanthropy.

After testifying at a legal hearing in Trenton in 1815, he caught a cold on his way to New York, where he died. His family asked for help from the American government, and only in 1846 Congress allocated 76,300 dollars.

In 1965, on the 200th anniversary of Fulton's birth, a commemorative stamp was issued in the United States and the state of Pennsylvania purchased and restored the two-story farmhouse in which he was born.

Speaking about his invention, Fulton noted with the greatest modesty that he was only a link in the chain of great inventors who had been working on the problem of a steam engine in shipbuilding for almost three centuries before him.

Robert Fulton lived exactly 50 years, working until the last moment. He died of a cold at work in the winter of 1815.

V. Sergeev

Well, what shipbuilders have now achieved, we can look at the example of such ships as: or or

On March 29, 1823, the first combat steamship of the Russian Military navy"Meteor"

The first steamship in Russia was built in 1815. Three years later, his first steam ship received Baltic Fleet, two years later the first steamship appeared in the Black Sea Fleet. However, these were precisely unarmed tugs equipped with a steam engine and paddle wheels - they were intended for cargo transportation and towing sailing ships of the navy.

And only in the spring of 1823, at the shipyards of the Nikolaev Admiralty, the first steamship was laid, armed with guns and adapted not only for auxiliary work, but also for military operations. The first military steamer of Russia was intended for the Black Sea Fleet - in the Baltic, after the victories over Sweden, our country did not have strong opponents at that time, but in the Black Sea region relations with Ottoman Empire remained traditionally difficult. Therefore, the first combat steamship in Russia began to be built here.

The initiator of the creation of the first armed steamship was the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Alexei Samuilovich Greig, an experienced sailor who repeatedly made long voyages in pacific ocean, who fought both in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Baltic. Admiral Greig entrusted the construction of the first combat steamship to one of the best Russian shipbuilders of that time - Colonel of the Corps of Naval Engineers Ilya Stepanovich Razumov.

Ilya Razumov studied shipbuilding at the shipyards of St. Petersburg, in England and Holland. IN early XIX century, during the wars with France and Turkey, he was a senior shipmaster in the squadron of Admiral Greig, who went from Kronstadt to fight in the Mediterranean. In the 20s of the 19th century, only in Nikolaev, Colonel Razumov built 40 ships, in total he participated in the creation of over a hundred ships.

The construction of the first combat steamship, which received the name "Meteor", was carried out for two years. In the summer of 1825, the ship was launched and after all the work was completed and the steam engine was tested, it became part of the Black Sea Fleet. The steamer, almost 37 meters long and over 6 meters wide, was armed with 14 guns.

Two of his steam engines with a total capacity of 60 Horse power were made in St. Petersburg at the factory of the Scottish engineer Charles Brad, who took Russian citizenship. Steam engines allowed the Meteor even in complete calm with the help of two paddle wheels to reach a speed of 6.5 knots (over 12 km / h).

Already two years after the commissioning of the steamship "Meteor" successfully took part in the hostilities. After the start Russian-Turkish war In 1828–1829, one of the main tasks of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was the capture of Turkish fortresses on the coast of the Caucasus. Outpost Turkish army, threatening the Crimea and Kuban, then there was a strong Turkish fortress of Anapa. At the end of April 1828, the main forces of our fleet approached her - seven ships of the line and four frigates with a considerable number of landing and auxiliary ships.

In this campaign, the squadron was also accompanied by the combat steamer "Meteor". May 6, 1828 Black Sea Fleet began landing operation for the assault on Anapa. The Turks counterattacked our landed troops, and here the Meteor showed itself - sailing ships could not freely operate very close to the coast because of the shallows and the wind blowing from the mountains, and the steamer, having a small draft and freedom of movement, easily moved from one place to another near the shore and hit the enemy with cannon shots.

It was the actions of the steamer that did not depend on the winds that allowed our troops to successfully gain a foothold on the coast near Anapa and besiege the fortress, which fell a month later. So, thanks to the Meteor, the Black Sea port became Russian and subsequently turned from a Turkish fortress into a famous resort.

The successful participation of Meteor in that war did not end there - the following year he participated in the assault on Turkish fortresses on the coast of Bulgaria, including the most heavily fortified Varna. In October 1828, after the capitulation of Varna, Emperor Nicholas I was returning from the Bulgarian coast to Odessa on a sailing ship. battleship"Empress Maria". The sailboat with the Russian emperor, in case of calm and other unforeseen circumstances, was accompanied by the steamer Meteor. The ships safely arrived in Odessa, having withstood a severe storm at the crossing, which lasted several days.

So laid down on March 29 (March 17, old style), 1823, the Meteor successfully opened the era of the military steam fleet in Russia.

Sailing ships made it possible for navigators to go around the world and brought wealth to some great nations, but they had one main disadvantage- they could not move without wind.

For a long time, the wind was the energy for the movement of ships and vessels, but in the 60s of the 18th century, the inventor James Watt built a revolutionary engine that used steam energy to set the mechanisms in motion. He proposed a design for efficient pumping of water from the mines so that they would not be flooded. The disadvantage of Watt's balancing engines was that they weighed hundreds of tons and needed huge rooms.

In the 70s of the same century, the French engineer Jacques Perrier was commissioned to build the first waterworks for Paris. At that time it was The best way to pump water from the Seine. The engineer purchased a Watt engine for his project, and when the Parisian plumbing was completed, this steam engine performed admirably. Having achieved great success, the Frenchman wondered what else could be done with him? The fact is that in England the steam engine was improved very little, since Watt and his business partner Matthew Bolton owned all the patents, and they did not allow further experiments with the machine, but in France this problem did not exist. And then Perrier decided to improve the design of the steam engine. The first improvements were obvious - the dimensions were significantly reduced. And the motive for the French inventor was the desire to create a machine that could move the ship.

Soon in 1775, Perrier tested the first steam-powered ship on the Seine River in Paris, which was equipped with a small engine with a 20 cm cylinder. It created a very low pressure of only 140 grams per square centimeter, but it was enough to notice an improvement in moving against the current. The engineer understood that the steam engine required improvement, but building a ship with a steam engine proved to be much more difficult. On this, Perrier's baggage of knowledge was exhausted. But he proved to the world that it was possible to build large steam ships.

Robert Fulton and his paddle steamer Clermont

Perrier's ideas led to the first successful paddle steamer in America in 1809. The American Robert Fulton had the decency to admit that if fame can belong to one person, then it belongs to the author of the experiments carried out on the Seine River in 1775. After paddle steamers won commercial success in the US and quickly spread throughout Europe. New way water travel was considered much better than bumping around in a stagecoach. Steam engines became more efficient and powerful. At first, low-speed steam engines suited wheels as propellers perfectly. But the paddle steamer had some limitations - the locks on the rivers were narrow, the waves often rocked the ship and not all the blades fell into the water.

The paddle wheels were not perfect, but there was a talented engineer who had the right experience to find the best way to propel the ships. John Erickson was a Swedish engineer who acquired his profession in the army. He designed canals and railway locomotives, from there he learned about steam engines. In 1829, Erickson built a railroad locomotive, but decided to focus on developing engines for the . Sweden is made up of rivers and lakes, so the economy was in dire need of an efficient water transport. She had a well-developed industry transporting such Natural resources, like iron and copper, which had to be transported on ships. In cold winters, rivers and lakes froze, and use paddle steamers became impossible, but soon they had an alternative. The Archimedes screw has been known for a thousand years, and was only used to supply water for irrigation. Erickson had the idea to use it to propel the ship. He began to look for investors who would finance his ideas. But there was no money for the invention, so he went to the capital of inventions of the XIX century London. In London, Erickson applied to the British Admiralty. He believed that the Royal Navy would be the ideal client for his project. The Royal Navy dreamed of getting such an installation that would be securely hidden below the waterline.

John Erickson was way ahead of his time with his counter-rotating coaxial propeller design. The inventor created a shortened version of the Archimedes screw, which could move the ship. His new marine consisted of two rows of blades rotating in the opposite direction, creating more thrust.

In 1836, Erickson filed an application with the British Patent Office for his invention. He wanted to impress the British navy with his ship, which rotated below the waterline and could not be damaged in battle. Shortly after obtaining a patent, the engineer built a 50-meter ship, which was launched in 1837. He developed a speed of up to 10 knots. In August of the same year, he went down the Thames with a barge in tow weighing 650 tons. On board was the first Lord of the Admiralty, Sir William Siemens. The steam tug sailed without difficulty against the current of the River Thames. The Lord was amazed. It became apparent that the complex counter-rotating propeller, powered by a steam engine, had become much the best remedy move the ship than big wheels.

The inventor was sure that the fleet would sign a contract with him, but the lord thanked him for the demonstration and "evaporated". Erickson was in big trouble. He spent all his savings on building a propeller steamer. The British Navy should have seized on the idea, but instead the engineering venture failed. After some time, John Erickson was imprisoned for debt. The Admiralty believed that only fully proven technology could be bought, not some kind of demonstration.

But ships with steam engines had some real advantages that led many people to support new idea Erickson. Firstly, steam-powered ships were much more maneuverable than, and ideally suited for often very narrow inland waterways. In addition, steamboats could run exactly on schedule, as they did not depend on the wind.

Although sailing ships continued to carry most cargo, the steamer became the most important ship in busy harbors. After the first trials of a steam engine on the Seine, such machines were still bulky and expensive to operate. Them main problem there was such an inefficient use of coal that they could not take on board a sufficient supply for long-distance travel. As a result, in the 1940s, ingenious hybrid ships were built that used steam engines to get in and out of the harbor, and sailed in the ocean.

When Erickson was released from prison, luck was ready to smile at him again. His friend, the American consul in Liverpool, Francis Pigeon, after whom he named his first steam tug, introduced him to an American officer. navy Stockton. The latter liked the idea and ordered the construction of a 25 m long ship, which was launched at Liverpool in July 1838. The new steamer had a propeller 2 meters in diameter. His new ship easily pulled 4 coal barges weighing 100 tons each at a speed of 5 knots. This made such an impression on the American officer that he invited the Swedish inventor on the first voyage across the Atlantic. The American leadership of the navy showed great interest in Erickson's ship. Soon his ideas were used in America's first steam frigate called " Princeton". This ship had technical specifications confirming the genius of Erickson. The steam engine was located much below the waterline and was inaccessible to enemy fire. The chimney could be lowered so as not to interfere. And most importantly in the development of Erickson's steam engine technology - he was able to create a mechanism that is smaller, and at the same time produces more power.

Erickson's project was a godsend for the US Navy, but something unforeseen soon happened. His friend Captain Stockton built for the frigate " Princeton» gun designed by Erickson. During a demonstration of this weapon in the presence of high-ranking government officials, the gun exploded, killing the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Navy. The Swedish inventor was blamed for this unfortunate incident and was not given a loan to build a new steamer.

For 15 years, the American Navy, ignoring Erickson's project, unsuccessfully tried to independently apply his ideas. Commercial transportation by that time already had a reliable propulsion system, since the propeller was now installed below the waterline. This, in turn, left more space for people and cargo, and, therefore, brought good profits. As more efficient steam engines were developed, merchant ships could carry enough fuel to go anywhere. Soon, John Erickson was making a fortune with his US commercial patents, and then, to his amazement, the people who had rejected his earlier ideas changed their minds and recognized him as a marine engineer. In Europe, his designs became very popular. 15 years after the first experience, warships were equipped only with similar ones, and by 1860 they were on all ocean-going ships.

John Erickson continued to get rich in the US. He created completely new iron-clad ships, designed cannons and continued to improve steam engine, but his propeller design remained the greatest achievement in the world. In 1889 he died in America, which became his homeland. Here he is revered as a hero, and his body was taken back to Sweden on a cruiser " Baltimore» A ship equipped with the design of the inventor himself.

Watt began experiments on the application new car in shipping. Most good luck can be considered a steamship built by the French inventor Geoffroy. In 1781, his steam boat, with the help of a steam engine, could already swim against the current for an hour.

First steamboat

The first steamboat suitable for navigation was invented by Irish engineer and mechanic Robert Fulton. He was born into a poor peasant family, was a brilliant self-taught.

Fulton built and tested his first, still imperfect, steamer on the Seine in Paris. In 1803, the experiment was a success, the ship sailed along the Seine for 1.5 hours, developing a speed of 5 km per hour.

In 1807, Fulton built the Clermont paddle steamer, installing Watt's double-acting steam engine there. The length of the steamer was 43 m, the engine power was 20 hp. s., tonnage - 15 tons. In 1807, the Claremont made its first flight along the Hudson from New York to Albany with a length of 150 miles (270 km). Taking place against the current and with a headwind, the flight took 32 hours. Fulton's Claremont laid the foundation for steam shipping. Since that time, steamships began to be built in other countries.

Following the invention of the river steamboat, attempts are being made to technically improve all types of maritime transport. As early as 1819, the Savannah steamer appeared on the transatlantic line between America and Europe, delivering a cargo of cotton from the USA to England. Savannah was on the road for 26 days. In the same 1819, Savannah came to the port of St. Petersburg. It was the first foreign steamship to visit Russia. In 1825, the English steamship Enterprise traveled from London to Calcutta in 113 days. In 1829, the Dutch steamship Curacao traveled from Holland to the West Indies in 32 days.

Steel hull and propeller - a new stage in shipbuilding

However, maritime shipbuilding until the 40s of the XIX century. developed relatively slowly. The construction of steamships was hampered by design flaws identified during operation, which could not be immediately eliminated. And only a radical change in the design of steamships and engines, as well as the transition to new building materials for the construction of ships stimulated fast development maritime shipbuilding.

The transition to the construction of iron and steel hulls for steamships was of the greatest importance for shipbuilding.

Another very important factor in the development of the navy was the invention of the propeller, which replaced the paddle wheels of the first steamships. Until the end of the 30s of the XIX century. steamships were built with paddle wheels that broke the waves of the sea. They were the most vulnerable spot during the battle, their damage immediately put the ship out of action.

In 1838, the English engineer-inventor Smith built the first, quite suitable for practical purposes, steamship "Archimedes" with a propeller. Soon a number of improvements were made to screw steamers, and by the end of the 40s of the XIX century. the propeller began to rapidly replace paddle wheels, primarily in the navy.

From the beginning of the 1930s, the first steamships suitable for regular ocean voyages began to appear. From the end of the 30s of the XIX century. regular shipping was established between Europe and America, and then between Europe and other continents. In 1842 the first trip around the world on a steamship. Steamship lines, like, ensured the speed and regularity of movement, and also sharply lowered the cost of transporting goods.

Until the 1970s, the steam fleet was not the sovereign master of the expanses of water. There was and, occupying a significant part common system water transport.