Note 123 — Chapter VIII · STEAM NAVIGATION. THE ‘GREAT WESTERN’ STEAM-SHIP. A.D. 1835—1847. ÆTATIS 30—42.

It is right to add that, according to the report given in the Athenæum newspaper of the meetings of the British Association at Liverpool in September 1837, ‘Dr. Lardner addressed the section (Mechanical) on his old subject, the application of steam to long voyages. His remarks and calculations were to a great extent identical with those brought forward by him last year at Bristol, and published long since in his work on the steam-engine, but the conclusions were somewhat varied. The Doctor did not now deny that the voyage might be practicable, but he did not believe that it would be profitable’ (Athenæum, September 23, 1837). Dr. Lardner was answered by several speakers, and among them by Mr. Guppy, who pointed out in much detail the unreliable character of Dr. Lardner’s data; while nothing was suggested about commercial profits or subsidies. It may therefore be inferred that Dr. Lardner’s arguments as to the consumption of fuel remained the same, although he may have abandoned the conclusion which legitimately followed from them—namely, that the long voyages were practically impossible.

The Report in the Bristol Mirror newspaper of the same date (copied from the Liverpool Standard) is as follows:—‘Dr. Lardner’s speech was little beyond a repetition of his discourse last year in Bristol, re-published by him in the Edinburgh Review. The voyage to America by steam he treated as practicable, but so uncertain as to render a profitable result hopeless.... During nearly all the year there was an adverse west wind, and the Gulf Stream was to be avoided.’