Invention Timeline - Henry Miller Shreve, American Inventor; Invented a Steam Marine Battering-Ram for Harbor Defense
b. October 21, 1785 and d. March 6, 1854
American inventor. He built the “Washington” on a plan of his own invention with improvements which made it superior to Fulton’s boat. By using a cam cut-off that he devised he was able to save three-fifths of the fuel. He invented a steam marine battering-ram for harbor defense.
See how yon flaming herald treads
The ridged and rolling waves,
As, crashing o’er their crested heads,
See bows her surly slaves.
With foam before and fire behind,
She rends the clinging sea,
Then flies before the roaring wind,
Beneath her hissing lee.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes
As a bird trims herself to the gale,
I trim myself to the storm of time,
I man the rudder, reef the sail,
Obey the voice at eve obeyed at prime;
Lowly faithful, banish fear,
Right onward drive unharmed;
The port, well worth the cruise, is near,
And every wave is charmed.
—Terminus: Emerson
1856—Simple to compound engines; economy, radius and capacity.
1879—Iron to steel hulls; economy and capacity.
1886—Tank steamers built.
1889—Single to twin screws; safety and regularity.
