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The paddle steamer PS ''Comet'' was built for Henry Bell, hotel and baths owner in Helensburgh, and began a passenger service on 15 August 1812 on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Greenock, the first commercially successful steamboat service in Europe. ==History== Bell had become interested in steam propelled boats, corresponded with Robert Fulton and learnt from the ''Charlotte Dundas''. In late 1811 he got John and Charles Wood of John Wood and Company, shipbuilders of Port Glasgow, to build a paddle steamer which was named the ''Comet'' after the "Great Comet" of 1811. The 28 ton craft was long and broad. It had two paddle wheels on each side, driven by engines rated at three horse power (or perhaps 4 hp.): at a later date the twin paddlewheels were replaced by a single paddlewheel on each side. The two engines were made by John Robertson of Glasgow, and the boiler by David Napier, Camlachlie, Glasgow: a story has it that they were evolved from an experimental little steam engine which Bell installed to pump sea water into the Helensburgh Baths. The funnel was tall and thin, and a yardarm allowed it to support a sail when there was a following wind. A tiny cabin aft had wooden seats and a table. In August 1812 Bell advertised in a local newspaper "The Greenock Advertiser"; The fare was "four shillings for the best cabin, and three shillings for the second." In 1812 the ''Comet'' made a delivery voyage from Port Glasgow〔Port Glasgow is a town just to the east of Greenock〕 21 miles upriver to the Broomielaw, Glasgow, then sailed from Glasgow the 24 miles down to Greenock, making five miles an hour against a head-wind.〔Some sources give a date of 18 January 1812 for a trial trip, McCrorie gives 6 August 1812 for the delivery, with the historic trip a day or so later〕 The success of this service quickly inspired competition, with services down the Firth of Clyde and the sea lochs to Largs, Rothesay, Campbeltown and Inveraray within four years, and the ''Comet'' was outclassed by newer steamers. Bell briefly tried a service on the Firth of Forth. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「PS Comet」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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