Court.

[30] Sir Giles Overreach, in the play of "A new way to pay old debts,"
by Philip Massinger. It was difficult for the poet, or any other
person, to libel such a personage as Mompesson.

[31] Pett's method is described in a paper contained in the S.P.O.,
dated 21st Oct., 1626. The Trinity Corporation adopted his method.

[32] Memoirs of the Life and Services of Rear-Admiral Sir William
Symonds, Kt., p. 94.

[33] Pett's dwelling-house at Rochester is thus described in an
anonymous history of that town (p. 337, ed. 1817):--"Beyond the
Victualling Office, on the same side of the High Street, at Rochester,
is an old mansion, now occupied by a Mr. Morson, an attorney, which
formerly belonged to the Petts, the celebrated ship-builders. The
chimney-piece in the principal room is of wood, curiously carved, the
upper part being divided into compartments by caryatydes. The central
compartment contains the family arms, viz., Or, on a fesse, gu.,
between three pellets, a lion passant gardant of the field. On the
back of the grate is a cast of Neptune, standing erect in his car, with
Triton blowing conches, &c., and the date 1650."

[34] Symonds, Memoirs of Life and Services, 94.

CHAPTER II.

FRANCIS PETTIT SMITH: PRACTICAL INTRODUCER OF THE SCREW PROPELLER.

"The spirit of Paley's maxim that 'he alone discovers who proves,' is
applicable to the history of inventions and discoveries; for certainly
he alone invents to any good purpose, who satisfies the world that the
means he may have devised have been found competent to the end
proposed."--Dr. Samuel Brown.

"Too often the real worker and discoverer remains unknown, and an
invention, beautiful but useless in one age or country, can be applied
only in a remote generation, or in a distant land. Mankind hangs
together from generation to generation; easy labour is but inherited
skill; great discoveries and inventions are worked up to by the efforts
of myriads ere the goal is reached."--H. M. Hyndman.

Though a long period elapsed between the times of Phineas Pett and
"Screw" Smith, comparatively little improvement had been effected in
the art of shipbuilding. The Sovereign of the Seas had not been
excelled by any ship of war built down to the end of last century.[1]
At a comparatively recent date, ships continued to be built of timber
and plank, and impelled by sails and oars, as they had been for
thousands of years before.

But this century has witnessed