A Tug-of-War, Naval style – HMS Rattler vs HMS Alecto
The Industrial Revolution that swept through 18th and 19th century Britain was driven by steam. Coal-fired engines were everywhere, pumping out mines, driving steam hammers in forges and powering the machinery in the new factories. Shipbuilding too was part of the revolution, with mechanised sawmills and block-making machines installed in the Royal Dockyards. Every aspect of life was touched by the new technology save one. At the end of the 18th century the ships of the Royal
