This book provides a comprehensive history of North Atlantic steam navigation, with a focus on the early ships and shipowners who made it possible. It covers the technological advancements that allowed these ships to cross the ocean, the business practices that were developed to operate the lines, and the personalities behind the companies. This is a must-read for anyone interested in maritime history or the development of modern transportation. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.