Navy Tug No. 1, Comet, 1821, 1822, 1828, 1833, 1835

Steam Boat Engines (30 items).

1220. Navy Tug No. 1, Comet (WC & WD). Jun., Dec. 1821, Jan., Feb., Apr., Jun 1822, Feb. 1828, Oct. 1833, Sep. 1835. 30 items.
Two 40 horse power side lever boat engines, with 35½ inch cylinders, 3½ foot strokes.

Cross-section of the boat and engines, section of the boat and boiler "at frame 10" and longitudinal section of engine room, plan of engine sleepers - drawings made in the London office; side view of engine and section of boiler, plan of the engines and boiler and shafts - coloured reverse drawings; longitudinal section and external plan of boiler - coloured original and coloured reverse drawings; cross-section and plan of boiler - partially coloured reverse drawing; part of headstock framing marked "Lightning pattern altered"; paddle wheel and shaft - coloured original and partially coloured reverse drawing and press copy sketch; feed and emptying pipes - partially shaded original and partially shaded reverse drawings; hand pump - partially coloured drawing, with press copy sketch of scheme for hand pump and pipes and rough sketch of the pump; sketch of wrought iron cross bars; 2 rough sketches for paddle wheel by William Creighton.
Also the following later items: sections and plans of boiler - partially coloured drawings (not dated, but these appear to be later drawings of the original boiler); sections and plan of copper boiler, valve box and float by Maudslay - 3 sheets of partially coloured drawings made in the London office, Feb. 1828; sections and plan of new boiler - partially coloured original and partially coloured reverse drawings made in the London office, Oct. 1833; emptying pipes and cocks - original, direct copy and reverse drawings, Sep. 1835. Most of the drawings bear letter codes.

Original Portfolio or 'Book' No. 737. Catalogue of Old Engines p. 312.

For H. M. Navy. Comet was one of Britain's first naval steamboats, but she was actually the second that Boulton Watt & Co. had supplied engines for (the first was the experimental boat Congo [see Portfolio 5/1228]). Comet was used for towing men-of-war, and in Mar. 1832 she was also being used on Channel and river services, and to the coast of Norway. She was broken up in 1868. Comet is referred to in The Engineer, 1866, p. 48, and also in Smiles' Life of John Rennie, p. 365.

See also: 4/95 (Engine Order Book No. 9).