David Napier, bust by Matthew Noble 1871

David Napier (10 November 1790– 23 November 1869) was a Scottish

marine engineer Marine engineering is the engineering of boats, ships, submarines, and any other marine vessel. Here it is also taken to include the engineering of other ocean systems and structures – referred to in certain academic and professional circl ...

. Napier began in his father's works at

Camlachie Camlachie ( gd, Camadh Làthaich) is an area of the city of Glasgow in Scotland, located in the East End of the city, between Dennistoun to the north, and Bridgeton to the south. Formerly a weaving village on the Camlachie Burn, it then develop ...

and built the boiler for Henry Bell's ''Comet'' in 1812. Subsequently, he took over the foundry and established a reputation as one of the best builders of marine engines in Scotland. In 1821 Napier moved to Lancefield Quay on the north bank of the

Clyde Clyde may refer to: People * Clyde (given name) * Clyde (surname) Places For townships see also Clyde Township Australia * Clyde, New South Wales * Clyde, Victoria * Clyde River, New South Wales Canada * Clyde, Alberta * Clyde, Ontario, a tow ...

and Camlachie was taken over by his cousin Robert Napier. At Lancefield Napier began to construct complete ships, including in 1827 the ''Aglaia''. This was one of the world's first iron steam-ships, built to ply on

Loch Eck Loch Eck (Gaelic: ''Loch Eich'') is a freshwater loch located on the Cowal peninsula, north of Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is long. Along with Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (198 ...

as part of a "new route" to

Inveraray Inveraray ( or ; gd, Inbhir Aora meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, and on the A83 road. It is a former royal burgh, the traditional county town of Arg ...

which opened around 1835. The route included construction of a Clyde pier at

Kilmun Kilmun ( gd, Cill Mhunna) is a linear settlement on the north shore of the Holy Loch, on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands.It takes its name from the 7th century monastic community founded by an Irish monk, St Munn (Fin ...

, and a road for a steam coach to take passengers to the loch steamer. "Aglaia" in fact had only an iron bottom, and wooden sides above water. She was afterwards called the "James Gallacher", and plied on the Clyde. Her dimensions were as follows: Length, 62' 8"; breadth, 13' 0"; depth, 4' 6"; gross tonnage, 49 36/94 tons. The world's first iron steamer was the paddle steamer

Aaron Manby ''Aaron Manby'' was a landmark vessel in the science of shipbuilding as the first iron steamship to go to sea. She was built by Aaron Manby (1776–1850) at the Horseley Ironworks. She made the voyage to Paris in June 1822 under Captain (later ...

of 1821. Napier was widely discredited after a series of boiler explosions between 1835 and 1838. Two of these involved the same steamer, the Victoria of Hull, which twice suffered boiler explosions on the Thames in 1838. On the second occasion, 14 June 1838, nine men were killed and a lengthy inquest saw heavy criticism of Napier's boilers and his conduct after the first accident of 16 March 1838. In 1839 Napier acquired a

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance ...

on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

Millwall Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Limehouse, north of Greenwich and Deptford, eas ...

, London, which is commemorated in the modern Napier Avenue. The yard was run by two of his sons, while Napier himself continued with experiments in improving the

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

. In 1854 the yard was sold to Messrs J Scott Russell and used for building the Great Eastern.Eve Hostettler 1986, ''Ship building and related industries on the Isle of Dogs'', article in ''Dockland'', NELP/GLC, His youngest son, Robert D. Napier (1821 – May 1885), was a noted marine engineer with several inventions and research papers to his credit. Another son, Francis Napier ( – 23 December 1875) was a surveyor with the Harbours and Rivers Department,

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

, and noted member and diarist of Francis Cadell's exploration of the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...

coast 1867–68.

References

Further reading