Royal Navy fleets in home waters and the Mediterranean could supply coal, making auxiliary steam a practical answer to the operational paralysis of a calm. Each engine had its own recurring faults and handling traits because the machinery was far from standardised. Operators needed intimate experience with a particular plant alongside transferable technical knowledge. Navies could value steam power while still regarding its machinery as troublesome and dependent on specialist experience.
Notable Point · 25:37-27:38
Every early steam engine had its own operating quirks
Coal-supported fleets could use steam to escape calms, but every early engine brought its own faults and demanded intimate operating knowledge.