Triple-expansion engines were smooth, not silent

Comments describing triple-expansion machinery as quiet need a clear basis for comparison. The engine may be smoother and less noisy than a diesel or the paddle noise of a steamer such as Waverley, though it is far from silent in absolute terms. A crew in the machinery space would unmistakably hear the large reciprocating engine at work, especially above idle. Shipboard descriptions such as quiet, efficient, and smooth therefore depend on the machinery and operating state used as the baseline. The exchange gives a more realistic sensory picture of work in a Flower-class corvette's engineering spaces.