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The Union Steam-ship Company's Cape Mail steamer Briton, 1861. Creator: Edwin Weedon. The Union Steam-ship Company's Cape Mail steamer Briton, 1861. '...the first vessel built on the newly patented principle of Mr. Charles Lungley, of Deptford, for the construction of unsinkable and incombustible ships, and which has recently excited considerable attention both of private shipowners and of the Government...should this vessel be successful...it will inaugurate an entirely new era in shipbuilding...The great advantage which is obtained by the invention is the localisation of injury and facility of remedy, wherever injury may be inflicted. The principle is simply to divide each deck from the other by a watertight flooring of iron, so that, in effect, whether the vessel be composed of one, two, three, or more decks, each becomes a distinct hull of itself, unaffected by any injury which may happen to either of the others, and by the equalisation of the weight of water which may have obtained egress, keeping the vessel in a level position, or what is technically called "an even keel...The Briton is a noble and handsome ship, of 1092 tons builders' measurement, and 932 tons register, propelled by engines of 120 horses-power by Messrs. Day and Co.'. From "Illustrated London News", 1861. (KEYSTONE/HERITAGE IMAGES/THE PRINT COLLECTOR)