Dahabeah - Egypt

The Nile River is the longest river in the world. From its remotest head stream, the Ruvyironza River in Burundi, the Nile flows for 6,500 kilometers to reach the Mediterranean Sea. The river basin has a drainage area of 3,350,000 square kilometers. The water resources provided by the Nile are shared by 11 African countries.

- - - - -

A dahabeah is a type of boat used primarily on the Nile River to transport cargo and passengers. These shallow bottomed boats have been in use for thousands of years and continue to sail the Nile River. The earlier vessels carried two lateen-rigged masts. The forward sail, also known as the trinkeet, was three times the size of the aft sail, the ballakoon. Aside from sails, the crew used punting poles, tow ropes, and oars when the wind was lacking. The modern version has kept to the basic design, but has incorporated engines.

United Sates of America - Introduction

Before the railroads established a full connection between the cities and towns of the Eastern United States, the Conestoga wagon served the needs of the farmers and merchants in hauling their goods to market. The wagon originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was built by German settlers from the area. It was 5.4 meters long, 3.3 meters high, and 1.2 meters wide. The body curved up on both ends to help stabilize heavy loads when passing over rough roads. The wagon had a cargo capacity of almost 6 tons. A heavy canvas cover, coated with linseed oil, protected the cargo from bad weather and the seams were caulked with tar to prevent water from leaking into the body during river crossings. The wagon was usually pulled by a team of up to eight horses or twelve oxen. A strong draft animal, the Conestoga horse, was bred purposely to pull the heavy wagon.

Transcontinental Railroad

The idea of connecting the western and eastern regions of the United States by railroad was raised as early as the 1830’s and seemed a logical solution to bridge the vast emptiness separating the two coasts. The final spike was driven into the railbed on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah. The completion ceremony featured two steam locomotives; the Union Pacific’s No. 119 and the Central Pacific’s No. 60, also known as the Jupiter, facing each other. The Jupiter had been built at New York’s Schenectady Locomotive Works in 1868. Using the Whyte Notation System for classifying steam locomotives, the Jupiter had a 4-4-0 configuration. The numbers indicate the leading wheels, driving wheels, and trailing wheels; the Jupiter had four leading wheels, four driving wheels, and zero trailing wheels. The Union Pacific’s No. 119 also had a 4-4-0 configuration.

Wright Flyer - 1903

There are many claims in holding title to being the first for achieving a controlled and sustained powered flight in a heavier than air vehicle: Clément Ader, Kar Jatho, Samuel Langley, Richard Pearse, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Gustave Weisskopf, and the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur. Each claimant added significant gains to the principles of flight, but they all, with the exception of the Wright Brothers, lacked the foresight to substantiate their work with reliable documentation. Beginning in 1899, the Wright Brothers began experimenting with various flying devices; kites, gliders. Their dedication culminated in the first powered flight. On the morning of December 17, 1903, Orville took to the air along the shores of Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina. Reaching a speed of about 11 km/h, the aircraft covered a distance of 36 meters and flew for 12 thrilling seconds.

Junk - Hong Kong

Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain following China’s defeat in the First Opium War, 1839 to 1842. The tiny hamlet had less than 10,000 inhabitants when handed over to the British, but has since grown into a thriving metropolis. Hong Kong ranks as the fourth most densely populated area in the world; Macau is first.

- - - -

The junk, a sailing vessel found throughout Asia, came into widespread use during the Song Dynasty, 960 to 1279. Junks vary in size and purpose, but the one shared feature is their use of a batten sail fastened to a mast lacking shrouds or stays. The sail is held rigid through the use of battens, light weight wood, passing horizontally along the vertical length of the sail. Large junks capable of traveling the open seas were used in Asia during the 16th and 17th century; some were three-masted and required crews of more than 100 sailors.

Europe - Introduction

The Age of Discovery began in the early 15th century. European adventurers and entrepreneurs became increasingly curious as to what lay beyond the horizon. The intense curiosity brought on enough courage to allow them sail across uncharted oceans and to endure the discomfort and danger of venturing into strange lands inhabited by strange people. Their epic journeys of discovery were driven by more than wind. The conquers pursued their course with the deliberate intent to enhance, to empower, and to enrich themselves and their supporters. They deserve credit for their bravery and skills as sailors, but they must also bear the responsibility for the unimaginable suffering and despair caused by their efforts to carve out colonies, expand their empires, and preach salvation and redemption to the unfortunate native people they dismissed as savages.

Germany - Laufmaschine

Baron Karl von Drais is credited as being the father of the bicycle. He introduced the “Laufmaschine” in his home town of Mannheim in 1817. It was a two-wheeled machine and required the rider to use their legs in pushing themselves along the road and steering the front wheel while seated in the saddle. The bicycle has evolved to high levels since 1817; it has become the most efficient human powered machine ever designed. Karl von Drais is an example of how Germany has become a leading nation in setting the foundations for others to build on. Germany is not a large country in size or population and yet it has continued to provide the world with enormous contributions in cultural and scientific innovations. Germany is often referred to as the land of writers and thinkers; “das Land der Dichter und Denker.” In fields ranging from astronomy to zoology, Germany has nurtured men and women who have provided the world with complex and simple machines, from rockets to bicycles.

Adler Locomotive

In 1816, the Royal Prussian Steelworks built a steam locomotive able to complete a trial run of hauling a single wagon along a short course laid out on company grounds. The Krigar locomotive had been designed by Johann Friedrich Krigar. It was not considered a success; the gauge was unsuitable and it was under-powered. The Adler locomotive, an import built by the father and son team of George and Robert Stephenson of Newcastle, England, became the first viable commercial locomotive in Germany. The machine was delivered to the Bavarian Ludwig Railway in 1835, and began hauling passengers and cargo between Nürnberg and Fürth the same year, a distance of less than twenty kilometers. The locomotive typically pulled nine wagons able to accommodate 192 passengers between the two cities at a modest speed of 28 km/h. It remained in service for twenty-two years.

Frigate

Frigates first appeared in the Mediterranean Sea during the 15th century. They were lightly armed, fitted with oars, and primarily built for speed and maneuverability in coastal or shallow waters. The Dutch were the first to build them large enough to venture into the open seas and used them in their struggle for independence from Spain. The success of the Dutch frigate was noted by the British and the design concept was adopted by the Royal Navy. Frigates became the workhorses during the Age of Sail. They could carry several months of rations and were used extensively as fast carriers, long-range escorts, patrol vessels, and as commerce raiders. Their armament usually consisted of a single deck of guns to provide enough firepower to stand against any ship except the heavily armoured capital ships. A frigate, if necessary could easily outmaneuver and outrun the heavier ships.

Caravel - Portugal

The Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest bridge in Europe. It has a length of 17.2 kilometers, including the viaducts. Construction began in 1995 and finished in 1998. The bridge spans the Targus River in Lisboa and was named for the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, the first to set a sea route from Europe to India. 

- - - - -

The caravel was the vessel of choice for Portuguese and Spanish traders embarking on short voyages of exploration along coastal areas or sailing into shallow estuaries. The lanteen-rigged mast provided speed, easy handling, and maneuverability. English merchants and the traders of the Hanseatic League added to the basic design with a wider breadth and a more rounded bow. These improvements allowed the caravel to travel further and carry heavier loads, important elements during the age of European exploration and discovery.

H.M.S. Beagle

The keel of HMS Beagle was laid down in 1818 and the ship was completed in 1820. She was originally designed as a 10 gun brig-sloop of the Cherokee class, but was altered in 1825. A mizzen mast was added and her gun allocation was reduced; she was now considered a bark. The Beagle made three noteworthy voyages during her fifty year career. In her first voyage, 1826, she accompanied HMS Adventure to South America for a hydrographic survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. The second voyage began in 1831 and was under the command of Captain Fitzroy. This voyage took an unknown naturalist, Charles Darwin, around the world. Darwin emerged from the five year journey with enough material to later formulate his theory of evolution. The final voyage of 1837 took the Beagle on a survey of Australia. She was decommissioned in 1845 and broken up in 1870.

H.M.S. Paramour

The H.M.S. Paramour was the first ship built specifically to serve as a research vessel. She was rigged as a three masted pink and was launched in April of 1694. A pink is a small ship featuring a narrow stern and a flat bottom. The Paramour was 16 meters in length, had a breadth of 5.5 meters, and weighed about 81 metric tons. Despite their small size, a pink had a large hold capacity suitable for hauling cargo. Their shallow draught allowed them to enter small rivers and streams or sail safely over reefs. They were flexible and easy to handle. Beginning in 1698, Edmond Halley, astronomer and mathematician, took command of the H.M.S Paramour during his expeditions into the South Atlantic to study the variations of the compass and to observe the conditions of terrestrial magnetism. The vessel was refitted as a ketch in 1702 and served with the Royal Navy until 1706.

Australia and New Zealand - Introduction

Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, was the first European to make landfall in Australia and New Zealand during his two voyages in 1642 and 1644. Tasman’s efforts were considered failures by his employer, the Dutch East India Company, but Tasman’s limited exploration of the areas he discovered led other adventurers to join the quest in exploring the elusive Terra Australis, the southern continent. The British Admiralty commissioned James Cook to lead a journey of exploration aboard HMS Endeavour. The ship, a six-gun bark, departed England in 1768 with notable crew members representing scientific interests serving as supernumeraries; botanist Joseph Banks and astronomer Charles Green. Cook’s voyage provided extensive knowledge about Australia and New Zealand.  Abel Tasman and James Cook linked Australia and New Zealand together in a bond enduring to this day.

The Vikings

The Vikings were Germanic seafarers, who despite their fierce reputation of engaging in acts of plundering and piracy, were also successful merchants, traders, and colonists. They used their skills in seamanship to open and maintain extensive trading routes in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe. At a time when the compass and sextant were unknown, they had mastered the skill of celestial navigation with uncanny precision. In their quest for new trading markets and to satisfy the need for establishing new settlements, the Vikings migrated as far as Iceland, Greenland, and North America. The Viking Age began in the late 8th century and endured until the mid 11th century. Their ability to build advanced ships and boats; longships, karves, and faerings, provided the Vikings with the opportunity to overwhelm their rivals with military might and commercial entrepreneurship.