And that this was the case with the practical introducer of the screw propeller will be obvious from the following statement.
Francis Pettit Smith was born at Hythe, in the county of Kent, in 1808.
His father was postmaster of the town, and a person of much zeal and integrity.

The boy was sent to school at Ashford, and there received a fair amount of education, under the Rev.Alexander Power.

Young Smith displayed no special characteristic except a passion for constructing models of boats.

When he reached manhood, he adopted the business of a grazing farmer on Romney Marsh.

He afterwards removed to Hendon, north of London, where he had plenty of water on which to try his model boats.