There was the usual shaking of the head and the shrugging of the shoulders, as if the inventor were either a mere dreamer or a projector eager to lay his hands upon the public purse.

The surveyor of the navy was opposed to the plan, because of the impossibility of making a vessel steer which was impelled from the stern.

"Screw" Smith bided his time; he continued undaunted, and was determined to succeed.
He laboured steadily onward, maintaining his own faith unshaken, and upholding the faith of the gentlemen who had become associated with him in the prosecution of the invention.
At the beginning of 1838 the Lords of the Admiralty requested Mr.Smith to allow his vessel to be tried under their inspection.

Two trials were accordingly made, and they gave so much satisfaction that the adoption of the propeller for naval purposes was considered as a not improbable contingency.

Before deciding finally upon its adoption, the Lords of the Admiralty were anxious to see an experiment made with a vessel of not less than 200 tons.