On June 26, 1897, the ship Turbinia, the world’s first steamer powered by a steam turbine, was presented to the general public. Namely, the earlier steamers used only steam engines for propulsion, and the new steam turbine enabled less mass of the propulsion system, less vibration and easier maintenance.
The Turbinia was probably the fastest ship in the world at the time of its introduction. It could reportedly reach a speed of almost 64 kilometers per hour, and had a displacement of about 44 and a half tons. The turbine had as many as nine propellers, three on each of the three axles. The maximum power of the steam turbine was about 2,100 horsepower. The Turbinia was an experimental ship, but proved to be very striking. Indeed, the British Navy decided a few years later that all its future ships would be powered by steam turbines.
