Report on the "Daphne" Disaster (Classic Reprint)

A clear, accessible look at a historic maritime crisis and how investigators dissected its causes.

This nonfiction account presents a government inquiry into the capsizing of a Clyde-built vessel known as the Daphne. It explains how the investigation was conducted, what evidence was examined, and how experts weighed launching procedures, river currents, and ship stability to reach conclusions. The report is split into a factual first part and a more technical second part, offering a careful view of the science behind maritime safety in the 19th century.

• Learn how ships are launched and what factors influence stability at the moment they meet the water.
• See how engineers analyze tides, current patterns, and design details to explain disasters.
• Understand the kinds of evidence investigators relied on, from ground observations to expert calculations.
• Get a sense of the practical debates that shaped early safety rules on a busy river.