ed
Mr. Wolff, then away in the Mediterranean as engineer of a steamer, to
return and take charge of the drawing office. Mr. Wolff had served his
apprenticeship with Messrs. Joseph Whitworth and Co., of Manchester,
and was a most able man, thoroughly competent for the work. Everything
went on prosperously; and, in the midst of all my engagements, I found
time to woo and win the hand of Miss Rosa Wann, of Vermont, Belfast, to
whom I was married on the 26th of January, 1860, and by her great
energy, soundness of judgment, and cleverness in organization, I was
soon relieved from all sources of care and anxiety, excepting those
connected with business.

The steamers were completed in the course of the following year,
doubtless to the satisfaction of the owners, for their delivery was
immediately followed by an order for two larger vessels. As I required
frequently to go from home, and as the works must be carefully attended
to during my absence, on the 1st of January, 1862, I took Mr. Wolff in
as a partner; and the firm has since continued under the name of
Harland and Wolff. I may here add that I have throughout received the
most able advice and assistance from my excellent friend and partner,
and that we have together been enabled to found an entirely new branch
of industry in Belfast.

It is necessary for me here to refer back a little to a screw steamer
which was built on the Clyde for Bibby and Co. by Mr. John Read, and
engined by J. and G. Thomson while I was with them. That steamer was
called the Tiber. She was looked upon as of an extreme length, being
235 feet, in proportion to her beam, which was 29 feet. Serious
misgivings were thrown out as to whether she would ever stand a heavy
sea. Vessels of such proportions were thought to be crank, and even
dangerous. Nevertheless, she seemed to my mind a great success. From
that time, I began to think and work out the advantages and
disadvantages of such a vessel, from an owner's as well as from a
builder's point of view. The result was greatly in favour of the
owner, though entailing difficulties in construction as regards the
builder. These difficulties, however. I thought might easily be
overcome.

In the first steamers ordered of me by the Messrs. Bibby, I thought it
more prudent to simply build to the dimensions furnished, although they
were even longer than usual. But, prior to the precise dimensions
being fixed for the second order, I with confidenc