been successful, both in regard to the properties of the engines and
those of the 'lines' on which she has been constructed. Nothing can
exceed the beauty of her passage through the water, without even a
ripple, far less the wave which ordinary steamboats occasion." That
success, however, was to be followed by a long series of disasters. The
weight of the _Janus_ had been miscalculated, and though she could
proceed admirably in smooth water, she was found to lie so low
that there was constant danger of her being wrecked in rough seas
and bad weather. Other faults, incident to the bringing together
for the first time of so much new workmanship, were also discovered. She
had to be returned to dock, and fresh hindrances of every sort occurred
during the two following years; each hindrance being attended by tedious
correspondence or controversies with petty functionaries jealous of a
stranger's interference, and only eager to bring discredit upon his
work. Much discredit did result. Loud complaints were made concerning
the waste of public money resulting from Lord Dundonald's experiments,
and on him, of course, nearly all the blame was thrown. All this, added
to his previous difficulties in securing for his boiler and engine any
notice at all, was very grievous to him. Every complaint and every
entreaty from him was met by a new excuse and a new reason for delay.
"Ten days are always added," he said, in one letter, "and ten days yet
are said to be required."

The days became weeks and the weeks months, and still the _Janus_ was
incomplete. She was unfinished when Lord Dundonald left England for more
than two years in order to fulfil the duties assigned to him as
commander-in-chief of the North American and West Indian squadron, and
his absence caused a final abandonment of the works.

The tedious process of her construction, however, to which only
sufficient reference has here been made to serve as illustration of one
phase of Lord Dundonald's life, was attended by many good results. To
himself she brought only trouble and expense; but the obstacles thrown
in her way and in his did not deter private adventurers from acting upon
some of the principles developed in abortive attempts at her completion
by public functionaries. Lord Dundonald's inventions--his revolving
engine, his screw-propeller, his boiler, and his "lines of
ship-building,"--have all proved useful in themselves, and have been of
yet greater use in their inf