Toilers of the Sea · Chapter
Continuation of the Story of Utopia explained
The chapter describes the initial resistance and eventual acceptance of Lethierry's steamboat, the 'Devil Boat,' by the Guernsey community.
What happens
The chapter describes the initial resistance and eventual acceptance of Lethierry's steamboat, the 'Devil Boat,' by the Guernsey community. Despite religious condemnation and outcry from sailing-boat owners, the vessel's practical benefits—fresher goods, reliable travel, and economic growth—gradually won over the populace, including the initially skeptical Sieur Landoys. The chapter reflects on the steamboat as a primitive but groundbreaking invention, comparing it to earlier prototypes by Papin and Fulton.
Themes in this chapter
Superstition vs. Progress
The steamboat is initially denounced as 'atheistical' and a 'Devil Boat,' reflecting the clash between religious superstition and technological advancement.
Social Class and Reputation
Sieur Landoys's support for the steamboat is noted as impartial despite his lower social standing compared to Lethierry, highlighting class dynamics.
Characters to notice
- Mess Lethierry
Owner of the controversial steamboat, 'Lethierry's Galley,' which faced initial opposition but later gained acceptance.
- Sieur Landoys
Registrar who, despite personal dislike for Lethierry, publicly supported the steamboat due to its benefits.
Key passages
“The owners of cutters passing between the Island of Guernsey and the French coast were loud in their outcries. They denounced this attack upon the Holy Scriptures and their monopoly.”
Local boat owners protested fiercely, claiming the steamboat violated scripture and threatened their business.
Shows initial resistance to the steamboat based on religious and economic grounds.
“Time and the continued and increasing success of the venture, with the evidence of real service rendered and the improvement in the general welfare, gradually converted the people; and the day at length arrived when, with the exception of a few wiseacres, everyone admired 'Lethierry's Galley.'”
Over time, the steamboat's proven reliability and economic benefits won over most of the community, leaving only a few skeptics.
Illustrates the gradual shift from opposition to acceptance.