▁the ▁colonial ▁powers , ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁needed ▁stable ▁mar itime ▁routes ▁to ▁connect ▁different ▁parts ▁of ▁its ▁emp ire : ▁the ▁Far ▁East , ▁India , ▁Australia , ▁etc . ▁The ▁birth ▁of ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁international ▁water ▁and ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁any ▁claim ▁to ▁it ▁simplified ▁navigation . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 8 , ▁the ▁Black ▁Ball ▁Line , ▁with ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁sail ing ▁ships , ▁offered ▁the ▁first ▁regular ▁passenger ▁service ▁with ▁emphas is ▁on ▁passenger ▁comfort , ▁from ▁England ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 7 , ▁Robert ▁F ult on ▁succeeded ▁in ▁applying ▁steam ▁engines ▁to ▁ships . ▁He ▁built ▁the ▁first ▁ship ▁that ▁was ▁power ed ▁by ▁this ▁technology , ▁the ▁Cl erm ont , ▁which ▁succeeded ▁in ▁travel ing ▁between ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁and ▁Alb any , ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁thirty ▁hours ▁before ▁entering ▁into ▁regular ▁service ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁cities . ▁So on ▁after , ▁other ▁vessels ▁were ▁built ▁using ▁this ▁innov ation . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁the ▁É l ise ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁steam ship ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁English ▁Channel . ▁Another ▁important ▁advance ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 9 . ▁ ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁steam ship ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean . ▁She ▁left ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁and ▁arrived ▁in ▁Liverpool , ▁England ▁in ▁ 2 7 ▁days . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁distance ▁was ▁covered ▁by ▁sail ing ; ▁the ▁steam ▁power ▁was ▁not ▁used ▁for ▁more ▁than