Editing Paddle steamer (section)

{{Short description|Steam-powered vessel propelled by paddle wheels}}
[[File:SteamboatBenCampbellb.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A typical river paddle steamer from the 1850s.]]
[[File:Providence (1866).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Fall Line's steamer ''Providence'', launched 1866]]
[[File:Tampere Finlandia Queen.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Finlandia Queen'', a paddle-wheel ship from 1990s in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]<ref>[http://www.hhlweb.org/00-vellamo.htm PW/S VELLAMO]</ref>]]
 
A '''paddle steamer''' is a [[steamship]] or [[steamboat]] powered by a [[steam engine]] driving [[paddle wheel]]s to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, '''paddle wheelers''' followed the development of poles, oars and sails, whereby the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans.

[[File:Blockade-runner2 ADvance.jpg|thumb|{{USS|Advance|1862|2}}, a [[Greenock]]-built American Civil War [[Blockade runners of the American Civil War|blockade-running]] side-wheel steamer]]
In the early 19th century, paddle wheels were the predominant way of propulsion for steam-powered boats. In the late 19th century, paddle propulsion was largely superseded by the [[propeller|screw propeller]] and other [[marine propulsion]] systems that have a higher efficiency, especially in rough or open water. Paddle wheels continue to be used by small, pedal-powered paddle boats and by some ships that operate tourist voyages. The latter are often powered by diesel engines.{{refn|group=lower-alpha|Experience of economics: The paddle designs using diesels are tourist vessels servicing sightseeing attractions or replica riverboats and are mainly restaurants and casinos.}}