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The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/trey0824 on 2025-03-14 20:12:17+00:00.

Original Title: TIL that in 1845, the screw-driven HMS Rattler proved the superiority of screw propellers over paddle wheels by winning a 100-mile race against the paddle-driven HMS Alecto. Rattler then towed Alecto backward at almost 3 knots in a tug-of-war, leading to the rise of screw propulsion in ship design.