Final answer:
The break even distance between sail and steamships in 1890 indicates a point where steamships became more cost-effective for long-distance commerce. By 1890, steamships offered certain advantages over sail-powered ships, including speed, reliability, and consistent travel, making them the preferred choice for transoceanic trade routes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question about the break even distance between sail and steamships in 1890 relates to the historical transition from sail to steam in maritime commerce. By the turn of the 19th century, steamships were gaining prominence over sail-powered ships due to their speed, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Notably, Robert Fulton's invention of the steamboat engine in 1807 catalyzed this shift. Steamboats, like Fulton's Clermont, revolutionized transportation by providing faster and more dependable travel on rivers and oceans.
By 1890, the economics of using steamships for long-distance commerce had become clearly favorable. The expansion of steam shipping networks greatly impacted industries such as agriculture and forestry. It made it economically feasible to ship products like grain across oceans, thereby fostering the development of major ports and bolstering trade networks.
Investors recognized the lucrative potential of steamships, leading to a significant increase in their numbers by the mid-19th century. Steamships allowed for more consistent upstream and downstream navigation, which played a significant role in the economic and westward expansion of the United States. Although the exact break even distance is not provided in the reference material, we can infer that by 1890, the cost-benefit of steamships relative to sail ships had tipped in favor of the former for most long-distance routes, as steam power allowed for regular, fast, and efficient transportation of goods and resources.