[fuelled6532]

Perhaps I misread. I took your comment to imply that the dewatering pumps were used to fill the canals, thus providing transportation infrastructure.

My original comment was in response to the statement that improved locomotion was an obvious consequence of the steam engine.

I contend that is was not obvious. The first walking beam engines were more like buildings, built in place (largely of masonry) and not portable at all.

The steam engine certainly revolutionized transportation, however I doubt that Newcomen or even Watt looked at their work and thought "this is going to change shipping forever".

Like I said, it took a generation to get to revolving shaft, and then another to get to revolution.

Today is probably like that with regard to AI. The pace of change is much faster now, but we still have no idea what the world will be like after this tech matures.