text_original: Boats were thus from the very earliest times important in trade and . travel. For this reason it is not surprising that Watt's er^ne was scarcely perfected, before men tried to make it propel a boat.
text_transcription: BOATS WERE THUS FROM THE VERY EARLIEST TIMES IMPORTANT IN TRADE AND TRAVEL FOR THIS REASON IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT WATT'S ENGINE WAS SCARCELY PERFECTED BEFORE MEN TRIED TO MAKE IT PROPEL A BOAT
phonemes: bˈoʊts wɜː ðˈʌs fɹʌmðə vˈɛɹi ˈɜːlɪɪst tˈaɪmz ɪmpˈɔːɹtənt ɪn tɹˈeɪd ænd . tɹˈævəl. fɔːɹ ðɪs ɹˈiːzən ɪɾ ɪz nˌɑːt sɚpɹˈaɪzɪŋ ðæt wˈɑːts ˈɜː nˈiː wʌz skˈɛɹsli pɚfˈɛktᵻd, bᵻfˌɔːɹ mˈɛn tɹˈaɪd tə mˌeɪk ɪt pɹəpˈɛl ɐ bˈoʊt.