Commercial traffic declined during the 17th and 18th centuries, revived briefly with the advent of the steamship in 1832, then succumbed to silting and the onslaught of the railways.
The steamship revoluruonized methods of travel. 
mnli hypothesis: The steamship revoluruonized methods of travel.  premise: Commercial traffic declined during the 17th and 18th centuries, revived briefly with the advent of the steamship in 1832, then succumbed to silting and the onslaught of the railways.