Educated in Liverpool and London, Robert D. Napier worked, with brothers John D. and Francis ("Frank") for his father's shipbuilding firm.
In 1856 he brought out to Port Adelaide, South Australia in sections, a paddle-steamer Moolgewanke for trading on the River Murray.
William Webb operated her for a few years from Goolwa before selling her, with barge Unknown, to George Bain Johnston.
He is best known for his 1866 work "On the Velocity of Steam and other Gases, and the True Principles of the Discharge of Fluids".
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