However his vision for the company, which would have seen the introduction of fast screw-driven steamers from the 1880s, was in opposition to the rest of the board who favoured paddle-driven ships. This largely brought about his resignation, however by the turn of the century it was clear that Noble's vision was the way forward. After resigning from the board, Noble did not desert the company altogether, but offered financial assistance to help the company to compete in a price war with the Isle of Man, Liverpool and Manchester Steamship Company. He advanced at short notice a loan of £20,000 (£2,500,000 as of 2018). The security was a mortgage on the company, which was paid off in a short time, following the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's acquisition of the Isle of Man, Liverpool and Manchester Steamship Company in 1888. In the 1840s the town of Douglas was beginning to experience an influx of tourists, which led to a boom by the turn of the century. Noble helped the town to development infrastructure to accommodate this. He invested in the Douglas Gas Light Company and was one of the founders of the Douglas Water Works Company: he was appointed Chairman, a post he held until the company was acquired by the Douglas Town Commissioners for the huge figure of £144,000 (equivalent to £18.3 million in 2018). A certain amount of skulduggery surrounds the transaction of the money. Henry Noble was one of the founders of the Isle of Man Bank, and at the time of the purchase of the Douglas Water Works Company, the Town Commissioners banked their money with Dumbell's Bank. Noble refused a cheque drawn on Dumbell's Bank, but insisted on cash. Without the required cash at hand, the Town Treasurer was required to make provision partly in gold, with the balance made up of Bank of England notes. On the day of the transaction the gold was brought to the offices of the company and weighed, and the notes were counted. All duly accounted for, the receipt was signed by Noble and his co-directors. Had the money not been forthcoming on the specific day, a penalty clause would have been enacted increasing the consideration by £5,000 (£630,000 as of 2018) with a further penalty of £5,000 ten days later, and so on. There was quite an outcry from Dumbell's Bank concerning Noble's behaviour, being seen as an unjustifiable attempt to reduce confidence in the bank. However given what later happened to Dumbell's Bank, it may be seen that Noble was aware of how matters stood at Dumbell's.