True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1839-07-23
RUTH NO LIBEL.
The BRITISH QUEEN,
ohIGlN, K!SE 4 PROGRESS OF TEE BRITISH
AND. AMERICAN STE AN NAVIl;ArION
COMPANY. 49,.
WoRrHINGToN G. SNErHEs.

| COMPANY.
| WoRTHINGroN G. SNErHES,
In the NINTH Of September, 1889, Jur,ns Smith, a,
american London Me- chant while on visit 10 iii,
country proposed to Several of his intimate friends i,
New York, project for the formation and establish
ment Of regula, line of packet shs to plv be
tween That port and London. They listened to him witt
attetol I've fortified his arguments in favor of sucl
an undertaking by minute and careful calculations going
10 snow the complete feasibility of the scheme and the
great profits TO be reaped from it, Very Few of tins,
t" whom be made known his proposition, were however
wiling u take hold Oft, an to assist him in carrying
the plan into execution Still his ren, oning had such
an effect upon the minds Of some two or three gentle
men, that they promised to in the matter in New
iofR, so soon as strong demonstration was made in
N London This was something gained however Little
| it was.
with this promise, Mr.. Snill, left New York, upou
ms re'ur" TO i"nd"n in the packet ship President on
the 9oth OF December, 1882. After fine run of II u W
from view YORK, sonndlnPs were obtainsd But lust
as all on board were conyrn,uang themselves with the
Good luck that had be fallen the liner North Eas, gale
eruoN her. and she was 10 days beating into Plymouth
according to the arguments Of Mr. Smith, This tedious
passage could have been performed in IS days by aiy
ordinary sea going steamer The resul, of his cxpc.
Pe'ehc" on Tins voyage was determinations as soon as
possible to test the PracticaLiy OF his opininn by nc
tual experiment.
lie arrived in Lond"u on the 24lh Of January 1888,
30 soon as he recovered from the fatigue of his lung
voyage, he ednronnh him 20 ascertain whether Tiers
were any seagoIns steam vessels Of sufficient power to
Whilst nd the force Of the Atlantic waves and LARGE
enough I" carry the requisite supply ofcoals from Lon
""' 10 I'VE" YORK. There were many s,,ch s,ps but
they wee all engaged in profitable trades. His u,.,
ton was, however directed steam shin then nm ,,
stocks a, Blnckwall. She constructed to ne,sur.
8oo tons hur'en and intended to be propeIl,d Nv
two Engines Of 100 horse power each Her who'll, cos,
was estimated at 100000 sterling He had an interview
with some of the gentlemen of the COMPANY. WIN were
building her, the 18th of February, 1885, The yes
sci was to be done early in April the very season hes,
fitted to undertake this experiment. After Il long d;s
cuss'"n of the advantages that the opening of steam nuv.
ga''"n across the Atlantic would confer upon those who
should be first in the field, the owners of the shin d.cn
Ell entering upon so hazardous an undertaking. Mr.
Smith proposed to charter the vessel ON his own res
possibility. This, too, they refused.
NV" days after this defeat, on the 9th of February
1883 Mr. Smith addressed a letter to Mr. Jones' one ot
the directors ofthe London and Ednhurc Steam pockr,
Company calling the attention of the Directors I, his
proposition. an con junction." saws Mr. Smith. "wi,b
my hiends in New York, desirons offorning line
NJ steam packets to run between the ports of London and
New York. apprehend that four in number will he
sufficient and fully equal to the twelve American sail
ing ships now running in the same line 1t is NV in,en
ton to haze two British and two American packets and
the object is;to combine the interests of the Two conn
tres IN their support, and to afford certain conveyunce
both ways for goods of foreign as well as domestic
growth and manufacture. BY the treaty OF commerce
win the United States British ships cannot take for
e'gn goods to the United States nor cal American Sims
bring foreign good to England but the converse is ,rue
OF both 1t vi" therefore be seen that line E,rmel or
the ships of both nations, sail alternately will ems
brace all branches of the carrying trade. NV friends in
New York make no doubt ofe praclicuby nor of the
success Of such undertaking and have me that
they viii build two steam vessels, suited to The object
IN view, as soon they learn that the PLAN so far as re.
CARDS the British interest, he carried into execution
here Wh1tever mode Of conveyance will shorten ard
facilitate the passage from Europe, is certain to have
preference. and line Of packets starting from
London and Portsmouth, would not only have the sup
port OF Great britain, but of all Europe PROPOSE if
the Company entertain doubts thu success of the
to charter of them suitable vessel for two
voyages or twoveSscl for voyage earh and to take
upon myself the result Of su,h experiment. The
distance from Portsmouth to New York is about 5000
miles, ana good steam packet ought make the pas
sage IN twelve or thirteen days five sailed from Lon
uoh the -ot' OF April Or LIST of May would be in good
time
MI Jones lad this letter before the Board of Direc.
tors "fthe Company. On the 9TH of February. Mr.
Mitchell, by command Of the Committee Of the Compa-
ny informed Mr. Smith that his proposals were declined
Tor that season, as all their vessels were otherwise an
pointed.
ny some, this decnalion on the part of the company
was co'sIdercda prudent step, as, had they acce
ded t" the proposition of Mr. Smith, the vessel that he
would have chartered, would not have had fair chance
o' testing the Proft part of the experiment. in conse
quence ct the check put travelling that wear bv III.
I""ges Vi 'le cholera during the previous season. |
'hss may ne, It is ,Ir t" infer that the success
'' passage aa'sss the ocean by steam Mrn would have
ee" o''o"e long ere tins by the complete establish
''F"' u London and Nc" York line by steam, pack.
cts.
Not dSconr grd by this second r,pul<c, Mr., Sm,
commenced II negotiation the 18Th Nav, 1873 Win
tn" sharslolterI "fthe London Merchant Steam Sill,
h'y NUMBERED about sixteen, aud guided in their
notions al charter prcrhv the Pur,,s,es, standard c
paying tor Things. Their steamer had inst returned
rom III" coast OF Portugal, where she had beer, in TN.
service 81 Don f'dro Substantially built she had ,,.
OF beng first rate boat. Her ,rcou
"'oa"ls WERE however, OF the kin for passcu
erS. Mr. Snith offered the owner, T. 1900 for two
"yaSes' out and back of their vessel he paving all
expenses Ct provisions, servants, &c. &c. lie had mudr
W MS mld TO g" as high { 400 rner than mi IS the
opportunity, but the pr"prIeors hootcd At the olr They
OK no sort ct interest in the project she was intended
D carry out. All they wanted was an cxnrhi,au, .um
money for her charter. Here the negotiation wa.
rnkcn off.
IN the m nth of J"ly 1888 Nr Macsrcgor Lurd left
n"'and from his celebrated seam cxpc,,tiou II, IN,
ser' shortly after MS arrival in London he became
'trntely acquainted with MIR. Smith. POSSESSING "
md richly stored with facts gathered from a louo anil
ni'u' experience in sea steam nav igariDr aud heinz ,
h"S"S''c IN devotion to the scence of steam lie WAS
ell calculated 10 enter into The schemes of Mr. Smith
nd TO ASSIST hiih m his great project of Joining New
Ok ana onion by II line of steam pack
Alter lapse of more than two wears from The l.c, :
his third attempt charter steam shin Mr. Sm;,,
as prepared to bring forward his project in the form ,f
prospectus Assisted by Mr. Laird he enabled to l.
t the matter iii clear gh, befure The public SO far n.
e calculations Of expenses profits went II w,s ~
deni 10 both Smith Laird that was useless Il,
tempt The enlistment of companies already formed in
e extended scheme As to the carerin- Of far
ch an un'rd v'y age, il was perhaps expecting too .
uch It the owners to consent What was 10 he done
he public nlnd had become familiar with the de-
Ills OF deep sea steam and il