The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-13
The First Steam Voyage Across the Atlantic.

and as deserved compliment to bis State and
city, named her the Savannah, and deter
mined with her to try the experiment Of cross
ing the ocean without sails. In casting about
for the right kind of men to assist him he fixed
upon Capt. Moses Rogers, a person of great
mechanical skill and ingenuity, who had been
familiar and identified with the experiments
of Fulton, but he was not sea navigator. A
thorough, experienced and practical sailor was
now wanted, and just such man was found
in tie person Of Capt. Steven Rogers. After
having been furnished with an engine by Ste
phen Vail, of Morrlstown, conformity with
Daniel Dodd, of Elizabethtown, the Savannah
was placed under the joint command of the
two Capts Rogers, the one to superntenl and
direct her machinery, the other to act as sail
ing master. They were two as intrepid and
able men as the country could afford, and I'M
der their direction the ship sailed for Savan-
nah on the Goth of March, 1919 The trial
was highly successful. The vessel then pro-
ceeded to Charleston, and after being lionised
there for a short time, took James Monroe,
then President of the United States to Savan-
nah. On the Goth of May she sailed direct
for Liverpool, making the passage in 90 days,
10 OF which were under steam, some econo
my of fuel being deemed advisable, lest the
supply should be exhausted.
During the voyage across the Atlantic sew
eral amusing incidents occurred, but we have
room only for the two following. obtained di-
recty from the officers in command: When
the ship was approaching Cape Clear, under
steam, she was discovered by the officers of
the telegraph station, and was reported to the
4 Il 4
The admiral at once dispatched fast cutter
well manned, to herrelef but great was their
wonder at their total inability, under all sail
and with good breeze, to come up with
ship under bare poles. After several shots
had been fired from the cutter. the. engine of
the shipwas stopped and the cutter permitted
to approach, when her officers were invited
on board to examine and admire the new in
yention. Soon after dropping her anchor in
the halbor of Liverpool, boat, manned with
sailors in naval uniform, commanded by a
lieutenant came alongside, and the officer, in
a tone more authoritative than pleasing, de-
marded of the first man he saw, Where is
your master Il have no MASTER" replied
the American.
"Where is your captain, then, sr?' " He
is below, SIR Was the reply. On reaching
the deck Capt. Rogers asked the Englishman
what he wanted. The officer replied, "My
commander demands to know by what author
ity you wear that pennant, sir?" pointing
with his sword to a coachwhip pennant flying
at the main mart head 70 this the captain
replied, By the authority my Government,
which is republican, and permits me to do So"
The officer then remarked that his commander
considered it an insult to him, and command
ing the American to haul down the pennant,
minated that if it was not quickly done he
would be supplied with help. This was lit
tie toe harsh for Yankee spirit to endure, and
Rogers instantly gave the order to haul down
the coach-whp, and supply its place with a
broad blue pennant, such as are worn by the
commanders of squadrons in our navy, and
ranking with the highest grade in that of the
British, and then, in a loud tone of voice-so
that he might be heard by the English-he
directed the engineer to get the hot water
pipes ready This order had the desired eff
feet, although there was no such apparatus On
board, and the gallant lieutenant and his
crew pulled for dear life. The hot-water ieers,
which were subsequently leveled at the British
officers, caused them to start upon an early
cruise.
The Savannah attracted great attention at
Liverpool; was visited by the authorities, and,
as her fame spread to London, the crown Of
ficers, noblemen, and many leading merchants,
visited her. The officers were very anxious
to ascertain her speed, her errand and her
destination. 1t was suspected by some that
her design was to rescue Napoleon Bonaparte,
then prisoner at st. Helena his brother Je-
rome having offered for that purpose a large
sum. She was carefully watched by the Brit
ISL Government, and ships Of war were sta
toned at certain points for that purpose, which
for a time prevented her departure from Liv-
erpool.
She finally proceeded to Copenhagen, where
she excited great manifestations of wonder and
curiosity Thence she proceeded to Stock
holm, where she was visited by the royal fam
lily, ministers of State, and naval officers, who,
by invitation, dned on board, and took an ex-
cursion among the neighboring islands, with
which they were delighted. She then pro-
ceeded to St. Petersburg, where having on
board as passenger one Lord Lyndock, who
was SO much pleased with the performance of
the steamship that he presented to each Of her
officers some token of his esteem. 10 her
sailing master was presented an elegant snuff
box of pure and massive gold, on the cover Of
which, inlaid in platina, was a representation
of Peter the Great asleep on his horse, stand
ing on the rock from which he viewed the
Swedish army, with, the serpent biting the
heel of the horse, which awoke him in time to
successfully attack the Swedes At the bot
tom Of the snutf-box was this inscription
"Presented by Sir Thomas Graham, Lord
Lyndock, to Stephen Rogers, sailing master of
the steamship Savannah at St. Petersburg,
October 10th, 1919" Lord Lyndock had ia
ken passage on the steamer by invitation Of
Christoper Hughes, then American minister
to Sweden.
Upon her arrival al St. Petersburg, the yes
sci was visited by the entire court, who tested
her qualities by trip TO Cronstadt, and so
we'll pleased was the Emperor that the officers
were treated with marked attention. They
were invited to be present at review of eighty
thousand troops by the Emperor in person
and frigate of the largest class was launched
on the g Camels," and taken down to Cron-
stadt as an exhibition of the progress Of the
arts~in Russia. The Emperor solicited Capt.
Stavan Rn0ars tO ramair, in the Russian seas