Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-07
The Pionscr Steamship and its Nnvi-
gators.

The noble feet of steamships tha
every Saturday leaves our city
wharves for nearly all the grea
ports of the world, naturally directs
the mind to the origin Of ocean
stcam-navigation, and will render
interesting an account of the pioneer
steamship and its navigators.
After the great principle of tho
application of steam to the propell
ing Of vessels had been established
by Robert Fulton, few small
steamers were built for coast-navi
cation, but the State of New York
excluded them from her waters
upon the gronnd that she had the
exclusive right Of that kind of navi
CATION. For the right to build the
Walk-in-the-w water, for the nav,ga
ton Of the Great Lakcs-the first OF
the kind ever built-New York
claimed and received the sum of
five hundred dollars, but the
Supreme Court promptly disposed
of this claim, and steam navigation
in our waters became open to tho
world.
The navigation of the ocean by
steam now became an important
question; and, Notwithstanding tho
disheartening prophecies of DR.
Lardner, there were people in this
country whc took a more hopeful
view of the subject. In 1918 there
flourished in Savannah, Ga, the
wealthy and enterprising CONNER,
cial house of Scarborough &!Isaacs
The head of the house had grea,
confidence that, at no distant dry,
the ocean would be navigated by
steam. He went to New York and
purchased ship of about three
hundred and fifty tons, then on the
stocks, and, as a deserved compli
ment to his State and city, named
her the Savannah, and determined,
with her, to try the experiment OF
crossing the ocean without sails. Ia
casting about for the right kind OF
men to assist him, he fixed upon
Capt. Moses Rogers, Il 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 practi-
cal sailor was now wanted, and just
such q man found in the person OF
Capt. Steven Rogers, the brother OF
Moses. After having been furnish
ed with an engine by Stephen Vail,
of Morristown, corjointly with Dan
iel Dodd, of Elizabethtown, the
Savannah was placed under the
command of the two Captains Ro-
gers-the one to snperintcnd and
direct her machinery, the other to
act as sailing-master. They were
two as intrepid and able men as the
country contained at that time, and,
under their direction, the ship sail
ed for Savannah on the 29th OF
March, 1919. The trial-trip was
highly successful. The vessel then
proceeded to Charleston, and, aftc,
being lionized there for short
time, took James Monroe, the Presi-
dent Of the United States, to Savan.
nah. On the 2Gth of May she sail
ed direct for Liverpool, making the
passage III twenty-five days, eigh
teen of which were under steam
some economy of fuel having been
deemed advisable lest the supply
should be exhausted.
During the voyage across tho
Atlantic several amusing incidents
occurred but we have room only for
the two following, obtained directly
from the officers in commands:
When the ship was approaching
Cape Clear under steam, she was
discovered by the officers Of the
telegraph station, and was reported
to the Admiral in command at Cork
as a ship on fire. The Admiral at
once dispatched fast cutter, well
manned, TO her relief; but great
was their wonder at their total in
ability, under all sail and with a
good breeze, to come up with the
ship under bare poles. After several
shots had been fired from the cutter,
the engine of the ship was stopped,
and the cutter permitted to approach
when her officers were invited on
board to examine and admire the
new invention.
Soon after dropping her anchor
in the harbor of Liverpool, boat,
manned with sailors in naval uni
form, commanded by lieutenant,
came alongside, and the officer, in
IA tone more authoritive than pleas
ing, demanded Of the first man he
saw:
NV here's your mastcr?"
u have no MASTER" replied the
American.
"W here's your captain, then,
sir?''
ale is below, Sir" was the re-
ply.
On reaching the deck, Capt. Ro.-
ers asked the Englishman what he
wanted.
The officer replied:
my commander wants to know
by what authority you wear that
pcnnant, Slr?' pointing with his
sword to coach-whip pennant fly
ing at the main-mast head.
TO this the captain replied:
"By the authority of my Govern
ment, which is republican, and per-
mits me to do 500
The officer then remarked that his
commander considered it an insult
to him, and, commanding the
American to haul down the pennant
intimated that if it was not quickly
done, he would be supplied with
help.
This was a little too much for