New-York tribune., 1873-03-06
QUICK TIME TO EUROPE.
or-.Y PERILs GRADUALLY DIMINISHING - A
SKETCH OF THE TRANSATLANTIC STEAMSHIP
JPAFPIC

Less than a quarter of century ago those
,ybo venured 10 sea were accounted heroes. pros
pectye VOYAGE across the Atlantic conured up III tpc
imacinatons OF comfortable. homeoyins people Visions
OF prvaon and unknown horrors AT 0est the passage
had many terrors and few bright features What "aS'
IN 1881 voyage Of from 30 TO 30 days became In 1885,
matter OF u to Is days and has now been almost re-
dnccd 10 week estimated that the application OF
stronger engines to vessels OF improved model VIII nave
the effect OF still further reducing the time Of tho Allan
tic voyage
IT'S not necessary to refer to the avore schemes OF
both American and English inventors TO apply steam 10
the propulsion OF ships Early in the present century
George Dodd who had established line OF steamers Oh
the Thames in Isi3 projected the scheme OF trans
atlantic sieamsbipa July TO- 1919 the Savannah, a
sel OF $50 tons made the voyage by steam ana
sau from New-York to Liverpool IN 20 days
It was many years, however uSj8, before the
litto steamer sirius sailed from Cork Ireland
and arrived safely this port She made the voyage,
under canvas and stean in Is days Tho Great western
large steamer sailed about the same time from BflSol
and performed the voyage. under steam only IN little
less than IS days She built at Bristol and was OF
400 tuns The Sirius, recorded the first seam-yesse
that crossed the Atlantic from Europe came 10
most humIiating end She was transferred 10 the local
trade Cork and London and was lost upon one
of the small rocky islands in the English Channel Then
there came out TO this country the British Queen, which,
|
ment She was followed by the Great Liverpool after
| ward placed on the line between southampton and
Alexandria, Egypt The ll-fated steamship President
like the City Of Boston, lost at in 1Sil and none
among the list OF passengers or crow was ever hearu
FROM The average time for crossing the ocean had then
become IL days. A passage Of II days was rarity
| In the Summer Of 1870 the now famous Cunard Com
many sent ont its steamers to hisport The Britannia
| Acadia Caledonia Columbia. and Hlbernia followed
| each other during tho same year or these the
| Columbia went ashore the American coast great
event in steam navigation occurred about this tme an
iron steamer-the Great Britan-2ropelled By screw
| instead OF Dy padde.wheols, being launched. After
making several successful trips, she fpassed an entire
Winter on bar the coast OF Ireland and was success
fully got of in the following Spring. All steamers which
had crossed the Atlantic had been OF Engsh build The
American nation essayed ocean steam navigation
| SUPERIORITY OF TIE AMERICAN MODEL
The Washington the first American steamer TO cross the
ocean, arrived at Liverpool after voyage OF about II
days This a gain in favor OF American smpbuilding
ana the great attention pioneer vessel received
in Liverpool from English builders caused the greatest
enthusiasm among the capitalists Of this city, Then fol-
lowed I'm 1850 the halcyon days OF anticipation regarding
the Collins line Great things were promised and every
expectation seemed to be fully gratfed The people Of
this country watched the building Of the Atlantic, Pa
| cidc Baltic Adriatic and Arctic with great common
interest Few events in the history Of this port have
elected more general attention from the citizens than
did the departure OF the Atlantic for Liverpool on April
a. 1850 On this her first voyage the Atlantic made the
run TO the eastward in 10 days Two accidents greatly
heightened this voyage. II was discovered after the
vessel had been several days at that the boards OF
the padde-wheels were weak and IS hours were oc
cuped In mid ocean in strengthening them. The aver
age time occupied in the Of 1879 had been i2i
days Tne quickest passage had been nade oy lI9 Ian
and hours. In her second voyage tine Atlantic, how
ever, completely surpassed all her rivals as she per
|
hours. The vessel was, during her stay IN LIVER
pool the object Of universal attention. No dock in the
city wide enough to mold her. and she was anchored
Tue Collins steamer Baltic was built by Jacob Bell OF
New-York at % $4,000. she strictly Of the
American model and the adoption OF the straight stem
without any bowsprt, by the Ensli,h ana ocotch snip
builders, proved its superiority over an previous pat
terms. The Baltic made the voyage to Liverpool IN No
vember. 1882 IN 10 days ana IL hours capt. Mackhhoh
OF the Royal Navy pronounced the Baitc OeyOhu com.
petition the finest. fastest, ana best sea 1olt IN Ih9
world" The steamer city OF glasgow lV9I tuhs saled
during 1850 from Glasgow, and arrived at fhllleph
May g. thus consuming the westward passage II days
She urned IN "a DAYS TINS marks the start Oh the IN
man Company The Washing gton,and Hermann had begun
tomake gular trips between Bremen Southampton, aud
| this city, and the British Queen was plying between
| Hamburg and this city. These vessels are TO he no
steamship lines ia operation. Although there had
existed a regular line of packets between HAMBURG
that monthly line OF steamers introduced. Addi-
tonal vessels were added from time to time until the
| fleet of the Hamburg Company now numbers II
steamers making weekly passages. The lnman line
had been running steamers between Liverpool and
Philadelphia for years when. in 1851 the American
terminus OF tho line removed to this port. Their
have from the very first been noted for speed
and after their establishment here they reduced
the to niue days This line has been very
prosperous Their vessels are built ON the clyde aud are
all large-slZed. iron, screw steamships. The City OF
Brussels in her last run to Queenstown made the Ie-
markabe time of day., 20 hours and 10 minutes The
two vessels, City 6f Chester and City OF Richmond,
now building, are OF the largest and fastest class
| THE GERMAN LINES.
The North German Lloyd Company OF Bremen started
in 1853 with monthly steamers. but discourage
decided TO abandon the line altogether but in lse? it's
prospects Frightened and It ia to-day not only one OF the
prosperous but best managed lines which 10
this port. 1t numbers among its feet steamers and
has two Others in course Of construction The time OF its
steamers has compared very fayoraby with other lines,
taking into consideration the additional distance
to be traversed. The Anchor line from Glasgow this
port was founded in 1868, and from a comparatively
| small beginning has grown to the magnitude Of 40
steamers. Two large piers scarcely sufficient 10
accommodate their semiweekly line of steamers which
is constantly increasing. Their route is considerably
longer than 10 Liverpool and their passages vary from
10 TO l6 days The National line into existence in
the same year, and now comprises among ts feet the
largest steamers employed In the Atlantic service. The
spain mas made several very quick trips The Egypt
and Italy are vessels OF extraordinary carrying capacity
and are elegantly fitted.
their fleet now numbers six steamers, They are building
| two Others the Dakota and Montana, which are in
December lS7l made the trip to Queenstown In eight
days and twelve hours. The French line from Hayre
iOlONcd IN 1865. 1hc burning OF the Lafayette
serious embarrassment to the Company but is in
a very hourishing condition The average voyage to
Havre Is Of about ten days duration. The year 1871 in
trOduced the White line whose five steamers are
now marvels Of speed. The Baltic, her last yoy
ages accomplished the passages the eastward IA days
IS hours, and is minutes, aud days 20 hours aud .
minutes respectively. Tho rivalry between the Inman
White Star nes and the triumph Of the Baltic
the City Of Brussels by exactly one minute has not
finally decided the question favor OF either steamer
The Baltic Lloyd from Stettin, and the Bristol line were
both established in the year tho White star
Company The pioneer boat OF the latter Company left
Bristol Aug 49, lSTl The line to Cardiff aud the Rotter
dam and Antwerp Company began In 1917. These four
last companies have not yet established weekly commu
| Dcatlop.
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