New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-13
Quick Time to Europe.
ocean PtrHs Gradually DtmInishIBg-
sketch Of the Trans-Asfantie Steam n q y
frame.

SooYufCu UP III Tue Hul1!nauOns OF comfort
able, home-loying people visions of priva,
ton and unknown horrors. At least, the
passage had many terrors and few bright
features. What was, In 1887, a VOYAGE al
from 30 to so DAYS became, in ls6S. matter
OF IL to Is days, and has now been aImos,
reduced to week, 1t is estimated that the
application OF stronger engines to vessels oil
improved model will have the effect of still
further reducing the time of the Atlantic
voyage.
1t is not necessary to refer to the favorite
schemes OF both American and English in
yentors to apply steam to the propulsion OF
ships. Early in the present century George
Dodd, who had established line OF steamers
ON the Thames in 1913, proiectedthe.scheme
OF transatlantic steamships. July Is, 1919,
the Savannah, a steam vessel of $50 tons,
made the voyage by steam and sail from New
York to Liverpool in 26 days II was many
years, however, {lS3s0 bsfdre the little
steamer sirius sailed from Cork, Ireland. and
arrived safely at this port. She made the
voyage, under canvas and steam. in l. DAYS.
The Great Western, large steamer. sailed
about the same time from Bristol, and per-
formed the voyage, under steam only, in a
little less than - days. She was built at
Bristol, and was of 400 tons. The Sirius,
recorded as the first steam vessel that crossed
the Atlantic from Europe, came to most
Illuminating end. She was transferred to the
loca! trade between Cork and London, and
was lost upon one of the small, rocky ISL
ands in the English Channel. Then there
came out to this country the British Queen.
which, after several voyages, was sold to the
Belgian Government. She was followed by
the Great Liverpool, afterward placed on the
line between South Hampton and Alexan-
dria, Egypt. The Inflated steamship Presi-
dent, like the City of Boston, was lost at sea
in loil, andnone among the list of passengers
or crew was ever heard from. The average
time for crossing the ocean had then become
IA days. a passage Of II days was rarity.
In the summer of 1910 the now famous
Cunard Company sent out its steamers to
tins port. The Britannia, Acadia, Gale
donia, Columbia, and Hibcrnia folwed each
other the same year. OF these the Columbia
went ashore on the American coast. A
great event in steam navigation occurred
about this time, an iron steamer-the Great
Britain-propelled by screw instead of by
paddle-wheels, being launched. After max
ing several successful trips, she passed an en-
tire winter on bar on the coast of Ireland,
and was successfully got off in the following
spring. All steamers which had crossed the
Atlantic had been Of English build. The
American nation now essaycd ocean steam
navigation.
SUPERIORITY OF THE AMERICAN MODEL.
The Washington, the first American steamer
to cross the ocean, arrived at Liverpool after
voyage of about eleven days. This was a
gain in favor of American ship building, and
the great attention which the pioneer vessel
received in Liverpool from English builders
caused the greatest enthusiasm among the
capitalists Of this city. Then followed in
1851 the halcyon days of anticipation regard
ing the Collins line. Great things were
promised and every expectation seemed to be
fully gratified. The people of this country
watched the building of the Atlantic, Pacific,
Baltic, Adriatic, and Arctic with a great
common interest. Few events in the history
OF this port have elected more general atten-
ton from the citizens than did the departure
of the Atlantic for Liverpool on April 81,
1850. On this, her first voyage, the Atlantic
made the run to the eastward in thirteen
days. incidents greatly heightened this
voyage. 1t was discovered after the vessel
had been several days at sea that the boards
OF the paddle-wheels were too weak, and
forty-eight hours were occupied in mid-ocean
in Strengthening them. The average time
occupied in the voyages of l849 had been
twelve and half days. The quickest pas.
port to Liverpool via Halifax in eleven days
and four hours. In her second voyage the
Atlantic, however, completely surpassed all
her rivals, as she performed the voyage to
the eastward in ten days and sixteen hours
The new vessel was, during her stay in Liv.
erpoOl, the object of universal attention
No dock in the city was wide enough to hold
her, and she was anchored in the stream.
The Collins steamer Baltic was built b,
Jacob Bell, Of New York, at a cost of $40,
900. She was strictly ofthe American model
and the adoption of the straight stem, with
out any bowsprit, by the English and Scotch
ship builders, proved its superiority over al
previous patterns. The Baltic made the voy
age to Liverpool in November, 1852, in tel
days and twelve hours. Captain Mackinnon
OF the Royal Navy, pronounced the Balti
beyond competition the finest, fastest, ant
best sea boat in the world" The steame
City of Glasgow, ,087 tons, sailed during
1850, from Glasgow, and arrived at Phlla
delphla May 3, thus consuming in the west
ward passage seventeen DAYS. She returne
in fourteen days. This marks the start O
the Inman Company. The Washington am
Hermann had begun to make regular trips be
tween Bremen, Southampton, and this city
and the British Queen was plying betweel
Hamburg and this city. These vessels ar
to be noticed as the beginning of the tw
regular German steamship lines now in OF
Grafton. Although there had existed regu
lar line Of packets between Hamburg and thi
port since lS4S, it was not until 1856 that
monthly line of steamers was introduced
Additional vessels were added from time t
time until the fleet Of the Hamburg Compan
now numbers twelve steamers making week.
passages. The Inman line had been runnin
steamers between Liverpool and Philade
phia for six years, when, in 1857, the Amer
lean terminus Of the line was removed to thi
port. Their steamers have from the yer
first been noted for speed, and soon afte
their establishment here they reduced tn
+ ocean passage to nine days. This line ha
+ been very prosperous. Their vessels ar
built on the Clyde and are all large.sizet
iron, screw steamships. The City Of Bru:
sells, in her last run TO Queenstown, mad
the remarkable time Of seven days, twent
hours, and ten minutes. The two new vet
sels-City Of Chester and City of Richmond
now building, are Of the largest and taste:
class.
THE GERMAN LINES.
The North German Lloyd Company of Br,
men started in 1858 with monthly steamer
but many discouragements were encountered
At one time IL was almost decided TO abandO
the line altogether, but in 1862 its prospect
frightened, and it is to-day not only one
the most prosperous, but best managed line
, which comes TO this port. II numbers anon
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