The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-14
OCEAN STEAMERS.
a sketch OF Transatlantic Navigation

OCEAN. STEAMERS.
A sketch OF Transatlantic Navigation
The Westmiaster ReoieW for April has al
interesting article on ocean steamship navi
CATION, from which we gather the following
facts and statistics upon the subject:
The credit of building the first vessel pro
PEELED by steam is generally accorded t.
Robert Fulton, although there are many
other claimants for the honor. Certain il
is, that in 1913 q Spanish captain named
Blasco de Garay exhibited in the harbdr Of
Barcelona, q steamboat Of mis- own inven
siOn, of about 200 tons burthen. The mo
tive power WAS supplied by cauldrcn Of
boiling water, placed under q movable
wheel on each side of the ship. 1t was not
however, until James Watt patented bis
improved steam engine, in 1869, that any
progress was made towards the invention
Of successful steamboat.
In 1882 stesmboat of considerable
size was constructed by the Marquis de
JouffrOy, and navigated the Saone for
some time, but it was ultimately put aside
for want of power. Partially successful
attempts we're made by various parties in
France, and from 1888 to 1889 by Fitch and
Rumsey in America In 1856, Rumsey built
boat Of nine tons, that steamed against
the current Of the Potomac, at the rate OF
fonr or tive miles an hour. In 1903 Robert
Fulton, who had been long experimenting
upon the subject, put in his first working
model at PlOmbiere, in France. Returning
70 America with one Of Boulton & Watts
engines of eighteen horse power, he formed
York in 1907, he buiit the Clcrmont. which
made the first completely successful voyage
by steam from NV York to Albany, and is
entitled to he called the first successful pas
senger steainbOat ever built. Five years
later, in 1912, Henry Bell, Of Glasgow, built
and started the first European passenger
steamship, the Comet. &
But although the praoticsbility Of navi-
CATION by steam Yves now completely and
forever established, it was not till 1919 that
the attempt was made to steam across the
Atlantic. /, A Mr.; ses.boIough, Of Savannah,
purchased in New York q vessel, which,
out of compliment 70 his native
city he called the SavaxsaA. 1t was about
300 tuns burthen, clipper built, fully rugged,
and propelled BY ono inolined direct acting
low pressure engine Nike those now in use.
Her speed, without sails,, was about six
knots an hour. She sailed from New York
tor Savannah on the 20th Of March, 1919,
and reached the latter port on April 9Th
Thence she ssiled TO Charleston, where she
took on board James Monroe, then President
Of the United States, and returned to Savan-
nah. In the Savannah Republicans, Of May
18th, 1919, we find the following advertise
FOR LIVERPOOL.
The. steamship Savannah" Captain
Rodgers, will, without fail, proceed to
Liverpool direct tomorrow, 2Otl, inst. Pas
sengers, if any Offer, can be well accom-
modated. Apply on board.
No passengers "Offered," aud the Savan-
nah set out for Liverpool on the day adver-
tised, reaching that port on the Goth of
June. The Savannah did not steam
oil the way, having only worked her
being found necessary to economic the fuel
which was pitch pine. During the voyage,
several amusing incidents occurred. When
first seen off Cape Clear, the vessel was
thought to be on fire, and the English Ad-
miral, at Cork, dispatched fast cutter to
her relief; aud great was the wonder of the
crew at their inability to overtake ship un-
der bare poles. At Liverpool no little excite
ment and even apprehension were caused.
1t was suspected BY some that the design
of the Savannah was to rescue Napoleon
Bonsparte from Sc. Helena, his brother
Jerome having offered large sum for that
carefully watched BY tho British Govern
nlent, and for short time ships-of- war were
stationed at certain points 70 prevent it's
departure from Liverpool The next ship
that steamed across the Atlantic was the
Canadian steamer Royal William, built at
Three Rivers, in the province Of Quebec, in
1881. IL was 100 feet long, "A feet broad, II
feet inches deep, and registered 1863 tons
The Roynl WWtiaSs sailed from Que
heo, August 9Th, 1883, for London,
and arrived at Gravesend on the 10th
Of September. But neither the voyage
Of the Royal William, nor of the Savannah,
were commercially successful, nor led to
practical results. The carriage of a cargo
Was impossible in the case of vessels which
oould hardly contain supplies sufficient for
. single voyage, aud it was not until 1893
that the splendid passages Of the Great
Western and the Sirius demonstrated the re-
MuDeratiyef practicability Of ocean steam
navigation. The Siriss was 4l2 tons burthen,
Xnd leaving Cork on the 5th of April, 1888,
it dropped anchor in tho North River amid
tnmultnons cheers, the ringing Of bells and
ME discharge Of cannon. Some hours later
the excitement Of the immense crowd gath
sTedOn the Battery in New York was still |
further intensified by tho arrival of another
and larger steamship, the Great Westrn,
which had loft Bristol on the 9Th, and after |
y splendid run of fourteen DAYS and half |
drew up at the docks, while cheer after |
cheer rent the airSand the battery thun-
dered = welcome through six and twenty
guns. This was thirty six years ago, and
to-day steamships are crossing the ocean in
such hunibess as to make it : grand terry,
III which they almost jostlc each other daily, 7
~ beOkeN voyage is rare occurrence.
yAe next ocean steamship built by the
Brtish and American Steam Navigation
Company was the Britisk Qsccm the size of
which created ~ much astonishment in
1859 IS did that of the Great Eastern
thirty yesp later. From figure head
- taffrail sAc measured 276 feet, being
IS feet longer than her only rival, the
Great Weat~w. Her breadth Of beam, in
eluding paddle boxes, wss6f feet her depth
IF hold ~ feet. Her engines were of 500
her burden 4Ol6 tons, and her
oost $50 ,0No. THE BfisisA Qsecx started on
her first trip from Portsmouth, on July 18th.
1879. With full uomplou,cnt Of passengers.
= Grew vi ~ mon, 90 tons Of coal and
freight valued 1t over sevea miiiione Of dol
lars. &hs reached New York. after 4 good
4 - 4 3,