Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-29
OCEAN STEAMSHIPS.
DEVELOPMENT OF ATLANTIC PIONEERS
INTO GREAT LINERS.
Racers in Early Times-Ths First Regu.
lar Line-American Ventures
and Results.


a graduate of Yale, the credit of being the
first one to move, in 1888, towards the or
ganization of a company to run steam
vessels across the Atlantic. The Savan-
nah, says Ocean, was the first steamship to
cross the Atlantic she sailing from the
port of the same name for Liverpool, May
%, 1919. She made the passage in twenty
FIVE days, then visited St. Petersburg, and
reached home in due time without start
ing a bolt or parting lanyard. In 1881
the Royal William sailed from Quebec to
London, but was there sold and did not
return. Six years after the London Ndu-
teal Magazine had an article declaring
that "the time is fast approaching when
the famous prophecy Of the Rev. DR.. Di-
onysius Lardner, to the effect that it is as
easy to go to the moon as from port in
England to New Yo.k by steam,' is to be
tested. Two vessels are building, one at
Bristol and the other at Londou-the lat
ter to be 1875 tons burden, and TO have
capacity for twenty-five days coal and 800
tons Of cargo"
The Sirius arrived at New York on St.
Georges Day, the 23d of April, 1888, and
myriads of persons crowded the Battery to
catch a glimpse of the first ocean steam
ship to arrive at that port. Her honors,
however, were short lived, as the Great
Western, sailing four days later, arrived
but few hours after. The passage of the
Great Western consumed fifteen DAYS to
the westward and fourteen days on her
homeward trip. Her best run for twenty
four hours was 241 miles; her smallest 169,
made against strong head winds and sea.
She consumed on her westward trip 452
tons of coal and had about $50 tons re-
naming on arrival.
The Sirius, the smaller vessel, 700 tons,
was not so fortunate. She was four days
longer on the trip, all her coal was con-
sumed, and she reached port only by burn
ing spare spars and by going at reduced
speed. She sailed for home again on May
1st, having amongst her passengers the
Chevalier Wickotf and James Gordon
Bennett, the founder of the New York
Herald. She made but one voyage, it not
proving profitable. She was placed upon
the channel service between Cork and
Dublin.
The Great Western continued to sail in
the Atlantic trade, first from Bristol and
later from Liverpool to New York, making
in all thirty-seven round voyages and not
until many other steamships were engaged
in the trade was she removed, being then
sold to the West India Company, and con-
tinued to run until 1857. Her fastest
rrac tu-a 20 I'd a lo II
The Liverpool, built in Liverpool in
1888, made six voyages TO and from New
York: and was then disposed of to the Pc
ninsular and Oriental Company.
The President, built in New York, was
launched December I, 1889, with great
eclat, and sailed on her first trip August l,
1910. Her existence was very brief. She
sailed from Liverpool TO New York in
April 1871, and was never again heard OF.
Strong gales and the dreaded iceberg were
reported by other vessels, and it is sup
posed to one or both these causes her loss
was due.
There is but one other individual steam
ship that calls for place here, before en-
tering upon the history of the great ocean
lines.
The Great Britain was built at Bristol,
and for many years was the largest and
finest ship afoat. Although intended for
a side-wheeler, difficulties connected with
the large castings necessary for that style
of vessel compelled an alteration in her
design, and she was finished as an auxili-
airy screw steamship. Four years elapsed
from the time her keel laid until she was
launched, and she was detained in the
Cumberland Dock, Bristol, for some months
afterwards, because of the width of the
ship being greater than the dock gates.
She could not get out until the dock en-
trance was torn down and rebuilt Her
dimensions were: Length, 322 feet; width
OF beam, 81 feet; depth Of hold, 81 feet 6
inches, and 3,44S tons, old measurement
twice the size of any steamship previously
built. She was of immense strength, and
was built in six water-tight compartments.
She was intended as a consort to the
Great Western, but on her first voyage to
New York she was stranded in Dundrum
Bay, Ireland, September %, 1876, where
she lay for eleven months, exposed to all
the storms that swept the Irish coast, and
when finally foated She was found to have
received little injury. She made but one
or two voyages to New York; was used
during the Crimean War as troopship by
the British Government, and at its close
began her career as-until recent years
the most successful vessel ever engaged in
the Australian trade. Memorable was the
impression produced in Liverpool when
the Great Britain arrived from Melbourne.
She was 70 that trade what our present fast
transatlantic vessels are between Europe
and America. She reduced the time be-
tween the mother country and the Colony
by weeks. Her passages were regularly
made between fifty-four and sixty DAYS, as
against four months by the old style OF
clipper, and yet her steam power was only
used in adverse winds or Gains. "Giye her
start" as the boys used to say, "and with
her canvas alone she could hold her own
with the best packets in the trade"
Passing several futile attempts by steam
ships of small tonnage and power, which
were quickly withdrawn because not
adapted tn the trade, Samuel Cunard, OF
Halifax, an enterprising merchant, having
been close student Of the attempts and
achievements of those vessels whose his
tory has been briefly recounted here, con-
ceived the idea OF establishing a line of
steHih P"CNe'S " uH e'ehtuaiif ioIuiSHtlE
between Liverpool and Boston, via Hal
flax.
In 1888 Mr.. Cunard went to England,
and, after some delay, placed contract
with Messrs. Robert Napier & Co., on the
Clyde, for four vessels Of 900 tons each and
800 horsepower. By Mr.. Napier's advice
this order was afterwards changed TO 1000
tons and 40 horsepower. Messrs. Burns,
of Glasgow, and MacIver, of Liverpool,
joined the enterprise, at the invitation Of
Mr.. Napier, and the British and North
American Royal Mail Steam Packet Com.
pany, to be known as the Cunard Line, was
originated The British Government en-
tered into a seven years contract with
them for the conveyance of the mails fort
nightly to Halifax and Boston for the an