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-The First Regu-
lar Line-American Ventures
and Results.

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 bolt or parting a lanyard. In 1881
the Royal William sailed from Quebec to
London, but was there sold and did not
return. Six years after the London MAJ
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 60 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 London-the lat
ter to be 1875 tons burden, and 10 have a
capacity for twenty-five days coal and 500
tons Of cargo"
The Sirius arrived at New York on St.
Georges Day, the sd 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-
manning 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
lst, 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
passage was twelve and half days.
The Liverpool, built in Liverpool in
1883, 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 /,
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 ahoat. 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, 80 feet G
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 Dundrun
Bay, Ireland, September %, 1916, 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 a troopship by
the British Government, and at its close
began her career as-until recent years
the most successful vessel ever engaged il
the Australian trade. Memorable was the
impression produced in Liverpool wher
the Great Britain arrived from Melbourne
She was 20 that trade what our present fast
transatlantic vessels are between Europe
Che ralroal .ha l.,
tween the mother country and the Colony
by weeks. Her passages were regularly
made between ffty-four and sixty days, a
against four months by the old style o
clipper, and yet her steam power was only
used in adverse winds or Gains. "Giye hel
start" as the boys used to say, "and will
her canvas alone she could hold her owl
with the best packets in the trade"
Passing several futile attempts by steam
ships of small tonnage and power, which
were quickly withdrawn because no
adapted to the trade, Samuel Cunard, o
Halifax, an enterprising merchant, having
been close student Of the attempts anC
achievements Of those vessels whose his
tory has been briefly recounted here, con
ceived the idea of establishing a line o
steam packets to run eventually fornightly
between Liverpool and Boston, via Hal
flax.
In 1883 Mr.. Cunard went to England
and, after some delay, placed contrac
with Messrs. Robert Napier q Co.. on tn,
Clyde, for four vessels OF 900 tons each ant
300 horsepower. By Mr.. Napier's advic,
this order was afterwards changed to l,20,
tons and 40 horsepower. Messrs. Burns
of Glasgow, and MacIver, of Liverpool
Joined the enterprise, at the invitation 0
Mr.. Napier, and the British and Nortl
American Royal Mail Steam Packet Com
pany, to be known as the Cunard Line, wa
originated. The British Government en-
tered into a seven years contract will
them for the conveyance of the mails fort
nightly to Halifax and Boston for the an
,,nal SIM, of eco 00O