The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21

Company, in whose hands she was
wrecked off Cape Finisterre.
A still worse fate befell the President.
This fine steamer was launched at New
York with great eclat, in December, 1889,
and started on her first trip in August of
the following year. She made good time
across, and great hopes were entertained
concerning her. But they were doomed to
speedy blight. In April, 1S41, she sailed
from Liverpool bound to New York, and
was never heard of again. Other vessels
reported icebergs Astounding and strong
gales prevalent, and no doubt these two
perils of the sea combined for the destruc-
ton of this unfortunate steamer whose
mysterious loss proved so serious blow
to the pioneer company to which she be-
longed that it withdrew from business and
sold the remnant of its fleet to the Belgium
government.
Indeed it would seem as though some
malign fate persistently followed the en-
deavors of those in the new world, who
sought to bridge the Atlantic with lines of
steamships effecting regular communica-
ton with the continent.
In the year 1S47 the United States en-
tered this great and promising field of en-
terprise by the formation of the Ocean
Steam Navigation Company, which con-
tracted to carry the mails between New
York and Bremen. Their first steamer
was the United States, a 1900 ton side
wheeler that made the passage in thirteen
days. But the demand for passengers
and freight accommodation was then
so slight that she did not pay, and
after few round trips was sold in Bremen.
a year later the New York & Havre Steam
Navigation Company was established and
subsidized by the American government
at the rate of $4,000 per annum. This
company owned four good vessels, rang
ing from loo to $500 tons, viz: The
Washington, Hermann, Franklin and
| Humboldt, the latter being the largest
steamship built in America up to that
time. For some years matters went on
smoothly and prosperously. Then fol-
lowed series of misfortunes.
| In 1858 the Humboldt was totally wrecked
off the entrance to Halifax harbor. not far
from where the Allan tic met her disas-
trous doom some twenty years later. In
| July of the following year the Franklin
went ashore on the southwest OF Long
| island, where part of her truss and walk
| ing-beam may still be seen, if they have
not disappeared quite recently. In order
TO prevent their contract with the govern
| ment being Cancelled the company char
| tered steamships TO maintain the line until
two new ones could be built. These were
ready in 1856, and were called the Full
ton and Arago. They were about the
same tonnage as their unfortunate prede-
cessors, but their passenger accommoda-
ton was far superior. Yet in 1861 the line
was withdrawn. The cause was two-fold
In the iirst place the steamships were re-
| CURED for government service, the war of
the rebellion having broken out, and in
the second place the competition caused
| by the more economical screw steamers of
the North German Lloyds and Hamburg
| Packet Company could not be proiitably
! withstood by the slower and more costly
| side-wheeierS.
| Almost equally unfortunate, although
even more deserving of permanent success,
| was the second venture made by American
| capitalists TO secure due share of ocean
| transportation, viz. the famous Collins,
| or United States mail line. This was or
ganized by Edward X. Collins, the enter
prlsing head OF company running line
| OF packets between New York and New
| Orleans. Impressed with the success which
had attended the operations of the Cunard
line, he promoted the establishment of a
| rival line. After two years of heroic ex-
| ertlon be had the satisfaction of securing
sufficient capital and four tine steamers.
The lrst of these to sail from New York
was the Atlantic, which set forth on April
%, 1919.
| The Collins line had most liberal sub
| sldy from the government, amounting to
| no less than $4,000 yearly, conditioned
! on the steamships making twenty-six
voyages yearly. Full of hope and pluck
and Yankee daring. the company threw
|
| undertaking TO make the fastest passages
| between the two countries, and there at
| once ens0ed a struggle for supremacy
| which two nations followed with the most
| absorbing interest. No modern contest
between two ocean greyhonnds ever
| evoked as much excitement as did the
| rivalry between the Cunard and Col
| Inns champions. which went on for fnll
/ ten years from 1850 To 1850. The Collins
! boats were named the Atlantic. Pacific.
| Arctic and Baltic, and were all about the
/ same dimensions. viz: 276 feet long by Is
feet beam, the tonnage being :, 500, and the
! mode of propulsion, paddle wheels They
| surpassed IN size and style, and in speed
+ also, any steamships atioAt at the time of
/ their launching. OF the four, the Arctic
| proved herself the heetesi, her best record
! being from New York 10 Liverpool in the
! then unequaled time of nine DAYS, seven.
| teen hours and twelve minutes. Taking
! the average OF the whole year. the advant.
| age as 10 speed between the two competing
lines lay with the Collins vessels.
Yet, somehow or other, despite the brill
nancy of their achievements, aud the
enormous subsidy granted them, fortune
did not favor them nor their owners, The
Arctic was lost with most OF her passen-
gsEs; the Pacific mysseTiously disappeared,