The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-29
BEGUN I'M RfyALRY.
The First Transatlantic Trip Was =
t Race.

The First Transatlantic Trip Was y
t Race.
There are, undoubtedly many men and
women in New York to-day who went down
to the Battery and cheered md waved their
hands in greeting to the first steamship that
entered this port from Europe. This inn
portant event took place on April %, 1888,
and it was doubly interesting and signif-
cant because not only the first transatlantic
steamship came to anchor in the harbor on
that day, but the second also; steam trave
across the sea thus beginning with a rae,
that was earnestly contested and Brilliant.
won. Furthermore, it was a race that attract
ed infinitely more attention than any of the
contests that have succeeded it. Two steam-
vessels had crossed the Atlantic in years
previous. both having started from this side;
the Savannah, from Savannah, in 1919: and
the Royal William, from Quebec, in 1881;
but neither of these voyages had demon
strated the feasibility of abandoning the
fine sailing packets and clippers for steam
ers when it came to a long voyage. The Sa-
vannah used both steam II sail during
eighteen of the twenty-five days required for
a passage to Liverpool. and more than one
clipper overlook and passed her during
the voyage. The Royal William had to
utilize all her hold for coal in order to car
ry sufficient 9uel to insure Il completion of
the voyage. Public interest, accordingly,
was deeply stirred on both sides of the
ocean when, in 1887, it was learned that
two steam vessels were on the stocks, build
ing for the American service. These were
the Sirius, at London. and the Great West
ern, at Bristol. 1t was these vessels hat
| made the first race; the Sirius making the
trip, measured from Queenstown, in eigh-
teen and q half days, and the Great Western
in fourteen and II half days. The Sirius,
having had nearly four days. start, came
in a few hours ahead of the winner. She
brought seven passengers, and whether the
Great Western had others than her crew on
board, annot now be ascertained. The
most important American rival which for
eign corporations have encountered in
transatlantic steam navigation was the IA
nous Collins line. Mr.. Il. X. Collins had
ness between New York and Liv-
! rrpool, and in 1S47 he began to in
terest New York merchants in u plan
to establifh u new steamship line. Two
years later a ompany which he had organ
lied launched four vessels-.the Atlantic.
orally subsidized, the government paying
to the company S5S,000 yearly for carrying
the mails conditions imposed being that
the vessels should make twenty six voy-
ages every year, and that the passage from
port to port should be better in point Of
time than that made by the Cunarders.
The Collins line met the conditions
successfully it's vessels making west
ward trips that averaged eleven days,
ten hours and twenty-one minutes, as COM
pared with twelve days, nineteen hours and
~twenty-six minutes by the British steam
ships. The vessels of the Collins line cost
upwards of $700.G00 each. This was u great
deal of mono to put into n steamship in
those days. and as the largest Of the feet
was considerably smaller than the smallest
of the steamships that now ply between
New York and European ports, there was
naturally a good percentage of cost in the
appointments for the comforto Of passengers.
Many features that have since come to be
regarded as Indispensable on board ship
we're introduced by the Collins vessels.
Among them none attrat tod more comment
when tho Atlantic arrived at Liverpool, mt
the end of her first voyage, May 10. lS49,
than the barber-shop, English visitors to
the vessel. as sho lay at anchor in the Mer-
soy, saw for the first time the comfortable
chair. with its movable heaarest and foot
rest. in which Americans are accustomed to
reoline while undergoing shaving. Another
novelty was IL smoking room III u house on
the afterpart OF the deck.--FroM Ocean
Passenger Travel" by John Il. Gould, l u
April Soribner.