Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-12-05


certain her speed, destination and OBJ
ject. 1t was surmised that her ultimate
destination was st. Helena, to aid in
the escape of Napoleon, who was then
prisoner on that island. AS long as
Napoleon lived he was the great bug
bear to the British Government, and
his probable escape from his imprison-
ment constantly troubled the dreams
of the officials, To watch the Savan-
nah and prevent her getting to the
prison island, war vessels were hastily
fitted for sea and dispatched 10 differ
ent points to intercept her if she had
any such designs, and the British Gov
ernment did not rest easy until the
American vessel was finally reported
as on its way back across the Atlantic.
From Liverpool the Savannah went
to Copenhagen and then Stockholm.
At the latter place she was visited by
the royal family and all the nobility.
None took greater interest in the new
vessel than the officers of the navy,
and an excursion was given for them
and the royal family, that they might
witness the workings of the engines.
AT st. Petersberg, Capt Rogers and his
new vessel were received with the great,
est honors, the Emperor dining on
board, and afterward feting the cap
tain and his officers. The Emperor in
vited Capt. Rogers to remain in Rus
sian waters and offered him as con-
sideration the exclusive navigation of
the Black and Baltic Seas for number
of years. From st. Petersburg the Sa-
vannah went to Arendal, Norway, and
from there sailed home, making the re-
turn trip in twenty five days. A Brit
ish war vessel tried to keep in sight
Of her after she started on her return
trip, but was left hopelessly in the rear
in about twelve hours.
The next vessel to try steam on the
Atlantic was the Curacao, which made
several trips between Holland and the
West Indies. The first keel laid ex-
pressly for an Atlantic steamship was
that of the Great Western at Bristol,
England, in 1887. She was completed
early in 1888, and sailed in April for
New York, preceded three days by the
Sirius, sailing vessel, that had been
adapted for steam. Each vessel made
the trip of near three thousand miles
wholly by steam and without having
to take on additional supplies. The
average sailing was about 210 miles per
day. About this time the Americans
were building the famous clipper ships,
that outsailed everything afloat, and
often beat the Cunarder steam vessels
across the Atlantic.
The fast sailing of one of those clip
pers came near getting the American
postal authorities into q serious dispute
with those of Great Britain by carrying
the mails, but the breeze blew over
and was not renewed until Hon. Cave
johnson, of Tennessee, was Postmaster
General under President Polk. At that
time the mails, both to and from Eng
land, were carried in vessels flying the
British flag. America had some very
fast clippers, and had lately sent to sea
some steamships faster than any afioat.
Mr.. johnson concluded to dispatch
American mails for England in Amer
ican bottoms. The arrival of the New
York, tAe first of those vessels, at Liv-
erpool with the mails caused terrific
roar from the British Lion, and the
Postmaster General of England issued
an order adding an additional postage
of twenty four cents. The regular post
age was then twenty four cents for
every half ounce or fraction and this
order increased it to forty eight. The
order was made not only to apply to
the mail brought by the New York,
but to all mail in the future landed in
England by American vessels. When
information of this action was brought
to the attention of Mr.. johnson, he
promptly retaliated by ordering sim.
liar addition made to the postal charges
on all letters from England brought to
America in English vessels. This war
between the postal authorities contin.
ued for some time, until at last the
British authorities were forced to back
down, and propose postal treaty be.
tween the two countries. This resulted
in the concluding of the first postal
treaty ever made by the United States
with any foreign Government, and has
been the basis of all those made since.
For number of years after its first
introduction ocean steam navigation
was remarkably free from great disas
ters, the first occurring in 1854. In
spired by subsidy granted by the U.
s. Government Edward K. Collins, q
large ship builder and owner, estab
lished line of steamers to ply between
New York and Liverpool. Among the
first and finest of these vessels was the
Arctic. On Sept. 20, 1854, the Arctic
left England with about four hundred
passengers, and very valuable cargo
under the command of Capt. Luce. Mr.
Collins, with his family. was on board
About noon on the 9th, off the coas
of Newfoundland, in the midst of ar
impenetrable fog, the Arctic collidet
+ with the French steamer Vistar. i
was at first thought the Artic had re