The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-22
FIRST STEAMER TO CROSS THE OCEAN

her at Sandy Hook three hours lator,
with fresh hrcezos at N. W." She arrived
at rho wharf In this city on April G. made
trip TO Charleston and back, and on
May IL took the president of tho United
States. James Monroe, and suit for
steam sail to Tybcc lighthouse and back.
Tho vessel was advertised to sail for Liver
pool OH Friday May 81; but, with true
sailors superstition, Captain Rogers re-
fused to start on ''unlucky Friday" and,
in tho words of the sailing master (chief
ofllccr), at Z a. H. on Saturday, May %,
1S19 got up steam, winded ship and hove
up anchor, and ut 8 a. m. started with
steam from this city. And thus was the
first voyage of steamship across tho At
lantic ocean begun.
In tho logbook-which is preserved at
tho United States National museum-oc-
ours the following amusing entry: AT 5
a. IN. MONDAY, May pa got under way
of Tybco light and put to sea with steam
and sails. At a. IN. left pilot. Al a. m.
took off tho wheels in 20 minutes" AS
says Mr.. Watkins, in the report of the
National museum, Captain Rogers care
of tho wheels may be explained from his
desire that the vessel should reach Liver
pool without damage to them or to the
machinery, which had been constructed
under his supervision. Nothing unusual
happened during the voyage, which occu-
pied % days, except that whenever the
water became rough the wheels were un-
shipped and taken on board. OF tho 20
days from Savannah to Liverpool ii were
under steam and 8 with canvas.
Shortly after leaving Savannah they
wcrc sighted by tho schooner Contract,
and Captain Livingston of that vessel said:
Sighted Oh tho 29th of May, latitude
27:30, longitude 20, vessel ahead to cast
ward, from which volumes of smoke were
issuing. Judging it to be vessel on fire,
stood for her in order to afford relief, but
found she went faster with fire and smoke
than we possibly could with all sail set.
But q far more amusing incident of the
same nature occurred when the Savannah
arrived off the south coast of Ireland.
She WIS sighted from the signal station
at Cape Clear and at once reported as
ship on fire. But shall better describe
this sccno in the words of Sailing Master
Stevens Rogers. He says: 1.-The admiral,
who lay in the cove of Cork (now Queens
town., dispatched ono of the kings cut
ters to our relief. But great was their
wonder at their inability, with all sail in
a fast vessel, to come up with a ship under
baro poles. After several shots were fired
from the cutter the engine was stopped,
and the surprise of her crew at the mis-
take they had made as well as their curios-
ity to sec tho singular Yankee craft can
easily bo imagined"
A Letter of ConRratulation.
On approaching Liverpool the vessels,
piers and roofs of houses were thronged
with people who checred the adventurous
craft" and several naval officers, noble
men and merchants from London came
down to visit her.
Mr. Richard Rush was at this time
United States minister at London, and he
sent the following communication to Hon.
John Quincy Adams, secretary of state,
Washingtor:
LONDON, July 8, 1910.
SIR-On the Goth Of last month arrived at
Liverpool from the United States the steamer
Savannah, Captain Rogers, being the first yes
sci Of this description that has ever crossed
the seas and having excited equal admiration
and establishment as she entered the port un-
der the power of her steam. She is fine ship
of $50 tons burden and exhibits in her con-
struction no less than she has done in her nav
igation across the Atlantic a signal triumph
of American enterprise and skill upon the
ocean.
From Liverpool she steamed and sailed
for St. Petersburg via Stockholm, at
both of which places she excited the live
lest interest and establishment and was
visited by royal personagcs and various
noblemen. Lord Lynodock an English
nobleman, accompanied Captain Rogers
from Stockholm to st. Petersburg, and SO
pleased was he with the working of the
Savannah that he said: II blame no man
born in the United States for being proud
of his country. Were n young man I'd
go there myself"
In 1920, after her return to Savannah,
her engine was removed. She ran be-
tween that port and New York as a sail
ing packet for two years, and then, n few
weeks after the death of her old command
err, she ran ashore on Long Island and
won't to pieces QS22). Such was the life
and end of the vessel that demonstrated to
the world the possibilities of steam In
ocean navigation and paved tho way for
science and enterprise to create such great
ships as those which now GROSS the Attain
tic and render ocean travel safe and speedy
as an ordinary railway train.
ROB F. WALSH.
1.-THE OLD RELiABlE."