Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-04-05

at the wharf in this city on April 6, made
a trip to Charleston and back, and on
May II took the president of the United
States, James Monroe, and suit for a
'steam sail'' to Tybee lighthouse and back.
The vessel was advertised to sail for Liver
pool on Friday, May 81; but, with a true
aailor's superstition, Captain Rogers re-
fused to start on ''unluoky Friday" and,
In the words of the sailing master .(chief
of1cer), at 2 a. m. on Saturday, May %,
1919, got up steam, winded ship and hove
up anchor, and at 9 a. m. started with
steam from this city. And thus was the
first voyage of a steamship across the At.
lantic ocean begun.
In the logbook-whioh Is preserved at
the United States National museum-oc-
ours the following amusing entry: "At s
a. m. monday, May 24) got under way
of Tybee light and put to sea with steam
and sails. At 6 a. m. left pilot. At 8 q. m.
took off the wheels In 20 minutes" As
says Mr.. Watkins, in the report Of the
National museum, Captain Rogers care
OF the 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 30 days, except that whenever the
water became rough the wheels were I'M
shipped and taken on board. OF the 20
days from Savannah to Liverpool ii were
under steam and 8 with canvas
Shortly after leaving Savannah they
were sighted by the schooner Contract,
and Captain Livingston of that vessel said:
"Sighted on the 29th of May, latitude
1880, longitude 20, a vessel ahead to east
ward, from which volumes of smoke were
issuing. Judging it to be a 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 a far moro amusing incident of the
same nature occurred when the Savannah
arrived off the south coast of Ireland.
She was sighted from the signal station
at Cape Clear and at once reported as a
ship on fire. But I shall better describe
this scene in the words of Sailing Master
Stevens Rogers. He says: ''The admiral,
who lay in the cove of Cork (now Queens
town., dispatched one 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
bare poles. After several shots were fired
from the cutter the engine was stopped,
n the surprise of her crew at the mis-.
take they had made as we'll as their curios.
tty to see tho singular Yankee craft can
easily be imagined"
A Letter Of iCongratulation.
On approaching Liverpool the vessels,
piers and roofs of houses were thronged
with people who oheered the "adventurous
craft" n several naval officers, noble
vr4r~ -~ -~~--I--A- G----
down to visit her.
Mr. Richard Rush was at this time
United States minister at London, M he
sent the following communication to Hon.
John Quincy Adams, secretary of state,
Washington:
LONDON, July 3, 1919.
S1R-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 q fine ship
of 800 tons burden and exhibits in her con.
strcction no less than she has done in her nav
igation across the Atlantic 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 personages and various
noblemen. Lord Lynedock, an English
nobleman, accompanied Captain Rogers
from Stockholm to st. Peters burg, 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. We're I a young man I'd
60 there myself"
In 1890, 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, a few
weeks after the death of her old command
er, she ran ashore on Long Island and
went to pieces (1S22). Such was the life
and end of the vessel that demonstrated to
the world the possibilities of steam in
ocean navigation and paved the way for
science II enterprise to create such great
ships as those which now cross the Attain
tic and render ocean travel safe and speedy
as an ordinary railway train.
- " Pnp n WATcu