The age-herald., 1898-01-09
E06EAN TRHVEL=
 Ind I4c porno nl.ohIo nouolonn,on4
find Its Remarkable Development.
From the New York Post.

From the New York Post.
 It is an extraordinary fact that within the span of mans life the ocean steamer has passed from the experimental stage to what appears now to be nearly its highest development. On July 4 1915, little more than eighty years ago, surely one of New Yorks historic days, Futon's 15O-foot De- mologos steamed past Sandy Hook, the first of an innumerable host, breasted the waves of the ocean for few miles, and returned to her moorings on the Hudson with a jubilant party aboard. This tri- umph suggested transatlantic voyage-a suggestion that was received at first with stolid incredulity and then with derision.
 "The project of making a voyage (by steamship directly from New York to Liv- erpool" declared an eminent Engiishman lis perfectly chimerical. They might as well talk of making voyage directly from New York or Liverpool to the moon." And though inland and coastwise navigation steadily developed meanw hile, it was not until 1919 that the partially successful voy- age of a hybrid craft, half sailer, half steamer, shook the assurance of this and other dogmatists. For seventeen years however, transatlantic steamships unac- countably languished; then an indubitaby SucCeSSAul pdSSdSt was lOiiOWtd Oy eil mediate revival of interest, large invest ments, and growth that has continued to this day.
 The first vessel to cross the Atlantic with partial use of steam propelling power was the Savannah, of 3S0 tons, launched at Corlears, N. Y., on August 22, ISIS. She had been built as sailing ship, to ply between New York and Savannah and served that purpose for almost a year, when she was bought by a syndicate of Savannah mer- chants and fitted with steam engine and paddle wheels. Her owners seem to have had only little faith in the paddle wheels, for they were so constructed that they could be folded and slowed away on deck should that seem advisable The Savannah left port May 26, 1S19 with a cargo of pitch pine for fuel, and arrived at Liverpool after twenty-five days, the paddle wheels having been idle for seven days. Evidently the experiment had been discouraging, for the Savannah returned as sailing vessel and contentedly remained one until, some years later, Q great storm put an end to her career on the south coast of Long Island.
 The voyage of the Savannah had proven steam to be a desirable auxiliary power nothing more. Could sufficient fuel be carried to make it more desirable? This became the great problem, and the pre- ponderance of opinion decidedly nega- tive. In 1886 the Great Western Steamship company was organized in England and satisfactorily solved the problem. The GreaI WeStern rom whose nrSt voyage really dates transatlantic steamship travel was designed on a scale of unprecedented magnitude She was launched on July 19, 1887, and sailed from Bristol for New York on Sunday, April 8, 1888, with seven intrepid passengers aboard.
 In the meantime the Sirus, an avowed competitor, had been fitted up by hastily organized company to attempt the voyage, and had sailed four days in advance of the Great Western. This, the first ocean race was won by the Great Western. Both yes sels arrived in New York on the same day Monday, April 23-the Great Western with 200 tons of coal in her bunkers and the Si- rus, her supply exhausted, burning spars and resin to enable her to reach port. The day of arrival was a red-letter one in the history of New York The people were not blind to the great promise in the event. There was an enthusiastic reception; tlse news was spread abroad, and the whole nation interested. And in proof of the sincerity of their faith, it may be told that when the Great Western left port homeward bound cheered by a hundred thousand people from Battery Park (ac- cording to an exuberant reporter of the time) she carried sixty-six passengers.
 After having made sixty-four transatIan- tic voyages. from 1888 to 1S43, with an aver age time of passage between Liverpool and New York of fifteen days and twelve hours and from New York eastward of thirteen days and six hours, and having carried an average of eighty-five passengers per trip. the Great Western was sold, in 1S47 to the West India Steam Packet company. Ten years later she was broken up at Vaux- hall, and for season. it is said her his toric hull fed the drawing room fires of West End, London. comparison-spac limits 1t to brief one-between the first