Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-05-30
FIRST IRON SAILING VESSEL.
Called Richard Cobden-Thomas Lidbit-
ter, aptaiu-Launched in 1874.

Called Richard Cobden-Thomas Lidbit-
ter, Captaiu-Launched in 1874.
Some Interesting facts have been pub
lishcd in England concerning the tirst
iron sailing ship which set out from I.iv-
cr3ooi. and its commander. The vessel
with this unique distinction was the
ls!Jnard Golden. commanded by Thomas
l-lduIter. This craft was huilt of Coal
hrookdalc iron. and was launched in
l>44. She was bark of 4GG tons. aud
HAD speed OF ten knots per hour Shn
was constructed of iron throughout, in
siuding the ruddcr, ruddcr frame and
steering gear. Her lines were very fire
and she was five times her beam in
length. She was without bulkhends and
IN sailing trim she lay on an even keel
81" had great rise OF floor falling in
somewhat from Ecr hilgc to the rails In
l>it41 She set sail for China. hut was
!aid mp twice tor repairs at Cork and
100 dc Janelro respectively during the
passage. She aroused considerable al
tenuou NJ the various ports al which She
called a. she was the first iron vessel
ever seen, and was regarded somewhat
SnSplc.oHSv by the SllpcrSttiouS, to
whom The idea Of ma king iron tiudt was
considered MS flying in the face of i'roVi-
deuce. Her second voyage WAS 10 Bonn
lay via the Cape of Good Hope and
some seven months, which was couSid-
cred ! remarkable performance. Site
made another journey 10 Bombay. which
she reached in nncty-four DAYS On
none Of these trims did the vessel make
amy water. So that the feasibility cf utii-
izin- iron for vessels was firmly estah-
lishcd
The next vessel compounded ny Capt
ldehltter was also an iron vessel launched
In 1903. Sh,. was 1872 feet in length. -
tcct beam and - feet depth She WAS a
jhIee-maSted craft, and was provided
With an iron bulbhead ahaft each mast.
Like the Richard Golden. she WAS with
ont steam power. Her FIRST voyage was
from London u Bombay, Calcutta and
l,Ihourne. She covered the distance
between The two last named ports in six
n days In June. 1894. She lct' Mel
bourne for home with large and vaiu-
able cargo of wool and E300.uGa in gold
! ne captain intended To round Cape
Horn on this trip, but after passing TaS-
mama the ship Sprdng Il leak during a
sale. and a. She listed with dangerous
heATlheSS To port the captain heat his
way northWard to Tahiti. ana papate
was safely reached. but the vessel had
only been kept aitoat by three WEEKS
rVeSsant pumping. At Papate the ship
was pumped out and examined. and tile
leaks were found on both sides of Tho
dled rivetS were knocked out and re-
nrWcd before the vessel was again ready
for sea. When the repairs had been sat
lStactOrlly completed. the captain again
SET sail. and this time safely reached
London in March, 1850. The vessel was
again overhauled and the Springing OF
the leaks was found to nc due to the
keelson, which instead of being made sol
id from end to end. was constructed in
three unconnected lengths separated at
the fore, main and mizzen bulkheads re-
spectively, and these hulkheadS were
found to be far too weak to withstand
the enormous strains set up. The de-
fleets We're remedied, and the vessel made
Numerous voyages, principally between
Philadelphia and New Orleans. and was
finally stranded in the northwest Provi-
deuce channel. More than thirty salvage
ships undertook to retloat her. hut as
they demanded payment of 500 900 be-
fore commencing Operdtionsa-- sum con
Sidcred prohibitively exccsSiyc-her can
tain abandoned her, and she rapidly be-
came total wreck.-Scientihc American.