The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-03
TO-DAY we CELEBRATE.
FIRST Transatlantic Steamship LET
Cork n Years Ago Today.

Cork ~ years ago Iooay.
Today marks the seventy-seventh'
anniversary of one of the most i'm
portant events in modern history, the
departure from Cork of the Sirius, the
drst vessel to cross the Atlantic
wholly under her own steam. All that
ramains of that staunch little 412-
ton pioneer of the transatlantic steam
passenger trade is a number of brass
paper weights, made from the metal
work of. tha Sirius, after she had
Been wrecked in Ballycotton bay in
1S47. Captain Roberts, the COM
mander of the Sirius on her maiden
voyage across the Atlantic, was later
transferred to the President, which
went down with all on board. Thus
both the Sirius and her commander
had . tragic end.
The Sirius made the voyage from
Cork In 10 days, reaching New York
only q few hours before the Great
Western, another steamship which
had sailed from Bristol. The latter
made othe best time, crossing the
ocean IN 10 days. and the Sirius came
near losing the honor of being the
first transatlantic steam vessel.
aThe Sirius had a passenger list OF
seven on her initial voyage under
steam power across the Atlantic. The
youngest of these passengers. Vim
cent +. Ransome, then 4 years old.
was recently reported to be living in
Wiltshire, England, where he was
long the rector of a parish church.
The Ransome party, consisting OF
Vincent, his father, sister and elder
brother. comprised more than half of
the passengers.
OF that memorable voyage the Rev.
Vincent Ransome wrote:
Aside from us four there were two
quite noted passengers aboard. Mr..
Davenport, the actor, and daughter
Miss Dayenport-their name was re-
ally Crummies-and / remember that
he was in most nervous state, afraid
lest We should go down whenever we
encountered rough seas.
When we began our voyage upon
the Sirius, she was laden down to the
waters edge, most OF her coal being
IN deck. We had nothing but rough
weather. and she was but a sort of
skin on the water, so you may well
imagine we had many unpleasant and
trying experiences.
when about fortnight out fuel
began to run short, and all spare
feed to feed the furnace. Resin had
TO be taken from the cargo. This
was mixed with the coal ashes, and
30 the steam was kept up.
Toward the end of this voyage of
ID days we had a startling incident,
for we ran aground at Sandy Hook,
asfew hours before entering New York
harhor. It was still, quiet night,
and the tfdeSwas low. When it rose
they backed the paddles. and got the
steamer or, and she glided into her
berth not long before the Great West
ern, the dealy nearly losing her the
palm of the first steam voyage across
tho Atlantic.
The arrival of the Sirius and the
Great Western marked the beginning
OF steam passenger traffic between
Great Britain and America, although
q number of years passed before the
steamships offered much advantage
In speed and accommodations over
the sailing vessels. The Sirius and the
412 tons burden, was a schooner
rugged ship, and was 17S feet over all,
with beam of 25 feet and depth
OF IS feet. The accommodations for
passengers were of the crudest Sort
ard they were supposed to provide
and prepare their own food. The
Sirius originally started from London,
but encountered such severe weather
that she had to put in to Cork for re-
pairs. Several OF the passengers, who
hEd boarded the vessel, left it at Cork,
FORGETTING their passage money rather
than risk the dangers of a voyage
across the Atlantic in a steam-pro-
PEELED vessel
q