The Washburn leader., 1916-12-01
A RECORD j B VOYAGE. 0 I i
When the Savannah Crossed the
Atlantic to England.
CAUSED A REAL SENSATION.

CAUSED A REAL SENSATION.
She Was the First Steamship to Dare
the Hazardous Trip. and This Exhi.
bition Of Yankee Ingenuity Aroused
the Wonder Of All Europe.
The honor Of first navigating the
sea with steamer belongs to an Amer
ican, Colonel John Stevens Of New
York. Transatlantic steam navigation
was long discussed before any one com.
bining sufficient skill with courage and
a spirit of adventure made the bold
attempt
The London Times in its issue Of
May II, 1919, thus announced the ex.
pected event: "Great Experimental
new steam vessel of 300 tons has been
built in New York for the express pur.
pose Of carrying passengers across the
Atlantic. She is to come to Liverpool
direct"
On the very day that this brief
notice appeared the vessel referred. to
was visited by the president Of the
United States and suit and made a
short trial trip previous to her depar-
ture on the hazardous voyage.
This steamer. named the Savannah.
the first that crossed any Of the oceans.
was built at the city Of New York by
Francis Ficket for Daniel Dodd. She
was launched on the 23d Of August,
1918. She could carry only seventy
five tons Of coal and twenty-five cords
Of wood. The Savannah sailed from
the city of Savannah. Ca, on the 25th
Of May. 1919, bound for st. Petersburg.
via Liverpool. She reached the latter
port on the Goth Of June. having used
steam eighteen days out Of the twenty.
six. and thus demonstrated the feasibil.
ity Of transatlantic steam navigation.
AS the Savannah approached Cape
Clear. on the southern coast of ireland.
and smoke was seen to issue from her,
it was at first supposed that sailing
vessel was on fire. and one Of the kings
cutters was dispatched to her relief.
But great was their wonder at their
inability. with all sail in fast vessel
to come up with ship under bare
poles. After several shots were fred
from the cutter the engine was stop
ped and the surprise of her crew at
the mistake they had made. as well
as their curiosity to see the singular
Yankee craft, can be easily imagined.
They asked permission to go on board
and were much gratified by the inspec.
ton Of this "naval novelty" Upon ap-
preaching Liverpool hundreds Of peo-
pie came of in boats to see the savan.
nah. On approaching the city the ship.
ping piers and roofs of houses were
thronged with persons cheering the ad-
venturous craft. Several naval officers.
noblemen and merchants from Lon
don came down to visit the boat and
were very curious to ascertain her
speed, destination and other particu-
lars.
During the sojourn of the Savannah
at Liverpool the British public re-
garded the boat with suspicion, and the
newspapers Of the day suggested the
idea that "this steam operation may
be In some manner connected with the
ambitious views of the United States
One journal, recalling the fact that
Jerome Bonaparte had offered large
reward to any one who would sue.
ceed in 'rescuing his brother Napoleon
from st. Helena, surmised that the
Savannah had this undertaking in
view.
The Savannah remained twenty-five
days at Liverpool and sailed for St Pc.
tersburg on July %. getting under
way with steam" and "a large feet Of
vessels in company" The boat touched
en- route at Copenhagen. where it ex-
cited great curiosity, and also at Stock.
holm. where she was visited by the
royal family.
On the 5th of September the steamer
left Stockholm. On the 9th she reached
Kronstadt, having used steam the
whole passage. and few days later
reached St Petersburg.
3
Russian lord high admiral, Marcus de
Travys, and other distinguished mill
tary and naval officers. who also tested
her superior qualities by trip to Kron.
stadt. The Savannah remained at st.
Petersburg until Oct. 10 and then set
sail on her homeward voyage "in com.
pany with about eight sail Of shipping"
She arrived at Savannah on Tuesday.
Nov. 80. and shortly afterward was
taken to the navy yard at Washington.
The subsequent history Of the Savan.
nah can be told In a few words. On &C.
count of the great fire in Savannah her
owners were compelled to sell her. and
she was purchased to run as a packet
between that city and New York.
whittier she was bound when she was
lost on the south side Of Long Island
Philadelphia Press.