Evening star., 1938-04-24
EARLY STEAMSHIPS

days out from Holland, she ID supposed
to be the first steamship to make the
Atlantic crossing under steam. This
little ship made three such voyages
before being taken out Of the trade.
In 1881 there was built at Quebec
a little steamship which was supposed
to depend wholly upon her machinery.
but she was rugged, with three mssts
and a large square sail for running
before the wind, so she really carried
quite enough sail power If her engines
became disabled.
CHE was launched April a, 1881.
and under the command Of Capt.
John MacDougald she sailed in April.
1888, for Halifax and Boston. This
ship, according to history. was really
the first steamship to enter Boston.
She sailed on August S. 1888. for Cowes.
England, being bunkered with 254 tons
Of coal; after a voyage Of 1914 days
she arrived at Cowes. but Was after
ward sold for $4,000 (about two-thirds
of what she cost, to become Spanish
man-of-war, under the name of Isabel
Segunda. BY this she became the
first steam war vessel in the world,
but she never fired shot and she was
abandoned in 1887.
At this time Brunei, the English
shipbuilder, was busy building the
first steamship really planned for the
North Atlantic trade, which ship was
being built for the account OF the
Great Western Co.. and she was
named Great Western. and while she
sailed from Bristol. England, for New
York under command Of Capt. James
Haskins. r. NJ. On April 8. 1888, the
American Steam Navigation Co., it
appears, stole q march on them and
dispatched the little channel steam
ship Sirius, with Capt. Richard
Roberts. r. N. on voyage to New
York also The latter sailed from
Cork, Ireland, on April I. This ships
time to New York was ls days, II
hours and Is minutes. while that OF
the Great Western was Is days. so
that both of these ships arrived In
New York the same day-April %,
1898, and the Sirius arriving in the
morning and the Great Western in
the early afternoon.
The rates by the Sirius for paBen-
gers were $40 one way. She brought
seven passengers westbound. She had
. pretty hard time getting over. for
at one time the crew wanted tho CAP
thin to turn back. On this voyage ahs
consumed $50 tons Of coal, al spare
spArs and 20 barrels Of Ysatn. ehe
r9turned home without passen9eaU and
soon afterwsfd vas lost on ths coast
Of Ireland.
THE Great wsstsen did noa hsing
over any passengers, bat ~ ~
turned sastbound With 6S paassngsrs
at $50 each. and her eastward voyage
was made tn 10 days, 10 hours and Is
minutes.
The Great Western opsrAtsd in this
trade, making - voyages. end shs
was then transfeYrsd to the Ensiand
and West India trade.
Capt. Roberts, who brought out tho
SlrluS, WaS put IN command OF tho
new steamship President In 1910, but
this ship sailed from New York on
March II, 1841, and has never been
heard Of.
OF course. conditions Of sea travel
in the days Of 100 years ago were
nothing like they are today, for at
that time there were no staterooms
and but two cabins-one for the men
and one for the women in each class.
and while the first and second cabin
passengers were fed by the captain.
the third-class passengers were COM
PEELED to bring and cook their own,
food. AL they were given was water.
. place to sleep and . place to cook
They had to bring their own bedding.