Rigged Model, Steamship <I>George Law (Central America) </I>
date: label: date made
content: 1961
label: ship built
content: 1852-1853
label: ship sank
content: 1857-09-12
label: wreck discovered by treasure salvers
content: 1987
name: label: owned ship
content: New York and Liverpool United States Mail Steamship Company
label: designer
content: Webb, William H.
label: maker
content: Webb, William H.
label: maker
content: Boucher-Lewis Precision Models, Inc.
notes: label: Description
content: The ocean steamer <I>George Law</I> was built in 1852/53 at New York, NY by William H. Webb for the United States Mail Steamship Company. Named after the company president, the <I>Law</I> measured 278 ft. long and 2,141 tons. It was built to sail the New York-Panama route for the California gold rush; on its return maiden voyage from Panama, it brought 465 passengers and $872,831 in gold to New York. Over more than 40 bi-monthly trips, the <I>Law</I> averaged slightly less than nine days per leg. In 1857, the ship went aground and returned to the Webb yard for a major overhaul.
label: Description
content: The <I>Law</I>’s name was changed to the <I>Central America</I> during the rebuilding, possibly to reflect its most common route and because George Law had sold his interest in the company. On the vessel’s second trip under the new name, it cleared Havana, Cuba for New York on 8 September 1857. Two days later, during a gale south of South Carolina, a bad leak was discovered and the main boilers had to be shut down. On the 12th, some passengers were rescued by passing ships, but the <I>Central America</I> sank that night with 425 passengers and $2,189,000 in gold bullion from the San Francisco Mint. The loss helped fuel the Panic of 1857, which sent the nation into an economic recession that lasted into the Civil War.
label: Description
content: In 1987 the wreck of the <I>Central America</I> was discovered in more than 8,000 feet of water depth, and treasure salvors recovered much of the gold bullion and coinage.
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: New York, New York
label: where the ship was built and sailed from
content: United States: New York, New York
label: sailed to
content: Panama
label: sailed to
content: United States: California
topic: label: related event
content: Civil War and Reconstruction
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
label: See more items in
content: Transportation
label: See more items in
content: On the Water exhibit
label: Exhibition
content: On the Water
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: National Museum of American History. On the Water exhibition website
label: Related Web Publication
content: http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.318465
label: catalog number
content: 318465
label: accession number
content: 236170
objectType: label: Object Name
content: ship
label: Object Name
content: ship model
label: Object Name
content: model, ship
label: Other Terms
content: ship; Maritime; Side Wheeler
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: textile (part: lines material)
label: Physical Description
content: metals (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 17 in x 38 in x 7 1/2 in; 43.18 cm x 96.52 cm x 19.05 cm