A CENTURY OF TRANSATLANTIC STEAM NAVIGATION
By "Nautilus"
In the past few years several interesting exhibitions
of models and prints illustrating various phases of
maritime history have been assembled at the Science
Museum, South Kensington, and those dealing with
"British Coastal Craft" and "Native Boats" were
described by the writer in previous issues of STATE
SERVICE. This year a special exhibition was arranged to
mark the centenary of the first crossing of the Atlantic
by a steamship. A comprehensive series of models
was assembled and arranged so as to illustrate the
history and development of the transatlantic steamship
service during the past hundred years. During this
period there has been a transition from wood to iron
and from iron to steel as the material for ship construction,
and from paddle-wheel to single, twin, triple, and
quadruple screw propulsion. There has also been a
change from simple to compound, triple, and quadruple
expansion reciprocating engines; the development of the
Parsons direct drive, single and double reduction geared
turbines; and an enormous improvement in the accommodation
and comfort afforded to passengers.
PADDLE STEAMERS
The Sirius was the first vessel to cross the Atlantic
under continuous steam power. She left Cork on 4th
April, 1838, with forty passengers, and arrived at New
York on 22nd April, her average speed being 6.7 knots.
She was never intended for the Atlantic service, and
after a further double crossing was withdrawn. This
little vessel was only 208 feet long and 703 tons gross,
and was of wooden construction, being propelled by
paddle-wheels driven by a 320 h.p. engine.
The Great Western was the first steamship specially
built for the transatlantic service. Designed by that
great engineer, Brunel, she was constructed of great
longitudinal strength to withstand the Atlantic waves.
She was of moderate size, being only 1,320 tons gross
and 236 feet length overall, with accommodation for
140 passengers. Leaving Bristol for her first crossing
on 7th April, 1838, she arrived at New York on 23rd
April, only a few hours after the Sirius. She fully
demonstrated the practicability of Atlantic steamship
transport, and continued in service until 1846.
The Britannia, launched in 1840, is notable as the
first of four wooden paddle-steamers built for Mr.
Samuel Cunard, who had entered into a contract with
the British Government to run a monthly service from
Liverpool to Halifax and Boston. It was in this ship
that Charles Dickens made the voyage to America in
1842.
EARLY SCREW-PROPELLED STEAMSHIPS
The Great Britain (launched in July, 1843) was the
first screw-propeller steamer, and also the first to be
built of iron, to cross the Atlantic. Designed by Brunel,
her gross tonnage was 3,270 and her length 322 feet.
On her first crossing from Liverpool in July, 1845, she
took just over 15 days.
The Great Eastern, launched in 1858, has been
described as the grandest failure in the history of marine
engineering. She was forty years in advance of practical
experience. This leviathan of 18,914 tons and
680 feet length had accommodation for 4,000 passengers.
She was propelled both by paddle-wheels and by a
screw-propeller. She made her first Atlantic crossing
in June, 1860, but was never a commercial success.
Her most valuable work was the laying of the Atlantic
submarine cable. She was broken up for scrap-metal
in 1888. The Servia was the first steamship to be built
of mild steel, and when launched in 1881 was, with
the exception of the Great Eastern, the largest ship
afloat. She was propelled by two-stage expansion
engines of 10,300 h.p. Another feature of her design
was the subdivision of the main hull by twelve water-tight
bulkheads.
Twin-screw propulsion was first adopted for the
Atlantic service in the Philadelphia (1888). She was
also the first ship to make the crossing in under six
days. The value of watertight subdivisions was proved
on two occasions when she ran aground. She also
marks the transition from compound to triple expansion
reciprocating engines.
The Campania (1892) is worthy of mention as
advances in steel manufacture and rolling mill practice
enabled improved methods of construction to be
employed. She was converted into a seaplane carrier
during the late war and did much valuable work. The
Oceanic (1899) was the last British transatlantic liner
to be launched in the nineteenth century. Her length
of 685.7 feet was the first to exceed that of the Great
Eastern.
MODERN TURBINE SHIPS
The next great advance is marked by the introduction
of the steam turbine. The development of this
new prime mover and its application to marine propulsion
are due to Sir Charles Parsons. Trials in several
vessels of various types having proved the superiority
of the steam turbine, in respect both of speed and of
fuel consumption, it was inevitable that turbine propulsion
should be considered for Atlantic liners. The
Virginian (1904) was the first to be so fitted. This triple
screw ship had the modern form of high superstructure,
the passenger accommodation being arranged on five
decks.
The most famous of all liners was without doubt the
Mauretania. Launched in 1906, she captured the Blue
Riband of the Atlantic soon after going into service,
and retained it for twenty-two years. The Olympic
(1910) marked a further advance in size and luxurious
passenger accommodation, but had not the same speed.
The same remarks apply to the ex-German liner
Majestic which, upon completion in 1922, was handed
over to the White Star Line by the Reparations
Commission.
The post-war development of the fast transatlantic
liners was well illustrated by the models of the Bremen,
Normandie, and Queen Mary.
