The Hamburg-American Packet Company,
established in 1847, is the oldest of the German lines, and has now attained large dimensions. It began with a small capital and a fleet of three sailing ships. The average of their westward voyages from Hamburg to New York was about forty days, and eastward about thirty days; and they were accounted among the fast ships of their day. In 1867 the company owned a fleet of ten large transatlantic steamers, several smaller craft, a considerable amount of real estate and a commodious dry-dock. In 1872 the fleet had increased to twenty-five steamers, and a regular weekly service was maintained between Hamburg and New York. The operations of the company at this time also extended to the West Indies, South America and Mexico: but 1888 was the annus mirabilis in the company’s history, for it was then that a new departure was made, by the construction of twin-screw steamers destined to rival in speed and elegance the finest steamships afloat. In 1895 the company owned a fleet of seventy ocean steamers and fifty-one river steamers, having a combined tonnage of 339,161 tons. Among its steamers there are no less than eighteen twin-screw passenger ships, all employed in the New York service. The four express boats of the line at present are the Fürst Bismarck, Normannia, Augusta Victoria and Columbia, all twin-screw ships of from 7,578 tons and 13,000 horse-power, to 8,874 tons and 16,000 horse-power.[22] Two of these were built at Stettin, Prussia, one at Birkenhead, and one, the Normannia, by John Elder & Co., on the Clyde. They have also a fleet of five large twin-screw steamers, especially adapted for live stock and fresh meat. In ten years, from 1881 to 1891, the Hamburg-American Line conveyed 525,900 passengers to New York, which was 50 per cent. more than either the Cunard or White Star Lines during the same period. The capital of the company is about $7,000,000, and its affairs are said to be exceedingly well managed. It has paddled its own canoe without State aid from the commencement, the only addition to its freight and passenger revenues being a moderate compensation from the American Government for carrying the mails from New York to Hamburg. The amount received for that service in 1896 was $30,030.75. being at the rate of about 44 cents per pound for letters and post cards, and 4½ cents per pound for other postal matter.[23] The company is said to have in its employment a permanent staff of six thousand employees.
THE “NORMANNIA,” 1890.
The Augusta Victoria, on her first voyage, made the fastest maiden trip then on record between Southampton and New York—7 days, 2 hours, 30 minutes. She has since made the run in 6 days, 19 hours, 19 minutes. The Normannia has done it in 6 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes, and the Fürst Bismarck in a few minutes’ less time. The Normannia, built in 1890, was at that time claimed to be one of the finest steamships afloat. She is 520 feet long and 59 feet wide. On her trial trip she showed a speed of twenty-one knots. In addition to her main triple expansion engines, she makes use of fifty-six auxiliary ones, and is provided with a deck boiler, by which steam is secured for her pumps in case of the main boilers being rendered useless by such an accident as befell the Paris a few years ago. Her passenger accommodation is unsurpassed. The music room is described as a “marvel of elegance.” The decorations throughout are by the best European artists.
“AUGUSTA VICTORIA.”
The line has not been exempt from marine disasters and loss of lives. The Austria was burned in 1858, when only sixty-seven were saved of the whole ship’s company of 538. By the wreck of the Schiller on the Scilly Islands, in 1875, 331 persons perished. In 1883 the Cimbria was sunk off the coast of Holland, with the loss of 389 persons. The Normannia, on a recent trip, narrowly escaped collision with a huge iceberg, but thanks to her good “lookout” and her twin screws, she sheered off from the towering monarch just in time.
This company has recently added to its fleet one of the largest freight-carrying steamers afloat. The Pennsylvania, built and engined by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, has a carrying capacity of 21,762 tons, with accommodation for 200 first-class and 1,500 steerage passengers. Her length is 585 feet; breadth, 62 feet; draught of water when fully loaded, 30 feet. She has two balanced quadruple expansion engines, with five boilers, and carries a working pressure of 210 pounds of steam. Her three-bladed twin screws, each weighing 9½ tons, make 76 revolutions per minute, developing a speed of fifteen knots an hour. The Pennsylvania left New York on her first voyage with a cargo of 18,500 tons measurement, said to be the largest cargo ever taken out of New York in one ship, if not the greatest that any ship in any part of the world has ever carried.