originally owned by a Belgian company, is now incorporated with the American and International Navigation Company, and maintains a weekly service between New York and Antwerp and a fortnightly line from Philadelphia to Antwerp. The fleet consists of nine steamships of from 3,000 to 7,000 tons each—the largest being the Friesland, built by Thomsons, Glasgow, and rated at fifteen knots’ speed.
The Anchor Line.
This was the first successful line of steamers running from Glasgow to New York, established by Messrs. Handyside and Henderson, of Glasgow, in 1856, though it was not until 1863 that this branch of their business assumed much importance. Since then the trade has developed rapidly, giving employment to a weekly line of steamers, and in summer twice a week. The ships have large carrying capacity, from 3,000 to 5,000 tons and upwards, with good accommodation for passengers at very moderate rates. Among these are the Furnessia and Belgravia, of over five thousand tons; the Devonia, Anchoria, Bolivia and Circassia, upwards of four thousand tons each, not to speak of the City of Rome, a host in herself. This is one of the handsomest ships afloat, and of large dimensions, being 546 feet long between perpendiculars, and 600 feet over all; her width is 52 feet 4 inches, and her displacement at 25 feet draft of water, 13,500 tons. She is driven by three sets of inverted tandem engines of 10,000 horse-power; her single screw is 24 feet diameter, and the screw shaft 25 inches. She has ample accommodation for 270 cabin passengers and 1,500 steerage: was built in 1881 for the Inman Line at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, where all the above-named ships were also built, but as she did not come up to the requisite speed she was left in the builders’ hands, and was taken over by the Anchor Line. She is not a slow ship, having made 18½ knots on her trial trip, and has crossed the Atlantic in 6 days, 20 hours, 35 minutes. From whatever cause, outsiders look upon her as a sort of “white elephant,” unable to compete successfully with the more thorough-paced ocean greyhounds. The entire Anchor Line fleet consists of some thirty-five steamers. The company has had its own share of losses by shipwreck, and more than its share of lives lost. One of the most appalling marine disasters was the sinking of the Eutopia of this line in the Bay of Gibraltar, in 1891, from collision with a man-of-war lying at anchor, resulting in the loss of 526 lives.
The National Steam Navigation Company.
Although the National Line has not entered into competition with the “greyhounds,” it is deserving of notice. It has been in existence since 1863, and has owned some fine ships, and at least one of high speed—the America, built on the Clyde in 1883—a ship of 5,500 tons and 7,350 horse-power. She broke the record in June, 1884, making the run home from New York in 6 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes.[18] She was soon after sold to the Italian Government for a transport. The ships of this line were among the first to have compound engines, and the first to have refrigerators for the reception of dead meat, and among the first to carry large shipments of live cattle. Years ago they brought out more emigrants than any other line, but they seem to have gone out of that business now, and the ships are run as freighters to London. Four of the company’s ships have been lost—one lies submerged near Sandy Hook, one foundered off Cape Finisterre, one was burned at sea, and the fourth, the Erin, disappeared without anything having been heard of her. The present fleet consists of eight ships, ranging from 3,750 to 5,300 tons.
The Guion Line.
As when a meteor shoots athwart the skies, emitting a blaze of light, and quickly disappears, so was it with the Guion Line at the zenith of its brief and brilliant career. It began in a modest way in 1866, its promoters being Messrs. Williams and Guion, of New York—with a branch firm in Liverpool—these being the owners of the famous Black Ball Line of ships, built especially for carrying emigrants. They had steamers built for themselves with marvellous rapidity, beginning with the Manhattan of 3,000 tons—an iron screw steamer built on the Tyne. In 1872 there was added to the then existing fleet of eight powerful ships, each having accommodation for 1,000 steerage passengers, a pair of larger vessels, the Montana and Dakota. Neither of them, however, proved to be “record-breakers,” and both of them were eventually wrecked on the Welsh coast, near the same place, in 1877 and 1880 respectively. The next additions to the fleet were the celebrated Arizona and Alaska, that for a time took the shine out of everything else afloat. These marvellous ships were built by John Elder & Co., of Glasgow. The former was over 5,000 tons and the latter nearly 7,000. Their engines, respectively 6,000 and 10,000 horse-power, are said to have been the finest ever constructed up to that time; their speed was then accounted quite phenomenal—seventeen and eighteen knots an hour—reducing the time from Queenstown to New York to 6 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes. That was in 1883. The last ship built for the Guion Line was still larger and faster than these. The Oregon was 500 feet long, of 7,375 tons, and 13,300 horse-power. In 1883 she still further reduced the record to 6 days, 10 hours, 10 minutes. Soon after this the company became involved in financial difficulties. “Record-breaking” had not proved to be a paying business. The Oregon passed into the hands of the Cunard Company, and went to the bottom of the sea as already stated; the Alaska and Arizona have lain rusting at their moorings in the Gareloch for years past.
The White Star Line.
The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited—better known as the White Star Line—commenced in 1869, and now occupies a position in the front rank of the great steamship enterprises of the world. It originated with Mr. Thomas Henry Ismay, of Liverpool, who had previously been manager of the White Star Line of sailing clipper ships in the Australian trade. In 1870 Mr. William Imrie, of the late firm of Imrie, Tomlinson & Co., became associated with Mr. Ismay in the management, when the firm took its present name, Ismay, Imrie & Co. Mr. Ismay retired from the firm in 1891, after forty years of active business life, but is still chairman of the White Star Line. Having the financial support of a number of influential shipping men, plans that had been long maturing took effect in 1869, when negotiations were entered into with Messrs. Harland and Wolff, of Belfast, to build a fleet of steamships which should combine the latest improvements, the best possible accommodation for passengers, with a speed that would assure fast and regular voyages. How well those conditions have been secured all who have travelled by the White Star Line can testify.