Continental Lines.
The great volume of emigration from the continent of Europe, and especially from Germany, has developed a correspondingly large steamship passenger traffic. France and Germany have, for many years, vied with each other as well as with the British shipping companies, in providing accommodation suitable to the demand. The result is several fleets of magnificent steamships little inferior in speed and luxurious appointments to the British and American lines.
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.
