The later years of the Company have been unproductive of historical incidents, perhaps not altogether to the regret of the shareholders. The older steamers have been disposed of from time to time, and replaced by modern steamers of larger tonnage and greater power. Instead of steamers of 500 to 600 tons, the fleet at the present time (1903) consists of 16 powerful vessels, varying from 1,000 to 2,400 tons.
FOOTNOTES:
[24] Another account which bears the stamp of authority states that Captain Dobson did not carry off his flag in the manner stated. He lowered it under protest, and it was carried on board the man-of-war, but afterwards returned to the Company, and is now retained at the Head Office, Cork.
Chapter IX.
THE CUNARD STEAMSHIP COMPANY,
LIMITED.
It seems incredible that less than three-quarters of a century ago steamers were unknown on the Atlantic. The mail-boats of that date were wretched old Government 10-gun “coffin brigs,” slow and uncertain in their passages. But there were men, even in those days, who dreamed of a time to come when steamers should cross the ocean with the regularity, though not with the speed, of railway trains. Amongst these enthusiasts was Mr. Samuel Cunard, a shipowner of Halifax, Nova Scotia. For years he had striven to realise his idea, but not having sufficient capital of his own, and not being able to induce his friends to invest in his enterprise, he had to wait his opportunity. At last the long-waited-for opportunity came, and he seized it. The British Admiralty issued a circular stating that the mails would be transferred to a steam packet service, if a satisfactory tender were sent in. When this circular came into the hands of Mr. Cunard he again appealed to the merchants of Halifax and others for assistance; and being unsuccessful in his application he came to Britain and fortunately became acquainted with Mr. R. Napier. Mr. Napier introduced him to Mr. George Burns who, in his turn, introduced him to Mr. David MacIver, of Liverpool. In the course of a few days, chiefly through the influence of Mr. Burns, the requisite capital, £270,000, was obtained, and soon afterwards a contract for seven years between the Government and Samuel Cunard, George Burns and David MacIver was signed, and the Cunard Steamship Co. was launched. Before their arrangements were finally adjusted, the Admiralty re-modelled the agreement, requiring that the service should be performed by four suitable steamers (instead of three, as originally stated), and that fixed dates of sailing should be adhered to, but in consideration of the increased services the subsidy was raised from £60,000 to £81,000.
R.M.S. Campania (Cunard Steamship Company) at Liverpool Landing Stage.
The official title of the Company was “The British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.,” but this unwieldy title soon gave place to one of world-wide reputation, “The Cunard Line.”
The first steamer despatched by the co-partnery was one of Messrs. Burns’ Liverpool and Glasgow steamers, the Unicorn. She sailed from Liverpool for Halifax and Boston, under the command of Captain Douglas, on Saturday morning, 16th May, 1840. She carried the mails and a limited number of saloon passengers, the passage rates being—to Halifax £30, to Boston £33 each. The Britannia, the pioneer steamer of the British and North American Steam Packet Co., was despatched on the 4th July, 1840, being the first of four wooden paddle-wheel steamships, the others being the Acadia, Caledonia and Columbia. These vessels were uniform in size and power, being 207 feet long, 34 feet 4 inches broad, and 22 feet 6 inches deep. Their gross tonnage was 1,154 tons, and their engines of 740 I.H.P. drove them at an average speed of 8½ knots per hour. The reception given to the Britannia on the termination of her maiden voyage by the citizens of Boston was most enthusiastic. Nor was the goodwill of the merchants confined to banquets and complimentary speeches for, when the Britannia was ice-bound in Boston Harbour, in February, 1844, they liberated her by cutting a canal through the ice, seven miles long and 100 feet wide.
