The “Savannah.”
The ship continued under canvas until May 30, when at 8 A.M. steam was got up for ten hours. And on June 18 the captain entered: “4 P.M. Cork bore W. 6 S. 5 leagues distant. At 2 A.M. calm, no cole to git up steam.”
A later entry on Sunday, June 20, 1819, reads: “5 P.M. shipped the wheels, frld. the sails, and running to the River Mercer at 6 P.M. came to anchor off Liverpool with the small bower anchor.”
The voyage was not without its humorous side. The sailing master, Rogers, communicated to the New London (Connecticut) Gazette an account of their experiences. The Cape Clear telegraph station had reported a ship on fire, and the Admiral at Cork despatched a cutter to her relief.
“Great was their wonder at their inability,” says the paper, “with all sail in a fast vessel, to come up with a ship under bare poles. After several shots were fired from the cutter the engine was stopped, and the surprise of her crew at the mistake they had made, as well as their curiosity to see the singular Yankee craft, can be easily imagined. They asked permission to go on board and were much gratified by the inspection of this naval novelty. On approaching Liverpool hundreds of people came off in boats to see her. She was compelled to lay outside the bar till the tide should serve for her to go in. During this time she had her colours all flying, when a boat from a British sloop of war came alongside and hailed. The sailing master was on deck at the time and answered. The officer of the boat asked him—‘Where is your master?’ to which he gave the laconic reply, ‘I have no master, sir.’ ‘Where’s your captain, then?’ ‘He’s below; do you wish to see him?’ ‘I do, sir.’ The captain, who was then below, on being called, asked what he wanted, to which he answered—‘Why do you wear that pennant, sir?’ ‘Because my country allows me to, sir.’ ‘My commander thinks it was done to insult him, and if you don’t take it down he will send a force that will do it.’ Captain Rogers then exclaimed to the engineer—‘Get the hot-water engine ready.’ There was no such machine on board, but the order had the required effect and the boat sheered off.”
From Liverpool the Savannah sailed for St. Petersburg, calling at Elsinore and Stockholm. This voyage lasted thirty-three days, on ten of which the vessel was under steam; and twice the machinery was run for a spell of fifty-two hours. Eighteen hours was her longest spell while crossing the Atlantic. The homeward voyage was made in the stormy months of October and November. The paddles were unshipped throughout that voyage and were not again used until November 30, when she arrived at Savannah, the ocean journey having been made under sail only. The cost of purchasing and fitting out the Savannah for this experimental voyage was £10,000. In December she returned to New York, her machinery was removed, and she was then used as a sailer between New York and Savannah until 1822, when she left her bones on the shores of Long Island.
One of the earliest steamers to cross the Atlantic in a west-bound direction was a little vessel called the Rising Star.[46] It was decided in 1818 that she should be built, but it was not until 1820 that her construction was begun. It has even been disputed that this vessel made the voyage at all, and many of the principal books of reference do not mention her; nevertheless, it appears to be indisputable that she existed, that she made the voyage to Chili, and that she had an eventful career which lasted several years, and was finally wrecked; and that the circumstances under which she left this country for Chili in connection with the Chilian revolution in favour of independence, and the events subsequent to her arrival as far as paying for the steamer is concerned, reflect as little credit upon the Chilian Government as upon that of Great Britain. Early in the last century the relations between Chili and Spain became strained to breaking-point. The Chilian people determined to free themselves from the yoke of Spain and to establish a republic. Whatever may be the case now, there is little question that one of the characteristics of all the South American States at that time and for many years afterwards was an extraordinary ingratitude towards those who had in any way helped them. The history of that revolution and of the prominent part which Lord Cochrane played in bringing it to a successful issue are too well known to need recapitulation, but a short reference to it is not out of place in considering the circumstances under which the Rising Star was sent on her journey.
[46] The “Dictionary of Dates” and the American “Universal Gazetteer” give the name of the vessel as the Rising Sun, but this would appear, from Lord Dundonald’s papers, to be incorrect.
In a recent letter to the writer Lord Dundonald says: “In 1817, when my grandfather, the tenth Earl of Dundonald, was engaged by the Chilian Government to create and take command of the Chilian Navy, he made a stipulation that a steamboat should at once be constructed and sent out to Chili to take part in the war, his opinion being that the great disparity in numbers between the Chilian Navy and the Spanish Navy in the Pacific would be neutralised by the advantage obtained in utilising a steam vessel for purposes of war. The vessel was constructed on the Thames at Rotherhithe, and my grandfather had anticipated going out in her, but as she took longer in construction than was expected, he went out with his wife and two children in the Rose merchantman of 300 tons.
“It appears that the Rising Star was taken out by my great-uncle, Major the Hon. William Cochrane, but apparently she arrived in Chili when my grandfather had practically swept the seas of the Spanish fleet; a revolution had just taken place on her arrival and there was no money available to pay for the Rising Star. The history of the claim made against the Chilian Government by Major the Hon. William Cochrane of course need not be gone into except in a word or two; as you will understand, Chili was at that time a prey to revolution and a poor country with little money and little credit; she repudiated obligations at that time and would be much ashamed of her action now.”