THE CUNARD LINE

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CHAPTER XI.

The Transatlantic lines-The Cunard Line-First formation of the Company -The mail contract-The first ships-American opposition-The Collins Line-Loss of the Arctic-Loss of the Pacific-Recision of the Government rule as to wooden ships-The first iron Cunarder-The Persia-The first screw Cunard steamer-The China-The RussiaCompound engines-The Batavia-The first steel Cunarder-The Servia-The Umbria and the Etruria-The Campania and the Lucania-Rates of speed-Management of the Cunard CompanyImmunity from accidents.

THE oldest of the Transatlantic lines of steamers existing at the present time is the Cunard Line, established in 1840, of which we now propose to give some particulars.

Mr. Samuel Cunard, who had for some time been conducting a mail service between Boston, Newfoundland, and Bermuda, about the year 1836, conceived the idea of establishing a regular steam mail service between this country and America; but, unfortunately, he was not possessed of sufficient capital to inaugurate so vast a scheme, nor could he induce his friends in the shipping world, or the merchants of Halifax, to join him in the enterprise. He, however, ultimately fell in with Mr. Robert Napier, the famous Clyde ship-builder and engineer, who introduced him to Mr. George Burns, one of the shrewdest men of the day, who in turn brought him into contact with Mr. David MacIver, of Liverpool. In the course of a very few days Mr. George Burns, whose wealth, influence, and integrity were the strong foundations upon which the great enterprise was built, obtained the requisite subscribed capital of £270,000 to float the Company, which was at first styled "The British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company," but this cumbrous title soon gave way to the shorter and now well-known designation of "The Cunard Line."

In October, 1838, the English Government advertised for tenders for the conveyance of the United States mails by steamers, instead of, as up to that time had been the case, by sailing ships, for the most part small ten-gun brigs, which, from the frequency of their capsizing, were familiarly known as "coffins," and the tender of Messrs. Samuel Cunard, George Burns, and David MacIver was accepted. They were to have £55,000 per annum, and were to supply three suitable steamers, and to perform two voyages a month from Liverpool to the United States. This arrangement was, however, subsequently altered to four steamers, and the subsidy was increased to £81,000 per annum. The four steamers with which the Cunard Line was first started were

All these four steamers kept up an average speed of about 8 knots an hour.

The line quickly became exceedingly popular, and, curiously enough, its popularity has never diminished to the present day. The original fortnightly service was soon increased to a weekly one, and since that time has been still further increased, so that now the Cunard boats run twice a week to the States-every Saturday to New York, and every Thursday to Boston, with occasionally an additional boat on a Tuesday. When the more frequent service was determined upon, two new steamers, the Cambria and the Hibernia, were put on. They were each of 1422 tons, and 1040 indicated horse-power, with an average speed of 94 knots. By 1848, the expansion of international commerce caused still further demands on the Company, and the America, Niagara, Canada, and Europa, all paddle-wheel steamers of 1825 tons, and 2000 indicated horse-power, with an average speed of 10 knots, were added to the fleet. It will thus be noticed how, in the first ten

*This was the steamer that Charles Dickens crossed in, in January, 1842. An admirable description of the boat and of the passage across will be found in his "American Notes."

THE COLLINS LINE

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years of the existence of the Company, both the size of the ships and the power of the engines had materially increased, with a corresponding increase of speed of something like five and twenty per cent.

The success of the Cunard Line naturally excited the jealousy of the American shipowners, and various attempts were made to "run the Cunarders off the Atlantic," but always without avail. The opposition was commenced by an American company fitting one of their fastest sailing ships, the Massachusetts, with a screw propeller, so that, while taking advantage of her canvas under favourable circumstances, she might use her steam-power against a head wind. But she was not a success, and in point of speed could in no way compete with the English vessels. In consequence it was determined to start a regular American line of steam-packets to run between New York and Bremen, calling at Southampton, and their first ship, the Washington, left New York in June, 1847, on the same day that the Britannia, belonging to the Cunard Company, sailed from New York for Liverpool. This was the first race across the Atlantic between American and British steamers, and it resulted in a decided victory for the Cunarder, which arrived two full days before the Washington.

The most formidable opponent was the Collins Line, which started with four fine ships, the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Arctic, and the Baltic, which, although all faster than the Cunard boats, for some reason or other never commanded the confidence of the public secured by the English line. These four vessels were all paddle-wheel steamers, averaging each 2856 tons, with engines of 800 horse-power. They were 282 feet long, 45 feet beam, and had a draught of water of 20 feet. They were built chiefly of oak, and were planked with pitch-pine. They had straight bows and rounded sterns; each had three masts, and they were square-rigged on the fore and mainmasts. They were by far the handsomest vessels that had yet been built for the Transatlantic service.

When the Collins Line was first established, having secured the United States contract for the conveyance of the American mails from New York to Liverpool, the directors of that