PREFACE.

WHEN the history of the nineteenth century comes to be written, not the least interesting chapter of it will be that which treats of the origin, the development, and the triumphs of Steam Navigation—that mighty combination of inventive genius and mechanical force that has bridged the oceans and brought the ends of the earth together.

During the past few years several important contributions to this class of literature have issued from the metropolitan press. Three of these deserve special mention: (1) “The Atlantic Ferry; its Ships, Men, and Working,” by Arthur J. Maginnis, gold medallist and member of the Institution of Naval Architects, 1892; (2) “Our Ocean Railways, or the Rise, Progress, and Development of Ocean Steam Navigation,” by A. Fraser-Macdonald, 1893; (3) “The History of North Atlantic Steam Navigation, with Some Account of Early Ships and Shipowners,” by Henry Fry, ex-President of Dominion Board of Trade of Canada and Lloyd’s Agent at Quebec, 1896. Each of these writers, in his own way, has treated the subject so thoroughly and satisfactorily, the author feels as though the wind had been taken out of his sails somewhat, and it is not without hesitation that he has yielded to the advice of friends in whose judgment he has implicit confidence, and ventured to follow in the wake of such accomplished writers.

If I am questioned as to motif I cannot better justify the rash deed than by endorsing the sentiment in Byron’s apostrophe:

These pages are of a much less pretentious character than the above-named books. They are but a compilation of materials more or less intimately connected with Steam Navigation, gathered from many sources, during many years, and now woven into homely narrative. They necessarily contain much in common with these other writings on this subject, but they are projected from a different standpoint and embrace a wider field, supplying information not easily obtained, respecting the far-reaching waterways of Canada, her magnificent ship canals, and the vast steam commerce of the Great Lakes.

So numerous are the sources of information drawn upon, it is impossible to make adequate acknowledgment of them all. The agents of Atlantic lines of steamships were particularly obliging in their replies to inquiries made of them. Without in any way making them responsible for the use made of their communications, upon these my remarks on that branch of the subject are chiefly based. Among other publications I have consulted the “Transactions of the Imperial Institute,” London, and of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec; Government reports emanating from Ottawa and Washington; also many pamphlets, magazine and newspaper articles bearing on the subject, not to speak of my capacious scrap-book and some well-thumbed note-books.

Additional authorities will be indicated as the narrative proceeds. Besides these, grateful acknowledgments for valuable assistance are due to Sir Sandford Fleming and Mr. George Johnson, F.S.S., of Ottawa; to Messrs. Douglas Battersby, R. W. Shepherd, and the late Captain Thomas Howard, of Montreal; to Mr. Archibald Campbell, of Quebec; Captain Clarke Hamilton, of Kingston; Mrs. Holden, of Port Dover, Ont., and Mr. T. M. Henderson, of Victoria, B.C.; to members of the Boards of Trade in Montreal, Minneapolis and Duluth; and to the following clergymen: Rev. Dr. Bruce, of St. John, N.B.; Rev. T. F. Fullerton, of Charlottetown. P.E.I.; Rev. James Bennett, of L’Orignal, Ont., and Rev. W. H. L. Howard, of Fort William, Ont.

The illustrations have nearly all been made for this work: the wood-cuts by Mr. J. H. Walker, and the half-tones by the Standard Photo-Engraving Company, Montreal.

J. C.

Montreal, October, 1898.

CONTENTS.

page.

CHAPTER I.

The Dawn of Steam Navigation 17

CHAPTER II.

Early Years of Steam Navigation 50

CHAPTER III.

The Cunard Steamship Company 71

CHAPTER IV.

North Atlantic Steamship Companies 103

CHAPTER V.

Steam to India and the East 142

CHAPTER VI.

Steam in the British Navy 166

CHAPTER VII.

The St. Lawrence Route 192

CHAPTER VIII.

Steam on the Great Lakes 244

CHAPTER IX.

Steam Commerce of the Great Lakes 268

CHAPTER X.

Steam Navigation in all the Provinces

of the Dominion and in Newfoundland 307

ILLUSTRATIONS.

STEAM VESSELS.

page

Alberta 285

Atlantic 105

Augusta Victoria 133

Beaver 335

Britannia 72

Caledonia 146

Campania 78

Canada 226

Charlotte Dundas 32

Clermont 42

Columba 38

Comet 35

Corona 329

Crescent 191

Duke of Wellington 167

Empire 255

Empress of Japan 162

Great Britain 62

Great Eastern 63

Hornet 169

Jeanie Deans 51

John S. Colby 363

Kaiser W. der Grosse 137

Lake Ontario 230

Majestic 119

Manitou 271

Miller’s Twin Boat 31

Mississippi Steamer 43

Nelson 337

New York 47

Niagara 74

Normannia 131

North-West 273

Oceanic 117

Ohio Steamer 45

Paris 107

Paris Dining-Room 109

Paris (Stern View) 108

Parisian 204

Passport 327

Pennsylvania 135

Pilgrim 16

Princeton 253

Priscilla 46

Quebec 311

Queen Charlotte 249

Quetta 150

Renown 172

Rhine Steamer 39

Robert Garrett 49

Royal William 8

St. Louis 111

Savannah 53

Scotia 77

Sirius 59

Sovereign 317

Stanley 352

Teutonic 174

Vandalia 251

Victoria and Albert 184

Walk-in-the-Water 250

William IV. 325

PORTRAITS.

Aird, Captain 215

Allan, Sir Hugh 208

Allan, Andrew 296

Burns, Sir George 93

Campbell, Captain 233

Cunard, Sir Samuel 93

Dutton, Captain 218

Fleming, Sir Sandford 4

Graham, Captain 211

Hamilton, Hon. John 331

Lindall, Captain 223

Macaulay, Captain 227

MacIver, David 93

McMaster, Captain 197

McLennan, Hugh 296

MountStephen, Lord 4

Napier, Robert 97

Napier, Mrs. 97

Ogilvie, W. W. 296

Ritchie, Captain 216

Shepherd, R. W. 322

Smith, Captain W. H. 194

Strathcona, Lord 4

Torrance, John 308

Wylie, Captain 212

MISCELLANEOUS.

Canal Lock, Canadian 264

Canal Lock, U. States 278

Cunard Track Chart 90

Grain Elevator 289

Great Republic, Ship 26

Horse-boat 29

Map Gulf Ports, etc. 241

Royal William—Model 55

Ship of the Desert 143

Wind-boat 70

“PILGRIM,” Sister to Priscilla of the Fall River Line, 1890.