War and Social Upheaval: Industrial Revolution--Steamboats


Figure 1.--

All water trasport for millennia was done by muscle power or wind power. There were technological improvements over time, but the two power sources were unchanged. This all changed with the invention of the steam engine. American engineer and inventor Robert Fulton built the first steam boat whch he sailed up the Seine River in France (1803). It managed to makr 4 miles per hour (mph) against the current. Fulton went on to build the first commercially succeesful steamboat, the Clermont whoch began operating on the Hudson River between New York City and Albany (1807). Steamboats appeared before railroads because the inintial investments were much lower. Fulton's ship could make the 150-mile journey in only 30 hours -- a stunning advamvement. Steamboats rapidly improved and became a amainstay in riverine waters, especially the all imprtant Mississippi River. Until the steamboat, rafters carrying goods down the Mississipi had to walk home. (A young Abraham Lincoln was one.) The Mississipi and its tributaries were one way highways. The steamboat made them two way highways, a huge contributor to the economic development of the United States. It would be some time, however, before steamboats ventured out into longer routes and the trecherous waters of the North Atlantic, especially during the winter. Winter conditions and freezing spray made in hazzorous for men to have to work the rugging and icing could actual make sailboats top heavy leading to capsizing in the brutal wind and wave conditions. This was a constant problem since the 17th century when ship traffic between Europe and North America began to increase. Steamboats solved this problem, but to cross the 3,000 mile North Atantic routes, so much coal was needed that there was no room for passangers and freight--the whole purpose of the ship. [Fowler] The tecnology was there, the steamship Savanah crossed the North Atantic in only 30 days (1819), but was a commercial disaster because it carries so few passangrs and so little freight. Gradually larger ships with more efficent engines began to appear.

Water Transport

All water trasport for millennia was done by muscle power or wind power. There were technological improvements over time, but the two power sources were unchanged. This all changed with the invention of the steam engine.

Steam Power

Steam power was known to the ancients. It was, however, not until the Industrial Revolution that practical uses were developed. Englishmam Thomas Newcomen invented the steam engine (1712) Newcomen steam engine which was used to pump water out of coal mines. It was Scottsman James Watt who made major improvements wgich created the steam engine that would play sych an important role in the Idustrial Revolution (1770s). A steam engine is an external compustion engine. The fire takes place outside the engine in a boiler.

Early Steam Boats

American engineer and inventor Robert Fulton built the first steam boat whch he sailed up the Seine River in France (1803). It managed to makr 4 miles per hour (mph) against the current. Fulton went on to build the first commercially succeesful steamboat, the Clermont whoch began operating on the Hudson River between New York City and Albany (1807). Steamboats appeared before railroads because the inintial investments were much lower. Fulton's ship could make the 150-mile journey in only 30 hours -- a stunning advance.

Riverboats

Steam power changed the world, favilitating travel and trade. This begun with domestic commerce. Steamboats rapidly improved and became a amainstay in riverine waters before bing widely used for ocean trade. This was especially true for the all imprtant Mississippi River. Until the steamboat, rafters carrying goods down the Mississipi had to walk home. (A young Abraham Lincoln was one.) The Mississipi and its tributaries were one way highways. The steamboat made them two way highways, a huge contributor to the economic development of the United States. The stemboats enabled the South to effectively trade with the West quicker and more effectively. Before the steamboat there was trade with the Northeast by oceanshipping, , but reade with the West (what we now call the Midwest was more difficult. The Midest could send goods south, but the sSouth ould not send goods north. The steamboat revolutionized the American economy by changing the way that river travel was conducted. It also opened up opportunities for canal trade. The first steamboat was intoduced to the Mississippi (1811). The boat was the paddle wheel steamer 'New Orleans'. It was built in Pittsburg and sailed doen the Ohio and Mississippi tiver to New Orleans. The Riverboats are most strongly associated with the South, but the South did not have the industry needed to build them. Upon arriving in New Orleans, Captain Roosevelt invited the public to come aboard his boat for an excursion down the river and back. By 1830, there were 200 such steamers on the Mississippi, and 10 years later, the quantity increased to over 500 boats. There were both stern wheelers and side wheelers. The South go rich on exports of cotton the steamboats carrid to New Orleans. They also caried southern products north to the groswing cities of the Midwest. The North also benefittd brining both agricultural and manufactured good south. The steamboats riverine trade for most od the 19th century. This only ended when railroads began to offer evem more efficient cargo transport by the end of the century. Steamboats not only moved good, but provoded luxury accomodations and entertainment. Steamboats also spread ideas and culture. They took New Orleans jazz from Storyville to the North. Samuel Clemments got his nickname from the riverboats. The most famous and colorful steamboat commander of was Captain P. T. Leathers. He built the racer Natchez which conducted the most famous race of the steanboat era with the Robert E. Lee. There were also epic disasters. [Lloyd]

The North Atlantic

It would be some time, however, before steamboats ventured out into longer routes and the trecherous waters of the North Atlantic, especially during the winter. Winter conditions and freezing spray made in hazzorous for men to have to work the rugging and icing could actual make sailboats top heavy leading to capsizing in the brutal wind and wave conditions. This was a constant problem since the 17th century when ship traffic between Europe and North America began to increase.

Economic Problem

Steamboats solved the sailboat icing problem, but to cross the 3,000 mile North Atantic routes, so much coal was needed that there was no room for passangers and freight--the whole purpose of the ship. [Fowler] The tecnology was there, the steamship Savanah crossed the North Atantic in only 30 days (1819), but was a commercial disaster because it carries so few passangrs and so little freight. Most of the available cargo space had to carry coal which its incredibly inefficent enginr condumed in huge quantities. Gradually larger ships with more efficent engines began to appear.

Trans-Atlantic Route

The trans-Atlntic sea route in the 19th century became the most licrative route in earth. In the early-19th century the rout carried American andCanadian raw materials to Europe (including fur, cotton, and grain). In return European manufactured goods flowed west from Europe. As America began to indistrilize, the nature of the trade flow chnged. Not only did Americam raw matetrials flowcto Europe but more nd more manufactured goods. And in return not only European manufactured groups, but emigrants in the millions. The quantities and values of the trade created enormus pressure to improve the capacity and speed of the ships involved.

American -British Competition

The industrialization of the United States and Europe helped expand the volune of trade with Europe. Industrialization also increased the ability of the shipping lines to improve service. Here the major countries involved in the competition were America and Britain. The leading figure in the United states was Edward Knight Collins. He began running his father's New York based shipping firm--the Collins Line Mmid-1850s). Collins turned the company fleet from sail packets to five luxurious steamships. The SS Pacific was typical. It was launched (1849). It carried 280 first- and second-class pssagers at a steady 14 mph beteen New York and Liverpool. What had been a 40 day trip now could be done in a little over a week. Not only were the trips fast, but they were decidely more comfortable, first-class accomodations could be sumptuous. Collins lost his wife when one of his steamboats collide with a French ship in a fog. Progress had been made on the cost of operations with more efficent engines, but prepations were still not profitable. The U.S. Government subsidized operations, roughly $385,000 annually (over $10 million in 2018 dollars). The subsidies were largelky in the form of mail contracts. As America focused on promoting railroads, the Government ceased sunsidizing the Collins Line. The British were the main competitor, especially Sir Samuel Cunard's Cunard Line. Collins and Cunard basttle for supremcy. But unlike the United States, the British with its vast overseas empire continue to subsidize merhaht shipping. The subsidies were largelky in the form of mail contracts. Thus the British lines, especially Cunard, emerged as the dominat force in the the North tlntic and other important routes. [Fowler]

Coaling Stations

The early steamboats which appeared in the early-19th century were not appropriate for naval operations. Early steam engines were not very efficent or powerful. And having to carry large quanities of fuel meant that large areas of the ship had to be devoted to coal storage and engines. Thus naval vessels in the first half of the 19th century continud to be powered by sail. As Europe industrialized, heavy indusry was powered by coal-fired steam engines. Navies continued to use sails. Imperial power like Britain and France needed bases arond the world based on the locations of their colonies, stratehic points (like Suez), anbd the needs of the sailing vssels. The first use of steam was as auxiliary power when winds slackened. As more ships convrted to coal, faster and more direct travel for naval ships developed. It also created a need for numerous coaling stations, basically refueling stations. Britain's huge Royal Navy required a network of coaling stations. Britain had 14 main coaling stations where steamships could be supplied with coal and other supplies such as food and water. These stations were King George Sound and Thursday Island (Austrialia), Hong Kong and Singapore (Far-East), Trincomalee and Colombo (Ceylon/Sri Lanka), Mauritius (mid-Indian Ocean), Aden (Red Sea/Arabian Sea), Simon's Bay and Table Bay (South Africa), Sierra Leone (West Africa), St. Helena (South Atlantic), and Jamaica and Castries Bay, St Lucia (Caribbea). There were several smaller coaling stations: Esquimalt (British Columbia) and Perim (Red Sea). America did not have a global naval presence. It major operations were off the U.S. coast in the Atlantic, but because coaling stations were set up, primarily because of the importance of the China trade. In part because it had so few coaling stations, the, the U.S, Navy continued to use mostly sail vessels. The United States began to build a more modern navy (1880s). The first steps toward a modern navy wee taken (1883). The U.S. Navy began building three new 'protected' steel cruisers, the Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago. Each contained a thin steel hull, but heavier protection for its vital areas. The cruisers continued to use sail power for normal cruising, but could bring on steam power during battles. Modern battleships began to be built (1890s). This meant coaling stations were needed. The first American coaling station was Key West, Florida (1857). Honolulu (1860s), Guam, Manila, Papa Pago in Samoa (1878), Pearl Harbor (1897), and Guantanamo (1903).

Decline

The 19th century was the age of steam. This changed with the advent of oil and mire efficent internal combustion engines. Naval vessels were the first to make the change. Poil fued engines left a much less vissible exhaust than coal fired ships. Also oil was more concentrated potential BTUs. This meant less spave was needed to store oil fuel than coal. The one dowwn side was that najor naval powers, except the United States, did not hve important oil fields. They had coal, but loittle oil. Before Wotld War I, the British Royal Navy began to make the change, the Germasns did not. Oil would have an impact on World War I, it would have majopr impact on World War II. Japan would attack Pearl Harbor largely because of oil. During the inter-War era, much of the world's merchabt marine would make the tranzsution from coal to iron.

Sources

Fowler, William M. Steam Titans: Cunard, Collins, and the Epic Battle for Commerce on the North Atlantic (Bloomsbury: 2017).

Lloyd, James T. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory, and Disasters on the Western Waters (1856).,







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Created: 1:38 AM 3/16/2018
Last updated: 1:38 AM 3/16/2018