SS Royal William
A painting of the SS Royal William
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | SS Royal William |
| Ordered: | 1830 |
| Builder: | George Black and John Saxton Campbell |
| Laid down: | September 2, 1830 |
| Launched: | April 27, 1831 |
| In service: | August 24, 1831 |
 Spain
|
|
| Name: | Isabel II |
| Namesake: | Isabella II |
| Acquired: | September 1834 |
| Out of service: | 6 January 1860 |
| Renamed: | 1850: Santa Isabel |
| Refit: | 1840 |
| Fate: | Sunk by storm in Algeciras bay |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 1,370 ton |
| Length: | 160 ft (49 m) |
| Beam: | 44 ft (13 m) |
| Propulsion: | steam engine;paddles |
SS Royal William was a Canadian side-wheel paddle steamship that is sometimes credited with achieving the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to be made almost entirely under steam power, using sails only during periods of boiler maintenance, though the British-built Dutch-owned Curaçao crossed in 1827, and the sail-steam hybrid SS Savannah used some steam power when crossing in 1819. She was the largest passenger ship in the world from 1831 to 1837.
The 1,370-ton SS Royal William (named after the ruling monarch, William IV) was 160 feet (49 m) long, of 44 feet (13 m) breadth and had a draught of 17¾ft, a large steamship for the time. She was drawn by 21-year old James Goudie who had by then served his apprenticeship, likely at Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock, Scotland, a seaport on the Firth of Clyde and also the birthplace of James Watt.
She was commissioned by brewer John Molson and a group of investors from various colonies in British North America, including whom subscribed 196 shares at 25£ in Halifax, Nova Scotia. There were all told 235 investors of a total 16,000£ in the Quebec and Halifax Steam Navigation Company. The incorporation occurred on 31 March 1830.
The ship was built in Cape Blanc, Quebec by John Saxton Campbell and George Black, who laid its keel on 2 September 1830. She was launched on 27 April 1831 by Lady and Lord Aylmer at Cape Cove, Quebec. Her steam engines were manufactured and installed in Montreal, at the premises of the Bennett and Henderson Foundry, near the foot of St. Mary's current. Her shakedown voyage under steam from there to Quebec (calling at Sorel and Three Rivers en route) occurred on 13 August 1831, after which she was officially registered on 22 August.
...
Wikipedia