For other ships with the same name, see SS America.
SS America (1869–1872) was a ship for Pacific Mail Steamship Company operating on the China Line along with the SS Colorado, SS Great Republic, SS China, SS Alaska, SS Japan and spare steamer SS Herman.[1] The America, which was one of the largest paddle wheel steamers in the world, was valued by Pacific Mail Steamship Company at $1,017,942 or about $40,000 less than the SS Great Republic or SS Japan.[2]
America was built in 1868-1869 by Henry Steers's shipyard (see George Steers and Co), at Greenpoint, Long Island, and was 4,454 tons. Length 363 feet; beam of hull 49 feet (wide) and 31 feet deep in hold, draft of water 18 feet. She had a beam engine, with 105-inch cylinder and twelve feet stroke of piston, the engine working up to 3,000 nominal horse-power.
America was the pioneer of the China Line and was followed quickly by SS Japan, SS Great Republic and SS China. [ She traveled around the Cape of Good Hope without passengers and used sail for a large part of the trip. At Singapore, America began to pick up Chinese for steerage passage and eventually arrived in San Francisco on 20 October 1869 with 730 immigrants.
Iwakura Missionedit
On December 23, 1871, the Japanese Iwakura Mission boarded the ship in Yokohama harbor. The Japanese described the ship as follows:[5]
Our ship called the America. Reputed to be the most elegant vessel in the Pacific Mail Steamship Company fleet, the America was 363 feet long, 57 feet wide and 23 feet deep, with 8 feet above the deck.[…] Its displacement was 4,554 tons. There were 30 first-class cabins and 16 second-class ones - 46 in all. The vessel could carry 92 passengers. Under Captain Doane were 24 officers and 79 sailors and stewards, making a complement of 103. The ship was powered by a balance-wheel steam-engine driving external paddle-wheels.
Destructionedit
TSS America was lost by fire on August 24, 1872, in Yokohama harbor, Japan after her eleventh voyage starting on August 1, 1872, from San Francisco to Yokohama and Hong Kong, China. Captain Seth Doane had inspected the ship before 10 o'clock. A loss of 19 to 70 lives occurred depending on the source. The monetary loss was estimated at $2,000,000.[6][7][8]
Referencesedit
^Pacific Mail SteamShip Co, Railroad Manual of the USA
^"Reported Destruction by Fire of the Steam-Ship America", New York Times, September 4, 1872
^A history of American manufactures from 1608 to 1860...: comprising annals of the industry of the United States in machinery, manufactures and useful arts, with a notice of the important inventions, tariffs, and the results of each decennial census, John Leander Bishop, Edwin Troxell Freedley, Edward Young, Publisher E. Young, 1868
^"The America Disaster", The New York Times, October 11, 1872
^the true version of the tour of the special embassy to the United States and Europe, by Kume Kunitake, in 1878, translated in Japan Rising, the Iwakura Embassy to the USA and Europe by Chushichi Tsuzuki and R. Jules Young
^Transpacific Steam: The Story of Steam Navigation from the Pacific Coast of North America to the Far East and the Antipodes, 1867-1941 by E. Mowbray Tate
^"The America Disaster", The New York Times, October 11, 1872
america, 1869, other, ships, with, same, name, america, america, 1869, 1872, ship, pacific, mail, steamship, company, operating, china, line, along, with, colorado, great, republic, china, alaska, japan, spare, steamer, herman, america, which, largest, paddle,. For other ships with the same name see SS America SS America 1869 1872 was a ship for Pacific Mail Steamship Company operating on the China Line along with the SS Colorado SS Great Republic SS China SS Alaska SS Japan and spare steamer SS Herman 1 The America which was one of the largest paddle wheel steamers in the world was valued by Pacific Mail Steamship Company at 1 017 942 or about 40 000 less than the SS Great Republic or SS Japan 2 HistoryUnited StatesNameSS AmericaOperatorPacific Mail Steamship CompanyBuilderHenry Steers Greenpoint BrooklynCost 1 250 000Laid down1868Launched1869FateDestroyed by fire August 24 1872General characteristicsTonnage4 454 tonsLength363 ft 111 m Beam49 ft 15 m Draft18 ft 5 5 m Depth of hold31 ft 9 4 m PropulsionBeam engine 3 000 nhpCapacity92 passengersCrew103 Contents 1 Construction 2 Trips 2 1 Iwakura Mission 3 Destruction 4 ReferencesConstruction editAmerica was built in 1868 1869 by Henry Steers s shipyard see George Steers and Co at Greenpoint Long Island and was 4 454 tons Length 363 feet beam of hull 49 feet wide and 31 feet deep in hold draft of water 18 feet She had a beam engine with 105 inch cylinder and twelve feet stroke of piston the engine working up to 3 000 nominal horse power At Bridgewater Iron Manufacturing Company were forged the large forgings for most of the ships of this time including America 3 The ship was built by George Steers and Co New York started in 1868 and finished in 1869 The ship cost 1 250 000 4 Trips editAmerica was the pioneer of the China Line and was followed quickly by SS Japan SS Great Republic and SS China She traveled around the Cape of Good Hope without passengers and used sail for a large part of the trip At Singapore America began to pick up Chinese for steerage passage and eventually arrived in San Francisco on 20 October 1869 with 730 immigrants Iwakura Mission edit On December 23 1871 the Japanese Iwakura Mission boarded the ship in Yokohama harbor The Japanese described the ship as follows 5 Our ship called the America Reputed to be the most elegant vessel in the Pacific Mail Steamship Company fleet the America was 363 feet long 57 feet wide and 23 feet deep with 8 feet above the deck Its displacement was 4 554 tons There were 30 first class cabins and 16 second class ones 46 in all The vessel could carry 92 passengers Under Captain Doane were 24 officers and 79 sailors and stewards making a complement of 103 The ship was powered by a balance wheel steam engine driving external paddle wheels Destruction editTSS America was lost by fire on August 24 1872 in Yokohama harbor Japan after her eleventh voyage starting on August 1 1872 from San Francisco to Yokohama and Hong Kong China Captain Seth Doane had inspected the ship before 10 o clock A loss of 19 to 70 lives occurred depending on the source The monetary loss was estimated at 2 000 000 6 7 8 References edit Pacific Mail SteamShip Co Railroad Manual of the USA Reported Destruction by Fire of the Steam Ship America New York Times September 4 1872 A history of American manufactures from 1608 to 1860 comprising annals of the industry of the United States in machinery manufactures and useful arts with a notice of the important inventions tariffs and the results of each decennial census John Leander Bishop Edwin Troxell Freedley Edward Young Publisher E Young 1868 The America Disaster The New York Times October 11 1872 the true version of the tour of the special embassy to the United States and Europe by Kume Kunitake in 1878 translated in Japan Rising the Iwakura Embassy to the USA and Europe by Chushichi Tsuzuki and R Jules Young Transpacific Steam The Story of Steam Navigation from the Pacific Coast of North America to the Far East and the Antipodes 1867 1941 by E Mowbray Tate The America Disaster The New York Times October 11 1872 Latest Shipping Intelligence Daily News No 8224 London 5 September 1872 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS America 1869 amp oldid 1151176139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
