CATALOGUE OF THE WATERCKAFT COLLECTION, 67 



The Meteor was a wooden, single-screw steam propeller, Avith a 

 complete ship rig, her area of canvas being nearly as large as that of 

 a sailing ship. The design of the hull has probably never been ex- 

 celled for a steam vessel of her size. She had a long, sharp bow; 

 stem straiglu and nearly vertical above water; curved below; low 

 floor and rather full midship section ; long, finely shaped run ; over- 

 hanging round stern ; moderate sheer. 



Dimensions of vessel. — ^Length over all, 198 feet; beam, 48 feet; 

 depth, 18 feet 6 inches ; 1,440 tons, old measurement. Scale of model, 

 one-half inch equals 1 foot. 



Toward the close of the Civil War in the United States, when the 

 Confederate cruisers were playing havoc with northern shipping, a 

 subscription was made up by Atlantic coast merchants to build a fast 

 cruiser with the intention of fitting her out and presenting her to the 

 Government to join in the chase. The design for this ship was 

 offered in competition, the competitors being Henry and William H. 

 Webb, of New York, and D. J. Lawlor, of Chelsea, Mass. Lawlor's 

 model was accepted. 



She was about 400 tons larger than the Alabama and made the 

 best time on her trial trip off Sandy Hook which had then ever 

 been made by any screw ship, exceeding by 1 or 2 miles an hour 

 the speed of any of the Confederate cruisers. But when the Gov- 

 ernment was about ready to take her the capture of Fort Fisher 

 caused her to be no longer necessary for the purpose for which she 

 was built. Consequently, after making two or three voyages in the 

 merchant service, she was laid up for sale at New York during .the 

 summer of 1865. Soon after, war was declared by Spain against 

 Chile and Peru. Some negotiations were had regarding her pur- 

 chase by South American agents. " When ready for sea, with her 

 crew and stores on board, the Meteor was seized, on the 23d of 

 January, 1866, by the United States marshal, at the instance of 

 Spain." ^- The proceedings against the ship lasted nearly three years, 

 and she was actually detained, including the time needed for re- 

 pairs, T months and 28 days. She took part, under another name, 

 in the war between Chile and Peru. 



" She was designed to carry one heavy pivot amidships on the 

 gun deck, or two 10-inch or other guns at the same point, namel3\ 

 just before the mainmast; forward of this are four ports (two on 

 each side) where 8 or 9 inch Dahlgrens would have been mounted 

 had she been taken by the United States Navy Department, and 

 abreast of the engine hatch aft there are two ports on each side 

 where she could have mounted short 32 or 24 pound howitzers, and 



"Report of tlie case of the steamship Meteor, vol. 1, p. xiii. 



