THE LOG OF THE SAVANNAH. 



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By J. Elfreth Watkins, 



Curator of the Section of Transportation and Engineering, U. S. National Museum. 



The first voyages of a steamship across the Atlantic were made in 

 1819, by the Savannah, an American vessel carrying the American flag 

 and manned by an American crew. 



It seems eminently proper to preserve an authentic record of the 

 events connected therewith in our national archives, particularly since 

 the original log-book of these voyages is in the collection of the U. S. 

 National Museum. 



So far as is known, no reliable drawings of the Savannah are in exist- 

 ence. A lithograph, faulty in many of the details of hull, sails, and 

 rigging, has been the basis of all previous illustrations of this historic 

 vessel. 



In view of this fact a corrected drawing (Plate Cli) based upon early 

 descriptions of the vessel, together with such details of construction as 

 are extant, has been made by Mr. C. B. Hudson, under the supervision of 

 Capt. J. W. Collins, of the U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, and 

 Curator of the Section of Naval Architecture in the National Museum, 

 whose familiarity with the history of naval architecture and the con- 

 struction of sailing vessels, contemporary with the Savannah, has enabled 

 him to correct many errors and supply the deficiencies in the original 

 lithograph. 



The following notes, explanatory of certain technicalities in the draw- 

 ing, have been furnished by Captain Collins : 



The history of the Savannah shows that she was designed, originally, for a sailing 

 ship; that her construction was already well advanced when it was determined to 

 make a steamship of her, and that she was rigged as a sailing vessel, steam appar- 

 ently being considered chiefly auxiliary, to be used principally in calms or with light 

 or head winds. The contemporaneous lithograph and all other illustrations of this 

 famous vessel represent her as a full-rigged ship, with, however, no sails loftier thau 

 topgallant sails ; with her mainmast and foremast more widely separated than on 

 ships designed for sail alone, and having a round stern. 



The sailing ships of that period were usually rigged very loftily, commonly car- 

 rying royals, while the almost universal type of stern was square. Nevertheless, it 

 is reasonable to suppose that those having charge of the rig and equipment of the 



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