SS Ocean Queen (1857)
Encyclopedia
The Ship Ocean Queen was a side-paddled
wooden ship built in 1857 by Stephen G. Bogert, of the Westervelt & Co. Shipyard of New York City
. The engines were built by the Morgan Iron Works, also in New York. The original name of the ship was the Queen of the Pacific.
ship, with a length of 327 feet and a beam measuring 42 feet. It had a straight stem
, two funnel
s and two mast
s. The ship was of wooden construction, with side-paddle propulsion
and a speed of 12 knots. There was accommodation for 350 1st- & 2nd-class passengers.
and Charles Garrison to replace the Accessory Transit Company
of Cornelius Vanderbilt
as the dominant company serving the lucrative New York - San Francisco trade route during the period of the California Gold Rush
. Morgan and Garrison were trustee
s of Vanderbilt's company. The Partnership had been set up in connection with the armed takeover of Nicaragua
by the American adverturer William Walker with the help of some 100 other United States citizens. Declaring himself President of the Republic, Walker then cancelled the charter of Vanderbilt's Transit Company to transport passengers across the Isthmus of Panama
and seized its property, transferring it to Morgan & Grant.
Vanderbilt was enraged by this betrayal by his own trustees. In a famous letter he sent the rival company, he swore to crush the enterprise, rather than waste time in legal action. He successly lobbied
the U.S. government to withhold recognition of Walker's puppet state. Walker was soon defeated by Central America
n forces and Morgan & Grant came to an end.
's European Line in 1859, altered and renamed. On 17th May 1859 she commenced her first New York - Southampton
- Le Havre
voyage. The fifth--and final--crossing from Le Havre to Southampton and New York started on 23rd November 1859. In 1861 she was chartered to the United States War Department, for which it sailed until the end of the American Civil War
.
After the Civil War, it once again sailed between New York and Panama
, carrying passengers destined for California
, who then had to take a train across the Isthmus
and find passage on the Pacific side. It commenced its first New York - Bremen - Copenhagen voyage under charter to Ruger Brothers & Associates on the 7th April 1869. One further voyage was made, leaving from New York to Le Havre, Brouwershaven
, Swinemunde, Christiansand, arriving back in New York on 3rd March 1870.
, later the Mayor of New York (1910-1913), who eventually died of an assassin's bullet in 1913. He had sailed this ship in his youth, when he was a Roman Catholic lay Brother
, a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, better known as the Lasallian Christian Brothers. He was part of a group of seven Brothers sent to staff the newly founded St. Mary's College of California in San Francisco. They set sail from New York on the Ocean Queen on July 16, 1868, landing in Aspinwall, Panama, from which they then proceeded to San Francisco by train and ship.
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
wooden ship built in 1857 by Stephen G. Bogert, of the Westervelt & Co. Shipyard of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The engines were built by the Morgan Iron Works, also in New York. The original name of the ship was the Queen of the Pacific.
Dimensions
This was a 2,801 gross tonTonnage
Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo carrying capacity of a ship. The term derives from the taxation paid on tuns or casks of wine, and was later used in reference to the weight of a ship's cargo; however, in modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically refers to a calculation of the volume...
ship, with a length of 327 feet and a beam measuring 42 feet. It had a straight stem
Stem (ship)
The stem is the very most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself and curves up to the wale of the boat. The stem is more often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively...
, two funnel
Funnel (ship)
A funnel is the smokestack or chimney on a ship used to expel boiler steam and smoke or engine exhaust. They can also be known in as stacks.-Purpose:...
s and two mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
s. The ship was of wooden construction, with side-paddle propulsion
Marine propulsion
Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...
and a speed of 12 knots. There was accommodation for 350 1st- & 2nd-class passengers.
Queen of the Pacific
Launched in April 1857, the Queen of the Pacific had been ordered by the Morgan & Garrison Partnership. This was a company set up as part of the scheme of Charles MorganCharles Morgan (businessman)
Charles Morgan was a U.S. railroad and shipping magnate. Morgan played a leading role in the development of transportation and commerce in the Southern United States through the mid-to-late 19th century.-Career:...
and Charles Garrison to replace the Accessory Transit Company
Accessory Transit Company
The Accessory Transit Company was a company set up by Cornelius Vanderbilt and others during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, to transport would-be prospectors from the east coast of the United States to the west coast....
of Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt , also known by the sobriquet Commodore, was an American entrepreneur who built his wealth in shipping and railroads. He was also the patriarch of the Vanderbilt family and one of the richest Americans in history...
as the dominant company serving the lucrative New York - San Francisco trade route during the period of the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. Morgan and Garrison were trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s of Vanderbilt's company. The Partnership had been set up in connection with the armed takeover of Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
by the American adverturer William Walker with the help of some 100 other United States citizens. Declaring himself President of the Republic, Walker then cancelled the charter of Vanderbilt's Transit Company to transport passengers across the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
and seized its property, transferring it to Morgan & Grant.
Vanderbilt was enraged by this betrayal by his own trustees. In a famous letter he sent the rival company, he swore to crush the enterprise, rather than waste time in legal action. He successly lobbied
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
the U.S. government to withhold recognition of Walker's puppet state. Walker was soon defeated by Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n forces and Morgan & Grant came to an end.
Ocean Queen
By that time, the waning of the Gold Rush meant decreased demand for transit to California. The ship was sold to Cornelius VanderbiltCornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt , also known by the sobriquet Commodore, was an American entrepreneur who built his wealth in shipping and railroads. He was also the patriarch of the Vanderbilt family and one of the richest Americans in history...
's European Line in 1859, altered and renamed. On 17th May 1859 she commenced her first New York - Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
- Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
voyage. The fifth--and final--crossing from Le Havre to Southampton and New York started on 23rd November 1859. In 1861 she was chartered to the United States War Department, for which it sailed until the end of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
After the Civil War, it once again sailed between New York and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, carrying passengers destined for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, who then had to take a train across the Isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
and find passage on the Pacific side. It commenced its first New York - Bremen - Copenhagen voyage under charter to Ruger Brothers & Associates on the 7th April 1869. One further voyage was made, leaving from New York to Le Havre, Brouwershaven
Brouwershaven
Brouwershaven is a small city on the Grevelingen in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 45 km southwest of Hellevoetsluis.Brouwershaven received city rights in 1477....
, Swinemunde, Christiansand, arriving back in New York on 3rd March 1870.
Notable Passenger
The only passenger known so far to have achieved some note of fame was William Jay GaynorWilliam Jay Gaynor
William Jay Gaynor was an American politician from New York City, associated with the Tammany Hall political machine. He served as mayor of the City of New York from 1910 to 1913, as well as stints as a New York Supreme Court Justice from 1893 to 1909.-Early life:Gaynor was born in Oriskany, New...
, later the Mayor of New York (1910-1913), who eventually died of an assassin's bullet in 1913. He had sailed this ship in his youth, when he was a Roman Catholic lay Brother
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
, a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, better known as the Lasallian Christian Brothers. He was part of a group of seven Brothers sent to staff the newly founded St. Mary's College of California in San Francisco. They set sail from New York on the Ocean Queen on July 16, 1868, landing in Aspinwall, Panama, from which they then proceeded to San Francisco by train and ship.