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SS President
History
OwnerBritish and American Steam Navigation Company
Port of registryCivil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
RouteAtlantic crossing
BuilderLondon, Curling & Young
Laid downNovember 23 1838
LaunchedDecember 9 1839
Maiden voyage1 August 1840
Out of serviceMarch 1841
FateMarch 1841, lost with all aboard under unknown circumstances
General characteristics
Tonnage2,350 GRT
Length243 ft (74 m)
Beam41 ft (12 m)
Sail plan3 masts

SS President was a British passenger liner that was the largest ship in the world when she was commissioned in 1840,[1][2] and the first steamship to founder on the transatlantic run when she was lost at sea with all 136 on board in March 1841. She was the largest passenger ship in the world from 1840 to 1841.[3] The ship's owner, the British and American Steam Navigation Company, collapsed as a result of the disappearance.[1]

President was the second liner owned by British and American and was noted for her luxurious interiors. Designed by Macgregor Laird and built by Curling and Young of London, she was fitted for 154 passengers. President was over 25% larger than the British Queen, the previous holder of the size record, and over twice the size of Cunard's Britannia Class, the first three of which were also commissioned in 1840. This was accomplished by adding a third deck to the design of the British Queen. As a result, President was top-heavy and rolled excessively. She was also underpowered and had the slowest passage times of any transatlantic steamer up to that point. To avoid litigation, changes were made to her paddle wheels after her second round trip that further complicated her lack of power, especially in rough weather.[1]

On 11 March 1841, President cleared New York bound for Liverpool on her third eastbound voyage. She was overloaded with cargo to compensate for her roll. President was last seen the next day struggling in a gale.[1] Her disappearance was major news for several months and even Queen Victoria followed the story.[4]

Development and design

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British and American recognized from the beginning that frequent sailings were required and that the line needed a fleet of steamers for its new transatlantic service. As soon as the line's first unit, British Queen was delivered, British and American ordered the President. The plan was that by 1840, either President or British Queen was to depart each month for New York.[1]

As designed by Macgregor Laird, President was 500 GRT larger than British Queen, then the largest ship. Her opulent interiors were in sharp contrast to the more reserved accommodations of Cunard's fleet. Great American wanted passengers to feel they were in a luxury hotel rather than at sea. The saloon measured 80 feet by 34 feet and was in Tudor Gothic style. The corridor aft to the regular staterooms was a picture gallery, with ten oil paintings depicting scenes about Christopher Columbus. The regular staterooms could accommodate 110 passengers and another 44 forward in Servants cabins. The two-berth regular cabins were seven feet by seven feet. Her exterior decoration included a figurehead of George Washington.[4]

President's wooden hull was subdivided into watertight compartments. However, it was not as robust as Great Western or the new Cunard vessels just entering service. After just two round trip voyages, she required refit after stormy seas weakened and twisted her hull. President was top-heavy and rolled excessively because she was constructed with a third deck on top of a hull with almost the same waterline dimensions as British Queen.[4]

Relative to her size, President was significantly less powerful than her rivals. As a result, her 1840 voyage times were disappointing. This problem was compounded in 1841 when President's paddle wheels were modified with non-feathering paddles. Tests in 1830 demonstrated that feathering paddles improved speed by 25% in smooth water and over 50% in rough seas. British American failed to secure the rights to use the patented design and removed the feathering paddles before President left on her first 1841 voyage in order to avoid litigation.[1]

Service history

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The last sighting of the SS President in a gale

President's maiden voyage in August 1840 lasted 16.5 days and averaged only 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h)[1] as compared to the then record of 9.52 knots (17.63 km/h) posted by Great Western.[5] Under the command of Robert J. Fayrer,[6] President left the Mersey with few passengers because both Great Western and Cunard's Acadia sailed the previous week.[4] Her return trip also averaged only 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h)[1] as compared to Great Western's eastbound record of 10.17 knots (18.83 km/h).[5] The President's captain was blamed for the poor performance and replaced by Michael Macarthy Keane.[7] However, her times were no better on her second round trip. Leaving New York City, President was only able to complete 300 miles in four days and returned to the Hudson to refuel. Upon arrival in Liverpool, her December voyage was cancelled and she was refitted. Again her captain was replaced.[1]

Departing Liverpool in February, under Captain Richard Roberts, President's third westbound voyage to New York lasted 21 days. She sailed for her return voyage on 11 March 1841 with 136 passengers and crew along with an extensive cargo manifest. President encountered a gale and was seen on her second day out labouring in heavy seas in the dangerous area between Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank. She was not seen again. Among the passengers was the Rev. George Grimston Cookman, who had served as Chaplain of the Senate, and the popular Irish comic actor Tyrone Power, who was the great-grandfather of the film star of the same name.[8] The late ship deathwatch stretched out for months. Queen Victoria asked that a special messenger be sent to her if there was news about the ship.[4]

The caption of the color print showing the ship in the storm reads as follows: "THE STEAM SHIP PRESIDENT, the largest in the world, LIEUT. ROBERTS, R.N. Commander of her last voyage from NEW YORK to LIVERPOOL. As last seen from the Packet Ship ORPHEUS, Capt.COLE, in the terrific gale of March the 12th 1841 at 3 o'clock P.M. Lat. 39, 46___Long. 71 bearing N.E. by E. by compass bearing East.___"

"In the inquiry before the British Consul on June the 5th 1841___Capt. Cole of the Packet Ship Orpheus, stated that when he last saw the President she was rising on the top of a tremendous sea pitching heavily and laboring tremendously___She was then situated in that dangerous part of the Atlantic Ocean about midway between the Nantucket Shoal and the St. George's Bank, just where the Gulf Stream strikes soundings, and where the waves rise about straight up and down & as high as a four or five story house___And further that it was his belief that the President did not survive the gale, but foundered with all on board and that all perished before sundown on the 13th or in less than twenty four hours after he last saw her, most probably in the terrible night of March 12th 1841."

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

SS President

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from Grokipedia
The SS President was a pioneering British wooden-hulled , launched in 1839 and completed in 1840 as the world's largest ship by tonnage and the flagship of the British and American Steam Navigation Company, which operated her on transatlantic mail and passenger routes between and New York until her unexplained sinking in March 1841 with the loss of all 136 aboard. Built by Curling and Young at on the River Thames and completed in early 1840, the President measured approximately 243 feet in length with a 41-foot beam, displaced around 2,350 gross tons, and was powered by side-lever engines of 600 horsepower paddle wheels that enabled a service speed of about 8.4 knots. Her construction represented a bold advancement in navigation, featuring luxurious accommodations for up to 150 first-class passengers—including ornate saloons, staterooms, and even a —aimed at attracting wealthy travelers to compete with rivals like the Cunard Line's smaller vessels. Despite her impressive scale—over 25% larger than the previous record-holder, the British Queen—the President suffered from design flaws, including underpowered engines relative to her size and poor due to her broad beam and high freeboard, which contributed to handling issues in rough seas. The vessel's brief career began with her maiden westbound voyage from to New York on August 1, 1840, taking 16 days amid favorable weather, followed by a return trip that was prolonged by gales and mechanical delays requiring additional coaling in Halifax. Her second round trip in October 1840 was similarly challenged by storms, but she completed it successfully, building public interest in travel's potential. On her fourth overall crossing—and third from New York—departing on March 11, 1841, under Captain Richard Roberts with 30 passengers and 106 crew, the President was last sighted the next day near in the North Atlantic during a fierce ; she vanished without distress signals, likely foundering due to overwhelming weather, possible engine failure, or structural weaknesses, marking the first for a transatlantic liner. The tragedy, with no survivors or wreckage recovered, led to the uninsured company's bankruptcy and heightened scrutiny of safety, influencing future designs toward greater stability and power.

Construction and Design

Development

The British and American Steam Navigation Company was established in 1839 by American merchant Junius Smith, an advocate for steam-powered transatlantic travel, with the primary ambition of launching a regular service between London and New York to compete in the growing passenger, mail, and freight trade across the Atlantic Ocean. The company, backed by investors including Scottish shipbuilder Macgregor —who offered advisory expertise drawn from his pioneering work in steam navigation on the expeditions—aimed to deploy a fleet of four large vessels to make ocean crossings faster, safer, and more reliable than sailing ships. In the same year, the company commissioned its , the SS President, as a wooden-hulled from the Curling & Young shipyard in , , with contributing to the design process. The ship was launched on December 9, 1839, and underwent through early 1840, reaching completion by July to prepare for her maiden voyage from to New York on August 1, 1840. Influenced by recent advancements in paddle steamer construction, such as those seen in the company's earlier vessel British Queen and competitors like the Great Western, the President was engineered for superior capacity and endurance on long-haul routes, becoming the world's largest ship at 2,366 GRT upon entering service.

Specifications and Features

The SS President measured 243 feet in length along the upper deck and had a beam of 41 feet within the paddle boxes, with a depth of 32 feet 9 inches from the spar deck. Her hull was constructed entirely of wood by the shipbuilders Curling and Young at their Limehouse yard in London, registering a gross tonnage of 2,366. The vessel incorporated three masts to support auxiliary sails, supplementing her primary steam propulsion during transatlantic crossings. Propulsion was driven by a pair of side-lever engines manufactured by Fawcett & Co. of , each featuring cylinders 80 inches in diameter with a 7-foot-6-inch stroke and collectively producing 600 horsepower. These engines powered large paddle wheels, originally equipped with feathering floats for improved efficiency but later modified to fixed paddles due to patent disputes, which reduced performance. The setup enabled an average speed of 8.4 knots, making her one of the slower steamers on the North Atlantic route despite her size. A key design flaw was the ship's top-heavy configuration, resulting from adding a third deck atop a hull profile similar to the smaller British Queen, which caused excessive rolling and instability in rough seas. The underpowered engines exacerbated this vulnerability, limiting her ability to maintain course against heavy weather. relied on basic paddle-wheel mechanics without modern aids, while safety features adhered to contemporary standards, including compartmentalized holds but lacking sufficient lifeboats or advanced lifesaving equipment for the era.

Interior Fittings

The SS President featured opulent interior fittings designed to rival the elegance of contemporary sailing packets and attract wealthy transatlantic passengers, with accommodations for 154 first-class travelers comprising 110 in regular cabins and 44 in . These lavish appointments, crafted by numerous carpenters and workmen during outfitting, created an atmosphere of splendor through high-quality materials and detailed craftsmanship. The principal saloon adopted a Tudor Gothic style, spanning 80 feet by 34 feet and adorned with intricate woodwork and chandeliers that enhanced its grandeur. Aft of the saloon lay a dedicated picture gallery evoking the voyages of Christopher Columbus, lined with ten oil paintings illustrating key scenes from his explorations, complemented by nautical motifs and maps to immerse passengers in themes of discovery. State rooms offered private comfort with two-berth configurations measuring seven feet square, each including a sofa, berths, washstand, dressing table, and full-length mirror for personal convenience. Servants' cabins, positioned forward, were slightly smaller at six feet square but similarly equipped to support the overall luxury experience. Dining areas and recreational spaces further reflected opulence, with fine imported furnishings and decor emphasizing the ship's role as a floating for elite clientele.

Operational Career

Maiden Voyage

The SS President departed from on 1 August 1840, bound for New York on her maiden transatlantic voyage. The ship, equipped with secondary masts for auxiliary power alongside her steam engines, represented a bold advancement in maritime technology as the largest vessel afloat at the time. The crossing proved challenging due to the ship's underpowered engines, which delivered only 600 horsepower and featured inefficient fixed paddles—a design compromise stemming from disputes that replaced more effective feathering paddles. These limitations, combined with encounters with rough weather, necessitated reliance on assistance to supplement propulsion, resulting in an average speed of just 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h). The voyage lasted 16 days, one of the slower transatlantic steam voyages to date, highlighting early operational hurdles for the vessel. The President arrived in New York on 17 August 1840, where she was greeted with widespread acclaim as a technological marvel and symbol of British engineering prowess. Crowds marveled at her scale and capabilities, though initial assessments soon revealed structural strains from the rigors of the crossing, including twisting in her wooden hull due to the top-heavy design and exposure to heavy seas, prompting recommendations for refits before further service.

Early Transatlantic Service

Following its maiden voyage, the SS President entered regular transatlantic service, completing two round trips between and New York from late 1840 into early 1841 as part of the British and American Steam Navigation Company's efforts to challenge established competitors. The ship's first return leg departed New York on 1 September 1840 and arrived in on 17 September, covering the distance in 16 days at an average speed of about 8.4 knots, consistent with the outbound duration. These early crossings typically took 14 to 16 days, prioritizing passenger comfort over the higher speeds achieved by rivals such as the Cunard Line's , which completed passages in around 14 days. Passengers noted the President's advantages in luxury and space—featuring three decks and accommodations for up to 110 in staterooms plus 44 in servants' cabins—making it "plusher" than contemporaries like the Royal Victoria, though its underpowered 600-horsepower engines limited velocity and contributed to longer voyages. The vessel carried mail contracts, up to 136 passengers and crew per sailing, and light freight such as manufactured goods and specie to offset operational costs and support the company's finances amid rivalry from sailing packets and other steamers, including the SS British Queen. After the second round trip, refits were attempted to mitigate top-heaviness and stability concerns revealed in stormy conditions, including adjustments to ballast and hull reinforcements following structural strain from rough seas.

Sinking and Investigation

Final Voyage

The SS President departed on March 11, 1841, under the command of Captain Richard Roberts, marking the start of her third eastbound transatlantic crossing to , . Aboard were 136 passengers and crew members, including notable figures such as Irish comedian , who was returning home after a tour in America. The vessel also carried an extensive cargo manifest, loaded to help stabilize her known tendency to roll in rough seas. The planned route adhered to the standard transatlantic path for eastbound voyages, proceeding northeast from New York along the southern edge of the North American coast before venturing into the open Atlantic toward the . Initial progress was unremarkable, with the ship making steady headway under favorable early conditions typical for the season. Onboard, routine activities prevailed as passengers settled into the voyage, though specific events from the first day remain undocumented in surviving accounts. By March 12, 1841, the President had reached the vicinity of Nantucket Shoals and , where she was last observed pitching heavily and struggling against a building . This sighting, made by the packet ship under Cole, occurred approximately at 39°46'N, 71°W, amid worsening stormy weather that marked the transition to hazardous conditions in the western Atlantic.

Circumstances of Loss

On March 12, 1841, the SS President was last sighted near , approximately 39°46'N, 71°W, by the Black Ball Line packet ship , struggling against mountainous seas in a severe gale that had developed between Shoals and . The storm intensified overnight into March 13, with high winds and rough seas battering the vessel as it labored eastward toward . The probable cause of the sinking was due to the ship's top-heavy —stemming from an additional third deck added during construction—which made it prone to excessive rolling in heavy weather, potentially compounded by engine failure amid the gale's fury. No distress signals were received from the President, and her total loss with all 136 souls aboard (106 crew and 30 passengers) was inferred from the absence of further sightings and reports of possible unidentified wreckage, including burnt debris near on June 2, 1841, by the American ship North Bend, and floating timbers sighted at 42°N, 42°W on July 30, 1841, by the British vessel . Among the notable passengers lost were Irish comic actor , renowned for his theatrical performances in and America, and Rev. George Grimston Cookman, a prominent Methodist preacher who had served as Chaplain of the . The gale's extreme conditions, including sustained high winds and turbulent sea states, exacerbated the vessel's inherent stability vulnerabilities, leading to her presumed foundering without trace.

Search and Aftermath

The SS President departed New York on 11 March 1841 bound for Liverpool, with an anticipated arrival in the British port by late March; however, by the end of the month, reports of her overdue status began circulating in newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic, heightening public anxiety over her whereabouts. The disappearance became major news, dominating headlines for months and prompting initial informal searches by passing vessels in the North Atlantic. British and American ships, including revenue cutters and merchant steamers, patrolled areas near Georges Bank and the Grand Banks where she was last sighted on 12 March amid severe gales; these efforts yielded scattered debris, such as burnt wreckage reported near Cape Hatteras on 2 June by the American ship North Bend and floating timbers sighted at 42°N, 42°W on 30 July by the British vessel Ronda, though none could be conclusively linked to the President. An official convened at the British Consulate in New York on 5 June 1841, presided over by Walton and attended by Lloyd's agent George Barclay, examined surviving records and witness statements to determine the cause of loss. Testimony from Captain Cole of the nearby packet ship Orpheus, who had observed the President heavily pitching in the on 12 , supported the conclusion that she had foundered due to the , with no of mechanical failure or improper loading—her trim was verified at 17 feet 9 inches aft and 17 feet 6 inches forward, and no excess had been stored on deck. The ruled out survivors, attributing the total loss of approximately 136 lives to the vessel overwhelming in the heavy seas, and cleared the British and American Steam Navigation of negligence in preparation for the voyage. Public mourning ensued across Britain and the , with widespread sympathy for the lost passengers and crew. Queen took a personal interest, ordering regular updates on the search and expressing concern over the tragedy, which underscored the risks of early transatlantic steam navigation. The company's financial strain intensified as the President was underinsured, leading to disputed claims that contributed to its eventual bankruptcy by July 1841.

Legacy and Significance

Impact on the Shipping Company

The loss of the SS President in March 1841 delivered a devastating financial blow to the British and American Navigation Company, as the ship was uninsured. This exacerbated existing debts from the high construction costs of its fleet amid fierce competition and unreliable passage times. The company, founded in with an initial capital of £1,000,000 to pioneer regular transatlantic services, had already strained its resources through ambitious and operations. This asset's disappearance with all 136 aboard not only eliminated a key revenue generator but also eroded confidence, pushing the firm into by mid-1841. The ensuing dissolution forced the sale of remaining assets, notably the British Queen, which was transferred to Belgian interests, while the company's transatlantic routes were abruptly abandoned, ceding ground to rivals like the British and North American Royal Steam Packet Company (later ). This shift intensified competition in early navigation, allowing subsidized mail contracts to consolidate under fewer operators and highlighting the perils of overextension in an era of unproven technology and high fuel demands. The collapse served as a cautionary example of overambitious ventures, where rapid scaling without secure government subsidies or technological maturity led to financial ruin in the nascent transatlantic trade. Among the key outcomes, company promoter Macgregor Laird pivoted his efforts toward West African trade routes, securing a British government mail contract in 1852 and founding the African Steamship Company to exploit opportunities in exploration and commerce along the . This redirection underscored the adaptability of early steam pioneers amid transatlantic setbacks, though it did not immediately revive Laird's fortunes.

Maritime and Cultural Impact

The sinking of the SS President represented a pivotal milestone in , as it was the first to founder on the transatlantic route, exposing the vulnerabilities of early steam technology amid the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic. The ship's design flaws amplified these risks, featuring a top-heavy structure from the addition of a third deck atop the hull of its predecessor, the British Queen, which caused excessive rolling and instability in rough conditions. This configuration, combined with underpowered engines and fixed non-feathering paddle wheels installed due to patent disputes, rendered the President particularly susceptible to capsizing. The disaster served as a cautionary example in practices, emphasizing the dangers of overloaded upper decks and prompting greater attention to balance and structural integrity in subsequent paddle steamers. Although no immediate legislative changes ensued, the President's loss fueled contemporary discussions on vessel stability and lifeboat adequacy in Britain during the 1840s, as relief funds were raised and inquiries highlighted the need for enhanced passenger protections. The prominent passenger Tyrone Power, a celebrated Irish known for humanizing characters, perished aboard, lending the tragedy added resonance within theater and literary circles of the era. In modern times, the wreck has eluded discovery despite reported sightings of possible debris, such as burnt wreckage near in June 1841 and floating remnants farther east in July, cementing the President's role in maritime historiography as a of the perils faced by pioneering transatlantic steam travel.
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