41:
403:. Cramp also purchased new tools and production equipment. Cost of the real estate alone was above $ 265,000, and in order to limit the financial risk involved in the expansion, the firm made the decision to incorporate as the William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company; however, it remained a proprietary business with the Cramp family owning all the shares.
344:
of carrying 75 first class and 1,000 steerage passengers—specifications which were designed to ensure the new shipping line's competitiveness with existing transatlantic lines. The committee's recommendations were subsequently approved by the directors, and a public contract for the four vessels put out to tender.
343:
The ASC convened its first meeting on April 4, 1871, at which a committee was appointed by the company directors to recommend suitable vessels for its operations. The committee recommended the purchase of four iron steamships of 3,000 or more gross tons, capable of attaining a speed of 11.5 knots and
414:
Work on the ships remained on schedule until about
February 1872, when progress began to be delayed by shortages of both craftsmen and materials. Cramp had expanded his company's workforce to over 1,000 to build the ships, but strong industry-wide demand at the time made it difficult to find skilled
576:
A brief upturn in the U.S. economy between 1879 and 1881 assisted the ASC's profitability, but after the economy slumped again in 1882, ASC's parent company, the
Pennsylvania Railroad, was no longer prepared to underwrite the losses. In October 1884, the Pennsylvania Railroad forced the sale of the
538:
A number of attempts were made to improve profitability—for example, in 1875 all four ships had their capacity for carrying first class passengers upgraded from 75 to 100, and in the same year an unsuccessful attempt to transport fruit was made. A more successful experiment was made in
November of
410:
only the previous year, and
Charles Cramp had also recently travelled to the United Kingdom to acquaint himself with the latest developments in engine technology, hiring a consultant engineer along the way. The company was thus in a position to fit engines of the latest design. Many parts for the
355:
and
Dialogue & Wood—all Philadelphia firms. The winning bidder was Cramp & Sons, which submitted the lowest bid of $ 520,000 per unit, and the contract for all four ships was subsequently signed with that company on August 30. Design of the vessels was entrusted to the marine architect
543:
sailed for
Liverpool with 30 sides of dressed beef along with 140 sides of mutton and some poultry, which may have been the first successful shipment of fresh meat across the Atlantic. However, reliable shipments of fresh meat would not become possible until the invention of
491:
477:
panelling, was 115 by 43 feet, and spanned the entire width of the ship. It featured a Waters piano at one end and a "finely covered bookcase" at the other. The ship featured the latest in accommodations, including bathrooms, a smoking room and a barbershop.
617:
559:
to
Liverpool on the first leg of his highly successful world tour. By this time however the ASC's financial troubles were well known, and in 1878, the ships' original builder, William Cramp & Sons, offered to buy back three of the four
270:—were at the time the largest iron ships yet built in the United States, and were launched with considerable fanfare. Upon entering service in 1874, they became the first American-built steamships to challenge British dominance of the
340:(ASC), created to manage a new shipping line known as the American Line, which would be American's first transatlantic line since the end of the American Civil War. The Legislature granted the ASC its company charter in April 1871.
482:'s cabins were equipped with hair mattresses and fine quality silk-striped terrycloth curtains. While the cabins were finished in a uniform style, each was decorated with a different fabric, lending them an attractive variety.
585:, and the American Steamship Company was disbanded. In the course of its ten-year history, the ASC had cost the PRR almost a million dollars, although the losses were offset to some extent by the extra business the
506:
set sail for
Liverpool on her maiden voyage on May 22, 1873 on behalf of the American Line, she was the first ship owned by an American shipping line to participate in the transatlantic trade since the Civil War.
535:
had plunged to just 50% of its previous level, while overall trade declined 17%. Consequently, the four ships—the only ships fully owned by the
American Steamship Company—steadily lost money.
317:, depriving the Pennsylvania Railroad of this lucrative trade. The Railroad made its first attempt to compensate for the lost traffic by organizing its own steamship line in 1863 (during the
596:
The main difference between the ASC and the INC was that the former had run
American-built, American-flagged ships, while the latter employed foreign built vessels which sailed under the
387:
The company began by purchasing real estate at Norris St., Philadelphia, a few blocks from its existing works, on which it built an entirely new shipyard, which was fitted with its own
1158:
466:
amidships and two schooner-rigged auxiliary masts, one fore and one aft, capable of utilizing a total of ten sails. The sails were only for use in case of mechanical breakdown.
462:
class ships was fitted with a 2,000 horsepower compound steam engine serviced by several large boilers, delivering power to a single propeller. Each vessel had a single large
411:
ships however, such as iron plates, anchor chains, joinery for the first class cabins, gas fixtures etc., came from specialist Philadelphian manufacturers under subcontract.
1235:
427:
was ready for launch. The event was considered of such patriotic and economic significance that a half day holiday was declared for the cities of Philadelphia and
604:. This saved money because the Red Star Line employed European crews, who were paid less than their American counterparts. The INC, however, continued to run the
442:
intended for installation on the ships as signal guns—a gesture of civic pride in the achievement of building the four vessels. The last two ships of the class,
1230:
1225:
1151:
636:-class passengers. During the 1890s, the vessels operated a variety of different routes, sometimes under charter to the Red Star Line, including
1144:
1130:
1085:
921:
889:
384:
class. In order to construct the four vessels, Cramp & Sons was forced to undertake a major revamping of its shipbuilding facilities.
903:
31:
438:, followed on October 30. On December 28, Philadelphia's Mayor William S. Stokley presented the American Line with four twelve pound
1115:
1100:
415:
workers. The local ironmolding industry also had difficulty supplying the Cramp shipyard with the amount of iron plate it required.
582:
532:
431:
and the surrounding area. The launch took place at 10:12 am on Thursday, August 15, watched by thousands of cheering spectators.
735:
Early sources give the length of the vessels as 343 ft. Later sources state 355 ft. The reason for the discrepancy is not clear.
329:
333:
625:
469:
An idea of the vessels' internal appointments may be drawn from descriptions of two of the individual ships of the class.
294:
683:
to serve as a supply ship. All four ships continued to serve in these respective roles for at least another dozen years.
1167:
40:
285:
class steamships were to enjoy long and distinguished careers, the last of them being retired from service in 1921.
332:, in 1870, Pennsylvania Railroad decided to try establishing its own shipping line once again. It petitioned the
709:
373:
372:
class, let alone an entire class of such vessels. The largest iron ship built in the United States to date was
511:
was soon joined by her three sister ships, and the four vessels would continue to ply the same Philadelphia-
239:
83:
1181:
1078:
North Atlantic Seaway: An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New
713:
655:
which now controlled the vessels, took advantage of high demand for American flag vessels caused by the
648:
565:
356:
Barnabus H. Bartol, a director of the American Line, and the head of the Cramp shipyard, Charles Cramp.
321:), but the plan was dropped after the Philadelphia city council declined to provide financial support.
1123:
The American Clyde: A History of Iron and Steel Shipbuilding on the Delaware from 1840 to World War I
348:
744:
675:
were all sold to Pacific steamship companies servicing gold rush customers, while the fourth ship,
512:
247:
1202:
589:
class ships had brought to the railroad. Around this time, each of the four ships also had their
428:
318:
275:
628:, which were more economical to run and allowed for more cargo space. At the same time, all but
911:
883:
608:
class on the Philadelphia-Queenstown-Liverpool route under the established American Line name.
1195:
1126:
1111:
1096:
1081:
702:
656:
624:
Between 1887 and 1891, all four ships of the class were refitted with smaller but more modern
590:
897:
347:
Four bids were eventually submitted, ranging as high as $ 660,000 per ship. The bidders were
556:
352:
17:
925:
907:
893:
407:
265:
1057:
712:
and the First World War, and continued in U.S. Navy service until being struck from the
1188:
1108:
Ships for the Seven Seas: Philadelphia Shipbuilding in the Age of Industrial Capitalism
490:
474:
259:
271:
1219:
882:
by N. R. P. Bonsor, volume 3, pp. 928–929, as cited at "The Ships List" website, see
644:
and Antwerp-Philadelphia, as well as their original Liverpool to Philadelphia route.
641:
601:
545:
524:
337:
314:
243:
93:
439:
306:
235:
616:
400:
253:
1136:
720:
class gave a total of well over 160 years of service to their various owners.
652:
388:
310:
298:
680:
528:
396:
302:
716:
in 1921. She was finally scrapped in 1928. In total, the four ships of the
523:
Unfortunately, the vessels' entry into service closely coincided with the
633:
365:
325:
309:, thus ensuring the Railroad a steady stream of customers. In 1857, the
637:
597:
463:
380:, launched in 1870 and more than 1,000 tons lighter than a ship of the
281:
Although soon outclassed by newer and larger vessels, all four of the
392:
489:
368:
was equipped to build even a single ship of the dimensions of the
1140:
564:
class ships in order to convert them into cruisers for the
297:(PRR) had enjoyed a lucrative partnership with the British
697:
all eventually succumbed to accidents in Pacific waters.
234:
was a class of four cargo-passenger liners built by the
515:-Liverpool route almost without change for many years.
620:
A Red Star Line poster, probably dating from the 1890s
406:Fortuitously, Cramp & Sons had built its first
336:for a charter for a new company to be known as the
551:A high point for the class came in 1876, when the
205:1,400 horsepower compound engine, single propeller
1125:, University of Delaware Press (reprinted 1992,
593:strengthened at the cost of $ 25,000 per ship.
581:class ships to its other shipping company, the
242:in 1872–73. Intended for the newly established
30:For other ship classes named Pennsylvania, see
1064:, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
527:, which triggered one of the longest economic
494:Early American Line advertisement featuring a
1152:
301:, which transported European immigrants from
8:
780:
778:
759:
757:
423:By August 1872 the first of the four ships,
324:After a failed attempt to gain control of a
1159:
1145:
1137:
632:were downgraded to carry only cabin- and
1053:
1051:
615:
600:flag and operated under the name of the
555:had the honor of transporting President
450:, were launched in March and June 1873.
109:(US$ 13,225,000 each in current dollars)
1236:Ships built by William Cramp & Sons
728:
874:
872:
870:
868:
866:
864:
862:
35:
7:
1231:Passenger ships of the United States
1091:Flayhart, William Henry III (2000):
1226:Merchant ships of the United States
1110:, Johns Hopkins University Press,
25:
458:When completed, each of the four
659:to sell off his ageing fleet of
583:International Navigation Company
533:immigration to the United States
399:shops in addition to a 700-foot
39:
1095:, W. W. Norton & Company,
626:triple expansion steam engines
334:Pennsylvania State Legislature
27:Class of cargo-passenger ships
1:
1093:The American Line (1871–1902)
568:. The ASC refused the offer.
295:Pennsylvania Railroad Company
1106:Heinrich, Thomas R. (1997):
473:'s main saloon, finished in
351:, William Cramp & Sons,
313:switched its destination to
18:Pennsylvania class steamship
1252:
1080:, Brookside Publications,
531:in U.S. history. By 1875,
338:American Steamship Company
29:
1177:
1076:Bonsor, N. R. P. (1979):
548:some twenty years later.
156:
62:
38:
1121:Tyler, David B. (1958):
374:Harlan and Hollingsworth
240:William Cramp & Sons
84:William Cramp & Sons
539:the same year when the
157:General characteristics
749:Seattle Times Magazine
621:
572:Transfer of management
499:
197:Steam, auxiliary sails
165:Cargo-passenger liners
880:North Atlantic Seaway
708:, served in both the
649:Clement Acton Griscom
619:
493:
364:In 1871, no American
349:John Roach & Sons
1018:Flayhart, pp. 76–78.
1009:Flayhart, pp. 72–74.
1000:Flayhart, pp. 70–71.
991:Flayhart, pp. 57–60.
847:Flayhart, pp. 33–34.
820:Heinrich, pp. 59–61.
811:Flayhart, pp. 23-24.
793:Heinrich, pp. 56–57.
772:Heinrich, pp. 55–56.
710:Spanish–American War
328:shipping line, the
924:2012-02-17 at the
906:2012-02-17 at the
892:2009-12-15 at the
751:, August 29, 2004.
745:"Looking for Luck"
622:
519:Financial troubles
500:
440:Dahlgren howitzers
319:American Civil War
276:American Civil War
32:Pennsylvania class
1213:
1212:
1131:978-0-87413-101-7
1086:978-0-905824-02-4
946:"Flayhart, p. 37.
747:by Paul Dorpat –
657:Alaskan gold rush
434:The second ship,
353:Neafie & Levy
246:, the four ships—
225:
224:
53:-class steamship
16:(Redirected from
1243:
1161:
1154:
1147:
1138:
1065:
1055:
1046:
1045:Flayhart, p. 56.
1043:
1037:
1036:Flayhart, p. 54.
1034:
1028:
1027:Flayhart, p. 78.
1025:
1019:
1016:
1010:
1007:
1001:
998:
992:
989:
983:
980:
974:
973:Flayhart, Ch. 2.
971:
965:
964:Flayhart, p. 62.
962:
956:
955:Flayhart, p. 23.
953:
947:
944:
938:
937:Flayhart, p. 53.
935:
929:
876:
857:
856:Flayhart, p. 35.
854:
848:
845:
839:
838:Flayhart, p. 33.
836:
830:
829:Heinrich, p. 62.
827:
821:
818:
812:
809:
803:
802:Heinrich, p. 57.
800:
794:
791:
785:
784:Heinrich, p. 56.
782:
773:
770:
764:
763:Heinrich, p. 59.
761:
752:
742:
736:
733:
679:was sold to the
557:Ulysses S. Grant
401:outfitting wharf
293:Since 1850, the
274:trade since the
106:US$ 520,000 each
43:
36:
21:
1251:
1250:
1246:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1241:
1240:
1216:
1215:
1214:
1209:
1173:
1171:class steamship
1165:
1073:
1068:
1056:
1049:
1044:
1040:
1035:
1031:
1026:
1022:
1017:
1013:
1008:
1004:
999:
995:
990:
986:
981:
977:
972:
968:
963:
959:
954:
950:
945:
941:
936:
932:
926:Wayback Machine
908:Wayback Machine
894:Wayback Machine
877:
860:
855:
851:
846:
842:
837:
833:
828:
824:
819:
815:
810:
806:
801:
797:
792:
788:
783:
776:
771:
767:
762:
755:
743:
739:
734:
730:
726:
663:class vessels.
614:
574:
521:
488:
486:Service history
456:
421:
408:compound engine
362:
291:
194:Installed power
112:
58:
34:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1249:
1247:
1239:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1218:
1217:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1207:
1200:
1193:
1186:
1178:
1175:
1174:
1166:
1164:
1163:
1156:
1149:
1141:
1135:
1134:
1119:
1104:
1089:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1047:
1038:
1029:
1020:
1011:
1002:
993:
984:
975:
966:
957:
948:
939:
930:
858:
849:
840:
831:
822:
813:
804:
795:
786:
774:
765:
753:
737:
727:
725:
722:
651:, head of the
613:
610:
573:
570:
520:
517:
487:
484:
475:English walnut
455:
452:
420:
417:
361:
358:
290:
287:
223:
222:
219:
215:
214:
211:
207:
206:
203:
199:
198:
195:
191:
190:
187:
183:
182:
179:
175:
174:
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167:
166:
163:
159:
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153:
150:
146:
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142:
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
126:
122:
121:
118:
114:
113:
111:
110:
107:
103:
101:
97:
96:
91:
87:
86:
81:
77:
76:
69:
65:
64:
63:Class overview
60:
59:
49:(formerly the
44:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1248:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1192:
1191:
1187:
1185:
1184:
1180:
1179:
1176:
1172:
1170:
1162:
1157:
1155:
1150:
1148:
1143:
1142:
1139:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1120:
1117:
1116:0-8018-5387-7
1113:
1109:
1105:
1102:
1101:0-393-04710-5
1098:
1094:
1090:
1087:
1083:
1079:
1075:
1074:
1070:
1063:
1061:
1054:
1052:
1048:
1042:
1039:
1033:
1030:
1024:
1021:
1015:
1012:
1006:
1003:
997:
994:
988:
985:
982:Tyler, p. 34.
979:
976:
970:
967:
961:
958:
952:
949:
943:
940:
934:
931:
927:
923:
920:
918:
914:
909:
905:
902:
900:
895:
891:
888:
886:
881:
875:
873:
871:
869:
867:
865:
863:
859:
853:
850:
844:
841:
835:
832:
826:
823:
817:
814:
808:
805:
799:
796:
790:
787:
781:
779:
775:
769:
766:
760:
758:
754:
750:
746:
741:
738:
732:
729:
723:
721:
719:
715:
711:
707:
706:
700:
696:
692:
688:
684:
682:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
654:
650:
645:
643:
639:
635:
631:
627:
618:
612:Later service
611:
609:
607:
603:
602:Red Star Line
599:
594:
592:
588:
584:
580:
571:
569:
567:
563:
558:
554:
549:
547:
546:refrigeration
542:
536:
534:
530:
526:
525:panic of 1873
518:
516:
514:
510:
505:
497:
492:
485:
483:
481:
476:
472:
467:
465:
461:
453:
451:
449:
445:
441:
437:
432:
430:
426:
418:
416:
412:
409:
404:
402:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
359:
357:
354:
350:
345:
341:
339:
335:
331:
327:
322:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
288:
286:
284:
279:
277:
273:
272:transatlantic
269:
268:
263:
262:
257:
256:
251:
250:
245:
244:American Line
241:
237:
236:Philadelphian
233:
231:
220:
217:
216:
212:
209:
208:
204:
201:
200:
196:
193:
192:
188:
185:
184:
180:
177:
176:
172:
169:
168:
164:
161:
160:
155:
151:
148:
147:
143:
140:
139:
135:
132:
131:
127:
124:
123:
119:
116:
115:
108:
105:
104:
102:
99:
98:
95:
94:American Line
92:
89:
88:
85:
82:
79:
78:
75:
74:
70:
67:
66:
61:
56:
52:
48:
42:
37:
33:
19:
1203:
1196:
1189:
1183:Pennsylvania
1182:
1169:Pennsylvania
1168:
1122:
1107:
1092:
1077:
1059:
1041:
1032:
1023:
1014:
1005:
996:
987:
978:
969:
960:
951:
942:
933:
916:
912:
898:
885:Pennsylvania
884:
879:
852:
843:
834:
825:
816:
807:
798:
789:
768:
748:
740:
731:
718:Pennsylvania
717:
704:
698:
694:
690:
687:Pennsylvania
686:
685:
676:
672:
668:
665:Pennsylvania
664:
661:Pennsylvania
660:
646:
629:
623:
606:Pennsylvania
605:
595:
587:Pennsylvania
586:
579:Pennsylvania
578:
575:
566:Russian Navy
562:Pennsylvania
561:
552:
550:
540:
537:
522:
509:Pennsylvania
508:
504:Pennsylvania
503:
501:
498:class vessel
496:Pennsylvania
495:
480:Pennsylvania
479:
470:
468:
460:Pennsylvania
459:
457:
447:
443:
435:
433:
425:Pennsylvania
424:
422:
413:
405:
386:
382:Pennsylvania
381:
377:
370:Pennsylvania
369:
363:
360:Construction
346:
342:
323:
307:Philadelphia
292:
283:Pennsylvania
282:
280:
266:
260:
254:
249:Pennsylvania
248:
238:shipbuilder
230:Pennsylvania
229:
228:
226:
73:Pennsylvania
72:
71:
54:
51:Pennsylvania
50:
46:
915:(1873) and
577:ASC's four
454:Description
376:'s steamer
330:Anchor Line
289:Development
173:3,104 gross
1220:Categories
1071:References
653:Inman Line
529:recessions
513:Queenstown
391:, engine,
389:blacksmith
311:Inman Line
305:direct to
299:Inman Line
218:Complement
213:11.5 knots
202:Propulsion
181:343–355 ft
125:In service
724:Footnotes
714:Navy List
703:USS
681:U.S. Navy
647:In 1897,
397:carpentry
303:Liverpool
133:Completed
128:1873–1921
120:1872–1874
90:Operators
1204:Illinois
922:Archived
917:Illinois
904:Archived
890:Archived
699:Illinois
677:Illinois
642:New York
634:steerage
541:Illinois
448:Illinois
366:shipyard
326:Scottish
315:New York
267:Illinois
80:Builders
55:Illinois
1197:Indiana
913:Indiana
695:Indiana
673:Indiana
638:Antwerp
598:Belgian
553:Indiana
471:Indiana
444:Indiana
378:Wyanoke
261:Indiana
170:Tonnage
149:Retired
1129:
1114:
1099:
1084:
1062:(1873)
1060:Supply
919:(1873)
901:(1872)
887:(1872)
705:Supply
429:Camden
419:Launch
393:boiler
178:Length
47:Supply
878:From
701:, as
591:hulls
502:When
464:stack
232:class
210:Speed
189:43 ft
117:Built
1190:Ohio
1127:ISBN
1112:ISBN
1097:ISBN
1082:ISBN
1058:USS
899:Ohio
693:and
691:Ohio
671:and
669:Ohio
630:Ohio
446:and
436:Ohio
395:and
264:and
255:Ohio
227:The
186:Beam
162:Type
141:Lost
100:Cost
68:Name
45:USS
1222::
1133:).
1050:^
910:,
896:,
861:^
777:^
756:^
689:,
667:,
278:.
258:,
252:,
221:83
1160:e
1153:t
1146:v
1118:.
1103:.
1088:.
928:.
640:–
152:1
144:3
136:4
57:)
20:)
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