HANSA 9/20/1853
Michael Palmer
> Is there any chance anyone on this list has the passenger list for the
> HANSA that arrived in US 9/20/1853?
>
> OR would anyone know where I might obtain one? I've searched the usual
> sources and can't find this particular list.
According to the New York newspaper _Daily Tribune_ for 21 September 1853,
the Bremen steamship HANSA, Capt. [Ludwig] Geerken, arrived at New York on
the morning of 20 September 1853, from Bremen 7 A.M. 30 August, with
merchandise and 462 passengers, to Oelrichs & Co. The newspaper prints the
following account by Capt. Geerken:
13th inst[ant], at 4 P.M., lat 46 47, lon 52 14, saw a large screw
steamer steering east, supposed the GLASGOW, being so far off could
not plainly discern her signal. Left Bremerhaven 30th Aug. at 7:30
A.M., with a strong wind from the westward, at noon was off Helgoland
and shaped a course for the north of Scotland against a strong
westerly wind and sea; passed Fair island Sept. 1 at 4 P.M. The
following day, with the exception of a very short time, had strong
westerly winds and heavy sea, wherein the vessel labored hard. Fifth
day out, one of the engines broke down and could not be repaired at
sea; the latitude at the time being 55 44, lon 25 30. With a
continuation of stormy weather from the westward and a strong head
sea, could make but little headway with but one engine. Since 12th
Sept. we have had more moderate weather, but with westerly winds.
Arr[ived] off the Highlands at 2 A.M., and hove to for a pilot.
You will find a microfilm copy of the original passenger arrival manifest
on National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, roll 132, list #991 for
1853. You can borrow a copy of this microfilm through any LDS (Mormon)
Family History Center (Family History Library microfilm #0175491). Ira A.
Glazier and P. William Filby, ed., _Germans to America; Lists of
Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports_, vol. 5 (Wilmington, Delaware:
Scholarly Resources, 1989), p. 409-412, prints a transcript of the
passenger manifest. Please be aware, however, that the transcripts in
_Germans to America_ are notoriously inaccurate, so you should always check
the published information against the microfilm copy of the original
passenger manifest. Gary J. Zimmerman and Marion Wolfert, comp., _German
Immigrants; Lists of Passengers Bound from Bremen to New York, 1847-1854;
with places of origin_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1987),
abstracts the names on the passenger manifest in alphabetical order. The
abstracts are far more accurate than the transcripts in _Germans to
America_, but you should still check all published information against the
microfilm of the original passenger manifest.
Turning to the vessel itself, the steamship HANSA was built at New York by
William H. Webb (hull 31) for a group of 33 persons headed by Charles H.
Marshall, of the Black Ball Line of New York-Liverpool sailing packets;
keel laid down on 30 January 1847, launched on 20 August 1847, as the
UNITED STATES.
1,857 tons; 244 feet 7 inches x 40 feet x 30 feet 10 inches (length x
breadth x depth of hold); wood construction, clipper bow, 1 funnel, 3
masts (barkantine rig, with topsails on the fore and mainmast and long
poles permitting topgallants if necessary). 3 full decks from bow to
stern, with orlop decks on either side of the machinery. Space for 860
tons of coal, carried on either side of the engines and on the orlop decks.
On the main deck, 900 measurement tons of cargo space, part of which could
if necessary be converted into staterooms; aft, cabin 70 feet long, for
dancing and public entertainment. Directly above, on the main deck, dining
saloon, with the best staterooms port and starboard; at the bow the
sailor's quarters, and forward of the boilers a cabin with additional
staterooms on either side. On the spar deck, from forward to aft, the
anchor windlass, a scuttle leading to the forecastle, and a house covering
the stair to the forward cabin; near the wheels, the mates' rooms, the
fiddley, a skylight, and the crew's galley; a larger house providing
lounging space and the companionway to the after saloon; at the stern
another house containing a second entrance to the saloon, the steering
wheel, and four water closets for the gentlemen passengers. 2 side-lever
engines (T[heodosius] F. Secor & Co, New York), 80 inch bore by 9 foot
stroke. Two side-paddle wheels, 34 feet 8 inches in diameter, with 2
paddles 8 feet 4 inches by 1 feet 8 inches mounted on opposite sides of
each of the 28 arms. The wheels turned at 12 rpm, producing a service
speed of 10 knots. Coal consumption 48 tons per day. Maximum draft, when
fully loaded, 17 feet. No ballast or iron strapping required. 2 light-
colored stripes along the hull, paddle boxes painted white above the sheer
line, which reduced the high-sided appearance resulting from her great
depth and low draft. Advertised passenger accommodation 100 in 1st class,
50 in 2nd class, but cabin plan shows only 128 available berths.
The UNITED STATES was the third American-built ocean-going steamship, and
the first to be designed as such, with a counter stern and practically flat
deadrise and bottom (the two earlier vessels merely adapted the hull form
of a sailing packet to steam propulsion). A number of statements were
published during her construction that the UNITED STATES was intended for
service between New York and New Orleans, but this was most probably a ruse
to disguise Marshall's real intent, to try a steamship on the North
Atlantic in advance of his rival, Edward K. Collins, of the Dramatic Line,
who was preparing, with the aid of a mail subsidy from the United States
Postmaster, to launch his Collins Line, the first important American
steamship line on the North Atlantic. By the time the UNITED STATES was
completed her size alone made her an ocean steamship, not a coastwise one.
26 February and 14 March 1848, trials, under the command of Capt. William
G. Hackstaff.
08 Apr 1848 - maiden voyage under Capt. Hackstaff, New York-Liverpool (13
days 20 hours from Sandy Hook to anchorage off George's
Dock). 46 passengers; fare $120. First American vessel
propelled solely by steam to enter the River Mersey. 17 May
1848, sailed from Liverpool with 43 passengers, arriving at
quarantine at New York in 14 days, having met heavy gales
from Cape Clear to the Grand Banks.
Cunard officials in Liverpool had found the presence of the UNITED STATES
most unwelcome and had cut freight rates so drastically that she could find
no freight for a profit. In the face of such cutthroat competition,
Marshall abandoned Liverpool as the European terminus of his operation and
substituted Havre.
10 Jun 1848 - first voyage, New York-(Cowes 23 June) Southampton-Havre.
12 July 1848, sailed from Havre with 112 passengers
(including the new French Ambassador to the United States)
and the largest cargo every shipped from that port for New
York; arrived off Sandy Hook 12 days 16 hours later.
05 Aug 1848 - 2nd voyage, New York-Southampton (12 days 9 hours)-Havre.
Homeward, with 80 passengers and a large cargo, touched
at Cowes 3 September, and had gone as far as the Scillies
when a defective casting in one of her condensers gave way.
Put back to Southampton, where some of her passengers were
transferred to the HERMANN and the others to the ACADIA.
Repairs by Smith & Ashby, Southampton. 12 October, sailed
from Cowes; 26 October, arrived at New York, after long
delay because of fog.
Marshall and his colleagues had discovered that a single steamship running
at two-month intervals and without a mail subsidy was too costly a venture,
and as an experiment sent her on a single voyage to New Orleans.
04 Nov 1848 - one voyage, New York-Havana-New Orleans (arrived 14
November). Fares $75 for first cabin and $25 for steerage.
On return passage, docked at New York 6 days 8 hours from
Balize.
06 Dec 1848 - last voyage, New York-Southampton-Havre (arrived 20
December). 9 January 1849, sailed from Southampton; met 17
successive days of westerly gales. After passing the Grand
Banks ran into an even more severe storm and, simultaneously,
floating ice, which damaged her wheelboxes and paddles. Put
into Halifax for repairs and coal. Sailed from Halifax 3
February 1849, arrived New York 5 February.
Further sailings were advertised for March, May, and July 1849, but in
February 1849 Marshall and his fellow co-owners received and accepted an
offer from the Confederated German States to purchase the UNITED STATES for
the sum of $265,000. William H. Webb, her builder, converted the UNITED
STATES into a warship by removing her uppermost deck, reducing her rig, and
arming her with three 25 centimeter pivot guns and eight 20 centimeter
howitzers. Because of the war over Schleswig-Holstein the UNITED STATES
sailed from New York for Liverpool on 31 May 1849 with an American crew
under the command of Capt. Nathaniel Palmer; after running aground on
Nantucket Shoals less than 24 hours out and after later damaging one of her
boilers so badly that it had to be taken out of service, arrived at
Liverpool on 16 June 1849. Boiler repaired and the vessel handed over to
the Confederated German States which renamed her HANSA. She became the
flagship of the Deutsche Reichsflotte, based at Brake, and commanded by
Admiral Rudolf Brommy.
The Deutsche Reichsflotte was short-lived, and was disbanded by the German
Bundestag on 2 April 1852. The ships of the Reichsflotte were then sold,
the HANSA ex UNITED STATES being acquired together with the ERZHERZOG
JOHANN (formerly the Cunard steamship ACADIA) on 16 March 1853 by the
Bremen firm of W. A. Fritze & Co; shortly afterwards the Bremen merchant
Carl Lehmkuhl acquired a half interest in both vessels. The HANSA was
rebuilt as an emigration passenger vessel, with accommodation for 50
passengers in 1st class and 700 in steerage; crew of 70. Fritze and
Lehmkuhl placed both vessels (the ERZHERZOG JOHANN ex ACADIA having been
renamed GERMANIA) in service between Bremen and New York, in competition
with the American-owned Ocean Steam Navigation Co's WASHINGTON and HERMANN.
30 Aug 1853 - 1st voyage under Capt. Ludwig Geerken, Bremerhaven-New York
(arrived 20 September), with 48 cabin and 469 steerage
passengers; fares $100 for cabin, $40 steerage. 3 October,
cleared New York; 20 October, reached Bremerhaven, having
stopped for coal at Southampton.
29 Oct 1853 - Bremerhaven-New York (arrived 17 November), with 359
passengers. 29 November, cleared New York for Bremerhaven;
laid up for the winter.
21 Jul 1854 - Bremerhaven-New York (arrived 6 August), with 659
passengers.
22 Sep 1854 - Bremerhaven-New York-Bremerhaven (arrived 10 October), with
54 cabin and 647 steerage passengers.
The following year, the HANSA was chartered by the British Government to
carry troops and supplies to the Crimea.
24 Mar 1855 - sailed from the Thames as Transport No. 206 for Genoa by way
of Spithead, Gibraltar, and Marseilles (arrived 20 April).
Returned to England and turned back to her owners by 18
November.
09 Apr 1857 - last voyage, Bremerhaven-Boston (arrived 29 April, short of
coal and landed 78 passengers)-New York (arrived 2 May, with
505 passengers). On return passage, sailed from New York 7
May, arriving at Bremerhaven 24 May, with 93 passengers.
It was obvious that the wooden paddle-steamship HANSA could not compete
with the iron screw steamships being built for the new Bremen and Hamburg
services.
10 Oct 1857 - Capt. Geerken, arrived at Cowes, chartered to the Honourable
East India Company as a transport during the Indian Mutiny.
At the completion of this charter, the HANSA ex UNITED STATES was
purchased on 19 May 1858 by John Orr Lever, MP, a Manchester businessman,
who with a group of associates had established the Atlantic Steam
Navigation Co, to run a steamship service between Galway, Halifax, and New
York. The HANSA was renamed INDIAN EMPIRE (2,516 tons), and was inspected
at Southampton on 29 May 1858 by a large number of guests. 13 June 1858,
sailed from Southampton for Galway, where she struck a submerged rock upon
entering the harbor.
19 Jun 1858 - 1st voyage, Galway-Halifax (12 days, after a broken piston
rod forced her to sail on one engine)-New York (17 days
total). On return passage, sailed from New York 23 July,
arrived Galway 5 August; sent back to Southampton (arrived 9
August) for repairs.
28 Sep 1858 - Galway-Halifax (held up by weather)-Newport, Rhode Island
(put in for coal)-New York (docked 14 October). 250
passengers, 105 of them for New York. 23 October, cleared
New York; encountered engine problems, put into Halifax "for
adjustments", and proceeded on 30 October. About 350 miles
from Galway, encountered successive storms that forced her to
lay to for 7 days with almost no progress; she had
completely exhausted her coal supply, and had to burn cotton
from her cargo, woodwork and spars to reach Broadhaven,
Ireland, on 26 November.
The INDIAN EMPIRE ex HANSA ex UNITED STATES was not employed on the Galway
route again, and nothing is known of her for the next three years. 1862,
purchased by Z. C. Pearson of Hull, who brought her to the Thames for
repairs. 23 July 1862, at anchor off Deptford, caught fire and badly
gutted; both decks and masts were gone but the bowsprit, paddle boxes and
stack remained; raised. 4 May 1866, after lying in the Victoria Dock,
London, for several years, sprang a leak and sank.
Sources: Cedric Ridgely-Nevitt, _American Steamships on the Atlantic_
(Newark: University of Delaware Press, c1981), pp. 140-148 (cabin plans,
lines and sail plan of the UNITED STATES); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor,
_North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services
Linking the Old World with the New_ (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands:
Brookside Publications), vol. 1 (1975), pp. 193-194, 267-268; vol. 2
(1978), pp. 496-498, 505; Edwin L. Dunbaugh and William duBarry Thomas,
_William H. Webb: Shipbuilder_ (Glen Cove, New York: Webb Institute of
Naval Architecture, 1989), pp. 39 (lithograph) and 169; Arnold Kludas,
_Die Geschichte der Deutschen Passagierschiffahrt_, Bd. 1: Die
Pionierjahre von 1850 bis 1890, Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums,
22 (Hamburg: Kabel, c1986), pp. 15-17 (picture).
Pictures:
1. Endicott lithograph of the UNITED STATES, showing her as built,
reproduced in Dunbaugh and Thomas, _op. cit._, p. 39.
2. Painting of the UNITED STATES by James Bard, 1852, oil on canvas.
42 x 64 inches (106.7 x 162.6 cm). Private collection. Source:
Mariners' Museum, in collaboration with Anthony J. Peluso, Jr.,
_The Bard Brothers; Painting America under Steam and Sail_ (New
York: Harry N. Abrams, in association with The Mariners' Museum,
1997), p. 47.
3. Model of the HANSA, 1:33, inscribed "Alex Hope 1ster Maschinist RDF
Barbarossa 1850". Focke Museum, Bremen, Inv.-Nr. 39.159. Originally
hung in the Upper Hall of the Bremen Rathaus, a gift of the widow of
Admiral Brommy. Transferred to the Focke-Museum in 1939. Source:
Johannes Lachs, _Schiffe aus Bremen; Bilder und Modelle im
Focke-Museum_ (Bremen: H. M. Hauschild, [1994]), p. 122, no. 96.
4. Watercolor of the HANSA in the Maritime Museum in Brake. Source:
Clas Broder Hansen, _Passenger liners from Germany, 1816-1990_,
translated from the German by Edward Force (West Chester,
Pennsylvania: Schiffer Pub., c1991), p. 21.
5. Oil painting on canvas of the HANSA, by C. J. Fedeler (signature
illegible), probably 1853. Gold frame inscribed "HANSA Capitain
Ludwig Geerken", who commanded the ship 1853-1858. 75 x 109,5 cm.
Focke-Museum, Bremen, Inv.-Nr. 43.3. Obtained in 1943 from the Bremen
Firm of J. C. Pflüger & Co. Source: Johannes Lachs, _Schiffe aus
Bremen; Bilder und Modelle im Focke-Museum_ (Bremen: H. M. Hauschild,
[1994]), p. 123, no. 97.
I attach scans, in .JPG format, of the last two pictures, which show the
HANSA as she was as a passenger vessel on the Bremen-New York route between
1853 and 1857. If you wish to have copies of the other pictures, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
Michael Palmer