Built as a wooden passenger-cargo paddle-vessel by Jeremiah Simonson, Greenpoint Long Island, New York for Commodore Vanderbilt (Cornelius Vanderbilt), New York.
10 March 1853 launched as the NORTH STAR.
Tonnage 1.867 gross, dim. 262.5 x 38.5 x 29.6ft.
Powered by a vertical beam steam engine 420nhp., manufactured by the Allaire Works, New York, speed 11 knots.
Four coal fired boilers daily consumption 42 tons coal. Bunker capacity 600 tons. Paddlewheels did have a diameter of 34 ft..
Two masts with auxiliary studding sails for bad weather.
Building cost $500.000.
--The intention was to use her in the service from New York to Nicaraguan but when Vanderbilt sold all his other vessels except the NORTH STAR, he announced that he would outfit her as a yacht. Outfitted as a royal yacht with 10 private staterooms. The grand saloon had rosewood furniture carved in the style of Louis XV and covered with green velvet plush. The circular crimson-plush sofa seat 20.
The walls of the dinning saloon were of highly polished marble. Its white ceiling was covered with scrollwork of purple light green, and medallions paintings of famous Americans.
The NORTH STAR left her berth in the East River on 19 May 1853 at 10.30am, with on board the family Vanderbilt and in-laws, and one grandchild. One son was not invited to join the trip.
She was this voyage under command of Capt. Asa Eldrige.
Three minutes after she left her berth she was hard aground, after the yacht was pulled off she was towed to the navy yard for repairs, she had not sustained much damage and after small repairs she sailed the same day at 20.07 hours.
After a smooth passage of 11½ days with an average speed of 11 knots she arrived at the south coast of England.
01 June 1853 she ran aground in the Solent, but refloated on the rising tide, and arrived the same day at Southampton.
15 June she left again from Southampton heading for the North Sea, visiting ports in South Norway, Copenhagen, Kronstadt, then to the south of France, Spain Italy, Malta, Constantinople and via Madeira back to New York where she arrived on 23 September 1853 after steaming 15.024 miles.
After arrival the NORTH STAR was fitted out with staterooms and steerage berths and send from New York on 20 February 1854 to Aspinwall, Nicaragua in competition with the US Mail Line and Vanderbilt former liners, which was now under Morgan and Garrison control to Nicaragua.
After a year the competition was so heavy that the US Mail Line bought the NORTH STAR for $ 300.000 and an additional $100.000 to give up the California trade.
In the meantime the NORTH STAR had made six voyages between New York and Aspinwall before she was bought by the Mail Line when she arrived in New York on 25 August 1854, and on the 20 September she left again under the flag of the US Mail Line.
She made an other 5 voyages for the Mail Line to Aspinwall but after a docking in New York on 7 February 1855 she was again acquired by Vanderbilt.
21 April 1855 the NORTH STAR she sailed from New York in a service together with the slightly smaller ARIEL between New York and Le Havre in de Vanderbilt European Line.
Her accommodation was then for 300 first and second class passengers.
She made then five round trips in this service.
May 1856 watertight bulkheads fitted.
10 May 1856 placed in the service between New York and Southampton and Bremen.
29 September 1858 made her last sailing from Le Havre and via Southampton to New York in this service.
1859 Transferred to New York to Panama service of Vanderbilt. The ship that could carry 300 passengers, but in this service carried sometimes 1200.
1865 Sold to the Pacific Mail Lines.
1866 Scrapped in New London, Connecticut.
Nicaragua 1990 $100.000 sg?, scott 1787.
Angola 1999 KZr950.000.00 sg?, scott?
Source: North Atlantic Seaways by Bonsor. American Steamships on the Atlantic by Cedric Ridgely-Nevitt.