When in 1847 Edward K.Collins from the United States Government got a contract to carry the mail between the United States and Europe, to make competition with the British subsidized Cunard Line possible, he needed steamships for this service. One of these steamships was the ARCTIC.
Built by William H. Brown at New York for the New York and Liverpool United States Mail Steamship Company, better know as the Collins Line, as a wooden hulled paddle steamer.
28 Jan. 1850 launched under the name ARCTIC. Three sisters BALTIC, ATLANTIC and PACIFIC.
Tonnage 2.856 gross, dim. 86.86 x 13.98m.
Side-lever engines 800 ihp. manufactured by Novelty Iron Works at New York, speed 12.5 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 200 first class passengers.
These four were the Transatlantic marvels of that time. Installed with a steam heating system, bath rooms, smoking rooms and barbers shops
27 Oct. 1850 the ARCTIC sailed for her maiden voyage from New York to Liverpool.
During her return voyage to New York she was due to bad weather delayed and the passage took more as 14 days.
1851 her passenger accommodation increased with 80-second class berths.
07 Feb. 1852 sailed from New York, she made the fastest eastbound passage of the line of 9 days and 17 hours 4 minutes; normally at this time of the year record passages were not made. Arrived in Liverpool on 17 Feb.
The line carried about 50 percent more passengers as the Cunard Line in 1851 but due to high maintenance and repair cost the Collins Line were operating with a loss. In July 1852 the US Congress increased the subsidy from $ 385.000 to $858.000.
November 1852 she ran onshore on the Burbo Bank in dense fog, but was refloated without damage a few hours later.
Six months later on a homeward voyage she struck a submerged object on the South Coast of Ireland, returned to Liverpool for repair, sailed out again from Liverpool 11 days after her previous departure.
1853 Her mizzen mast was removed.
She sailed on 21 September 1854 from Liverpool bound for New York under command of Capt. Luce, with on board 246 passengers and 135 crew.
21 Sept. 1854, in a position about 65 miles s.w. from Cape Race, New Foundland and steaming through dense fog, she collided with the small French steamship VESTA under command of Capt. Duchesne. During the impact both vessels were on full ahead. First it did look of the ARCTIC did not have much damage, but the VESTA appeared to be worse, panic broke out under the passengers of the VESTA, and the ARCTIC lowered a boat to rescue the passengers and crew of the VESTA. But by reinforcing the bulkheads, the VESTA kept floating, and she was able to proceed to St John’s. The VESTA lost one man during the collision and in the panic on board two boats were launched, one was swamped, the other went adrift and never seen again, 12 people lost their life in this two boats.
The ARCTIC which was struck on the starboard side about 60 feet from the bow and was making water fast in the uncompartmentalized hull. Course was set for Cape Race about 5 hours steaming, but water was entering the boiler room and the fires swamped 30 minutes later.
There was a high sea running during launching of the boats, and most were carried away or smashed to pieces, only two boats reached the shore. For all the people on board there were inadequate lifeboats, and by the undisciplined crew not one woman or child was saved.
A raft hurriedly constructed by the crew was tossed overboard and with 72 men and four women on it or clinging on the sides pushed free from the sinking vessel. Two days later only one men was picked up from this raft by a passing vessel.
322 People drowned including the wife of the founder of the company with his son and daughter. Capt Luce survived the ordeal, when the vessel sank one of the paddleboxes broke loss and by clinging on it he was later saved, his son died from exposure.
Guyana 1990 $17.80 sg2722, scott 2271c.
Mali 1996 320fr. sg?, scott 831a
Sources. North Atlantic Seaways by Bonsor. Dictionary of Disasters at Sea, during the age of steam 1824-1962 by Charles Hocking.