I 1 tJh.e Savannah ELMO SCOTT WATSON N MAY 22 the American people will celebrate National Maritime day. Its first observance took place last year, so ft fell to the lot of a sailor President to add to our patriotic calendar a day which not only commemorates a great naval feat but also is designed to make this nation more “martime-minded” and to spur it on to recapturing its rightful share of the world’s sea commerce. For the voyage of the Savannah, which began on May 22, 1819, was a revolutionary event Not only did it thrill and startle the world (including that proud “Mistress of the Sean,” Great Britain) and doom the clipper ship . of romantic memory, but it also marked a new era In water transportation and presaged the day when ocean greyhounds would make the shores of the Old and the New world only five days apart instead of five weeks. More than that, it is altogether fitting that this new red-letter day on the American calendar should make the name of a real naval hero more familiar to his fellow-countrymen than it has hitherto been. He was Capt. Moses Rogers of New London, Conn., the pioneer of a new era in ocean travel as well as a worthy exem plar of the best traditions of the old days of seafaring. Even though Robert Fulton and others had proved that the steamship was a practical and reliable means of water transportation, the early Nineteenth century regarded transatlantic voy ages by this “new-fangled” kind of ship with a great deal of skepticism. So that "foolhardy Yankee,” Captain Rogers, had considerable dif ficulty in persuading a group of Southerners to back his plan for building a steamship to cross the ocean. He had commanded a steamboat on the Hudson river and had brought another ves sel under steam from New York around to the head of Chesapeake bay, a voyage considered very dangerous in those days. But that was as nothing compared to the dangers which awaited such a ship out on the high seas. Finally, however, Rogers convinced them that he could make such a voyage safely and in 1818 the first transoceanic steamship company was organized and incorporated at Savannah by the Georgia legislature. It ordered the construction of a wooden vessel 98.5 feet long, 25.8 feet wide and 12.9 deep with a gross tonnage of 319.70, to which was given the name of the Savannah. Financed by Georgians, built by Feckett and Crockett of New York city and provided with a “steam engine” supplied by Stephen Vail of Mor ristown, N. J., the ship was to be commanded by a Connecticut Yankee. So this venture was an all-American affair with both the South and the North represented in it. The builders did not have the same faith in the steam engine part of it that Rogers did, so the Savannah was provided with masts and sails. But the captain seems to have regarded them more as auxiliary power and as insurance against discontent, or even possible mutiny, by the crew. He arranged for protection of his iron paddle wheels by having them made in detachable sec tions and invented machinery by which they could be switched on to the deck in case of a bad storm. ^ The log book of the Savannah, now preserved in the United States National museum, shows that the Savannah left New York at ten o’clock on the morning of March 28, 1819, and headed for the open sea, bound for Savannah, Ga. It is evident that the ship left under sail, for no men tion is made of steam in the log. But the next morning they "got the steam up and it began to blow fresh; we took the wheels in on deck in 20 minutes." During the remainder of the voy age the steam engine was used only intermit tently and on April 6, eight days and fifteen hours from New York, the Savannah reached the fcort of its namesake. T “On her approach to the city hundreds of cit izens flocked to the banks of the river and. while she ascended, saluted with long and loud huzzas!", says an item in the Savannah Repub lican for April 7, 1819, which continues: “The utmost confidence is placed in her security. It redounds much to the honor of Savannah, when It is said that it was owing to the enterprise of some of her spirited citizens that the first at President Monroe tempt was made to cross the Atlantic ocean in a vessel propelled by steam. We sincerely hope the owners may reap a rich reward for their splendid and laudable undertaking.” On May 1 the Savannah made a short trip to Charleston, S. C., and there on May 11 she was honored by having as guests President James .Monroe and a party who spent the day on the new ship cruising to Tybee Light. The Presi dent was much pleased with tier performance and requested that she be brought to Wash ington on her return from Europe. On May 19 the Savannah Republican carried this advertisement. “For Liverpool—The steam ship Savannah, Capt. Rogers, will, without fail, proceed for Liverpool direct, tomorrow, the 20th. instant. Passengers, if any offer, can be well ac commodated. Apply on board." However, it seems that the citizens of Savannah did not still have “the utmost confidence in tier security” for none of them “offered” to become passengers on this historic voyage. The truth was, they were afraid that the ship might either be set atire by her furnaces or that she might be blown up by an explosion of her boilers. Nor did she sail "without fail” on May 20. An accident to one of the crew delayed the start two days. So it was not until nine o'clock on the morning of May 22 that Captain Rogers’ ship “hove up the anchor and started with the steam from Savannah." A week later, out in the middle of the Atlantic, the captain of another American ship, seeing in the distance a vessel which he believed to be on lire, started to her aid. "Lint,” lie wrote in tils log, “we found she went faster with fire and smoke than we could do with all sail set! We then discovered that the vessel on lire was noth ing less than a steamboat crossing the western ocean, laying her course, as we Judge, for Eu rope, a proud monument of Yankee skill!” A similar incident occurred on June 17 when the boat was seen off the southern coast of Ireland and reported as a ship on tire to the admiral of the liritish fleet in the cove of Cork. Thereupon he “dispatched one of the king's cut ters to her relief; but greut was their wonder at their inability with all sail set. in a fast ves sel, to come up with a ship under bare poles. After several shots were fired from the cutter the engine was stopped and the surprise of her crew at the mistake they tiad made, as well as their curiosity to see the singular Yankee craft can easily be Imagined. They asked permission to come aboard, and were much gratified by the inspection of this novelty.” On June 20 later the “Yankee skill" of Captain Rogers brought the Savannah safely Into port at Liverpool. She had made the run In 29 days and 11 hours but during that time the engine had worked the paddle wheels only 40 hours. According to a letter which the American min ister at London wrote to John Quincy Adams, then secretary of state, "She excited admlrntion and astonishment nn she entered port under the Capt Moses Rogers President Roosevelt power of her steam. She Is a tine ship, and exhibits in her navigation across the Atlantic a signal triumph of American enterprise and skill upon tlte ocean." The coining of ttie Savannah excited other emotions besides admiration and astonishment, however. Soon after her arrival it was learned that Jerome Bonaparte had offered a large re ward to anyone who would curry off his famous brother, Napoleon, then an exile on St. Helena, and the British suspected the Savannah of be ing concerned in some such plot. So she was closely watched by ttie authorities all the time she was in port. On July 21 site steamed away from Liverpool for a visit to Sweden and Russia and her visits to those two countries were triumphal proces sions during which site was visited by members of tlie royal families who joined in the praises of the daring Yankee skipper and His crew. On October 10 the Savannah sailed lor her home port. The voyage was a stormy one and the engines were not used on any single occasion during tlie trip until November 30 when, so the log records, “('apt. Rogers took a pilot inside the bar and at 10 a. m. anchored in the Savannah river and Arid sails on the Ilude tale, got under way with steam and went up and anchored off the town.” Thus ended her historic trip. Again the people of Savannah made a holiday in honor of the ship which had carried the name of their city to fame across the Atlantic. The next year the city of Savannah was swept by a great Are and, because of the losses suf fered by the owners of the ship in this disaster, she was sold, her engines taken out and she tvas used ns a sailing packet between Savannah tnd New York. Later the Savannah was driven ishore on Long Island by a gale and pounded to pieces, Just 21 days after the death of her gal lant captain whose enterprise (ind brought her nto existence and who had shared In all the jlory of her great achievements of HO years ago. • bv Wuiirn Nowipnper Union. Unique “Primrose” Rug to Crochet By GRANDMOTHER CLARK * This rag rug measures 42 Inches and requires about three pounds of material to finish. It appears to tie made of six squares eneh of a differ ent size, with the horizontal positions alternating. Work Is started with the center square about ft inches in diameter. Triangles are then cro cheted on the four sides of Inner sqnnre forming the second square. Continue same way for third, fourth and fifth squares. The sixth square Is the same size as fifth square and therefore requires smaller triangles on sides than the others. Colors should be so arranged that center Is In light shades of ' ellow, while outer triangles represent the petals of flow ers, and may be shaded In color de sired. This can be made Into a very attractive and unique rug. depending very much on the color scheme used. This whether this peacefulness Is of the mind or the body. It is also true that disturbance In either realm affects flu* other. Unnecessary clat ter, for example, is annoying and dis tracting alike. It Jars the nerves and turns tin* attention from what one Is doing, or diverts a train of thought which may be arriving at an important decision or discovery. It is not the ordinary hum of sounds which prevail in certain lo calities which Is bothersome, but sud den racket or a persistent Introduc tion of an unaccustomed noise which permeates and Increases It. Such hubbub may be impossible to avoid, as It Is present In city streets and cannot be entirely eliminated In dwellings In crowded areas. Soci eties are formed In metropolitan cities for the suppression of unneces sary noise, and they are helpful In reducing the uproar. In the quiet of the country suca societies seem amusing to the inhab itants. But so peaceful is the ntinos phere in small villages not on the through roads frequented by autos, that lesser sounds than those usual iti cities are noticeable. The lowing of cattle, tlie sudden raucous cawing of crows, the bark of a dog, are no ticenble, and sometimes startling Even to city dwellers who go to the country for quiet, the calls of birds at sunrise is as awakening as more strident sounds in a city which Is never actually quiet. There Is mel ody, though, in the notes of birds, which is pleasant, however interrupt ing it may be to slumbers. Indoors sounds which are not ea sentinl to any task or work should be kept in abeyance as much as pos sible. Children should learn, and adults remember, to close doors, uot slam them. The way to turn radi ators off and on with the minimum noise should be studied by parents and taught to children. It Is amaz ing what a clatter the turning of the screw of a radiator can make if care lessly handled. If this comes in the night or early morning, it may awak en, not only those in one’s own apart ment, but arouse those in apartments above or below. Kitchen sounds should be kept as modified as possible. It grates on the nerves to hear the clatter of dishes, and of pots and pans, when being washed. With this Is the ac companying fear that articles will be broken or dented, should they drop In the careless handling. There Is h certain reluctance to recommend a kitchen inald who Is noisy. Home makers should try to quell In them selves a*y unfortunate tendency tr !>e noisy about their work. ffi. n<*l! Syndicate.—WNtI Service. FLORIDA LAND I down, lb monthly Florida-Sun land Co., Troui Bldg., Jacksomriflo. Fla. ■^MY/THIS NEW YES, AND THE REGULAR^ I CALUMET BAKING POWDER PRICE IS ONLY 25/J l CAN OPENS EASILY/ a POUND./ mgjA I MR. WOOD, WEVE COMe^^^THEyVE GOTA^,t*| TO ASK SOU IF WE mSf NERVE / MAVBE THE/D WHV, JACK... WHAT j^F ENOU6H TO BE 'JE CAN*USE yOUR BARM WmUKE TO USE VOUR j MADE VOU ACT THAT id PESTERED BV KIDS |i| NEXT MONTH FOR OUR HOUSE FOR A A WAy? I'VE NEVER ET WITHOUT HER SOPHOMORE BARN f sk)/-V0U CANT.' 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