959
The Pacific Mail Company in their service between New York and San Francisco, enjoyed many years of great prosperity but with the completion of the first trans-continental railway, it was presumed that the bulk of the passenger traffic would naturally move over the shorter overland route. So in 1866 there arose the incentive which engaged the thought of all transportation men, concerning the carrying of passengers and freight from China and Japan across the Pacific, and thence overland to New York. Again Congress was appealed to, and asked to bear its share of establishing a new trans-oceanic route covered by ships carrying the stars and stripes. Congress responded with a subsidy of $500,000, awarded to the Pacific Mail Company, for carrying the mails from San Francisco to Hongkong, and thus was inaugurated the service which also gave the port of Honolulu its first impetus as a shipping centre.
The steamer Colorado a side-wheeler of 3,000 tons, one of the largest and finest of the Pacific fleet at that time, was elected as the pioneer of this new enterprise, and on January 1, 1867, under the command of Captain W.B. Bradley, left San Francisco on her momentous first voyage. As the first steamer to make such a trip, the route taken and the conditions that possibly might be encountered, were thoroughly studied. Captain Bradley was a man familiar with the trans-Pacific service as applied to sailing ships, and was not without steamship experience, as he had served in some of the Company's steamers on the Panama run.
The Colorado had a fair freight, including 1,000 barrels of flour, $500,000 in specie for Hongkong and $21,700 for Japan. That cargo of flour seems rather insignificant now, compared with the consignments of 10,000 to 12,000 barrels of later years. She also had a fair passenger list.
Naturally the arrival of this steamer created much excitement in Honolulu, and she was the object of much curiosity on the part of the natives. The arrival of the first Pacific Mail liner in Yokohama, and in Hongkong, also stirred up the commercial circles of these ports, due to the fact that she carried European despatches dated fully twelve days later than those received by the English and French lines.
The Colorado arrived back at San Francisco on March 20, having made the round trip in seventy-eight days, including all detentions.
In the year 1871, a fortnightly service was inaugurated, and in 1874 the screw propelled steamers City of Peking and City of Tokyo were placed on the China run. These were followed by the three "Cities" - San Francisco, Sydney, and New York in 1875, when the line was established in Australia. This marked another era in trans-Pacific services and gradually the old wooden side-wheelers were replaced.
Even the new ships were not large enough to make much of a showing against the typhoons which very often shook the foundations of the universe along the China and Japan coasts, for in 1874 the Alaska was blown up high and dry at Aberdeen, on the south side of Hongkong. An American named Williams finally got her afloat. One year later she was burned off Amoy. That year was a disastrous one for the Pacific Mail, as two other steamers were burned, the America in Yokohama, and the Japan on the coast of China.
959
The Pacific Mail Company in their service between New York and San Francisco, enjoyed meny years of great prosperity but with the completition of the first trens-continentel railway, it was presumed that the bulk of the passenger traffic would naturally move over the shorter overland route. So in 1866 there arose the incentive which engaged the thought of all transportation men, concerning the carrying of passengers and freight from China and Japan across the Pacific, and thence overland to New York. Again Congress was appealed to, án d asked to bear its share of establishing a new trans-oceanic route covered by ships carrying the stars and stripes. Congress responded with a subsidy of G$500,000, awarded to the Pacific Mail Company, for carrying the mails from San Francisco. to Hongkong, and thus was inaugurated the service which also gave the port of Honolulu its first impetus as a shipping centre.
$
The steamer Colorado a side-wheeler of 3,000 tons, one of the largest and finest of the Pacific fleet st that time, was electedas the pioneer of this new enterprise, and on Janus ry 1, 1867, under the commend of Captain W.B. Bradley, left San Francisco on her momentous first voyage. As the first steamer to make such a trip, the route teken and the conditions that possibly might be encountered, were thoroughly studied. Captain Bradley was a man familier with the trans-Pacific service as applied to sailing ships, and was not without steamship experience, as he had served in some of the Company's steamers on the Panama
run.
The Colorado had a fair freight, including 1,000 barrels of flour, G$500,000 in specie for Hongkong and G$21,700 for Japan. That cargo of flour seems rather insignificant now, compared with the consignments of 10,000 to 12,000 barrels of later years. She also had a fair passenger list.
•
Naturally the arrival of this steamer created much excitement in Honolulu, and she was the object of much curiosity on the part of the natives. The arrival of the first Pacifio Mail liner in Yokohama, and in Hongkong, also stirred up the commercial circles of these ports, due to the fact that she carried European despatch- es deted fully twelve days later than those received by the English and French lines.
The Colorado arrived back at San Francisco on March 20, having made the round trip in seventyeight days, including ell detentions.
In the year 1871, e fortnightly service was inaugurated, and in 1874 the screw propelled steamers City of Peking and City of Tokyo were placed on the China min. These were followed by the three "Cities" - San Francisco Sydney and New York in 1875, when the line was established in Australia. This marked another era in trens-Pacific services end gradually the old wooden sidewheelers were replaced..
Even the new ships were not lɛrge enough to meke much of a showing against of the typhoons which very often shook the foundations of the universe along the Chine and Japen coasts, for in 1874 the Alaska was blown up high and dry at Aberdeen, on the south side of Hongkong. An American named Williems finally got her afloat. One year later she was burned off Amoy. That year was a disastrous one for the Pacific Mail, as two other steamers were burned, the America in Yokohama, and the Japan on the coest of China.
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