United States

A wooden paddle steam ship built in 1848 by William Webb, New York, as yard no. 31. Dimensions 244'7"×40'×30'10" and tonnage 1857 tons. Engines were supplied by T.F.Secor Co., New York. Dimensions: 244'6"×48' Clipper stem, one funnel, three masts, wooden construction, paddle wheel propulsion and a speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 100 First and 50 Second class passengers.

1846 January 30: Laid down.
1847 August 20: Launched at the shipyard of William Webb, New York, for a consortium of 33 investors headed by Charles H. Marshall, New York. Intended for a proposed New York - New Orleans line.
1848 April 8: Sailed from New York to Liverpool in 14 days under command of Capt. G. Hackstaff. After one voyage, she was transferred to an independant steamer and completed two round voyages from New York to Southampton and Havre, commencing 1848-06-10 and 1848-08-05.
1848 December 6: Commenced her last voyage New York - Southampton - Havre (dep. 1849-01-09) - Southampton - Halifax - New York (arr. 1849-02-05).
1849: Sold to the Confederate German States and converted to a warship at the Webb yard. Cut down one deck and armed with 13 guns.
1849 May 31: Sailed from New York for Liverpool where she was renamed Hansa for the Weiland Deutsche Reichsflotte.
1853: Sold to Fritze & [Karl] Lehmkuhl, Bremen. and commenced her first Bremen - New York sailing on 30/8/1853. On
1854 October 17: Left Bremen on her last voyage to New York (4 Round Voyages).
1855 March 24: Sailed from London to the Black Sea as a Crimea War Transport.
1854 September 18: Returned to Great Britain.
1857 Aptil 4: Resumed the Bremen - New York route for one round voyage.
1858: Sold to the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company [Galway Line], was rebuilt to 2516 gross tons, and was renamed Indian Empire and completed two round voyages Galway - New York, commencing 1858-06-19 and 1858-09-28.
1861 July 24: Damaged by fire at Deptford, London and was laid up in the Victoria Dock, London until 1866-05-04 when she sank in dock. Made two Atlantic crossings and was then laid up in the Thames.
1862 July 23: Badly damaged by fire in the Thames at Deptford. [Edward Finch has 1861 July 24].
1866 May 4: The hull sank in the Victoria Dock, London.

References:

Albion
Bonsor, N.R.P.: North Atlantic Seaway, Vol.1, p 192.
Webb

Updated 1999-03-07 by Lars Bruzelius

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