I recently had occasion to re-examine some of the cartes-de-visite that I accumulated over the years by the renowned marine artist Samuel Walters. He was very active in the middle of the nineteenth century. Most of his work is focused on the Mersey, and I had not paid much attention to the subject matter, but I decided to do a little more research as I have to hand the biography, “Samuel Walters—Marine Artist,” by A. S. Davidson, published by Jones-Sands, Coventry, in 1992. I will return to the reasons for my renewed interest towards the end of the article, but will begin with an incident that I knew little about.
One of the cdvs features a painting of the barque, Lotty Sleight that exploded in the Mersey on January 15, 1864. The explosion created a sensation on Merseyside and a quick reference to Samuel Walter’s biography, reveals that the photograph of the painting was registered (and presumably for sale) on February 4th of 1864, barely three weeks after the event. This gives some ides of the “industry” involved in producing these remarkable insights into the past. The painting shows the exploding ship, with a small Mersey ferry in the foreground, presumably one of the ferries that were involved in saving the crew. The tale of the disaster is worthwhile re-telling here.
Lotty Sleight explosion in the Mersey, January 15, 1864
“The explosion in the Mersey.—On Friday afternoon the barque Lotty Sleight, Captain Webber, belonging to Messrs. Hatton and Cookson, of Mersey-street, left the west side of the King’s Dock, with the tide, in charge of a pilot, and proceeded to her anchorage in the Mersey, off Monk’s Ferry. She was bound for the West Coast of Africa with general cargo, and had also on board 940 quarter-kegs of powder, in all about 11½ tons weight of that destructive commodity, which was stowed away in the after-hold of the vessel, immediately beneath the captain’s state-room Shortly after six o’clock in the evening, the steward of the vessel was in the act of filling a lamp from a can of paraffin oil, when by some means at present unexplained that inflammable liquid became ignited. The can was instantly dropped by the steward, who was horror-stricken to see its flaming contents flowing along the cabin floor and instantly igniting the curtains and bedclothes of the captain’s sleeping apartment. To arrest its progress was impossible, and shortly afterwards the fiery stream poured through the grating of the lazarette, and communicated with the cargo stowed in the after-hold. It was immediately seen that no hope of extinguishing the flames could be entertained.
“The Rock Ferry steamer Wasp, Captain Joseph Hughes, had left Rock Ferry at six o’clock, and as she steamed up the river the attention of the passengers and crew was excited by a great noise on board the unfortunate ship, which in the first place gave rise to the impression that there was either murder or mutiny on board. nearing the vessel, however, they were hailed with cries to come alongside and take off the crew, as the vessel was on fire and there was a great quantity of gunpowder on board. The Wasp hove alongside and made fast to the ill-fated ship. The crew immediately jumped on board the steamer, some of them only half dressed, and in such a hurry did they leave that no one even remained to let go the rope by which the steamer was made fast to her, but a vigorous effort it was hitched off from the deck of the steamer. The mate requested them to wait whilst he ran down into the cabin, and he made effort to do so, but speedily returned saying the heat was great that he could not get down. The Wasp then took away the crew, and landed them at the George’s Landing Stage. Subsequently the Nymph, another Ferry steamer, passing the Lotty Sleighon her way to Rock Ferry, not being aware of the fire on board the vessel, and seeing that the ship did not display the usual signals of a vessel at anchor, went alongside and hailed her, with the view of ascertaining the reason, but though they called several times they received no answer but the barking of a poor dog which had been left on board. The report soon became current that a vessel was in flames in the river Mersey, and hundreds flocked down to the water’s edge on either side to witness the spectacle, but few anticipated the frightful calamity which was soon to involve the owners and occupiers of houses in the serious loss they have sustained. The captain of the barque was at this time on shore in Birkenhead, and knew nothing of the disaster until an hour after. The vessel was being loaded with the gunpowder from the magazine boat, but the men on board the boat, as soon as they heard the alarm, cut the rope which attached her to the steamer, and she floated away free from danger. About twenty minutes past seven o’clock the contents of the vessel blew up, with a report which it is hardly possible to describe. The simultaneous explosion of pieces of heavy ordnance could not have produced so terrible and alarming a shock. Its effects in every part of Liverpool were severely felt, and created indescribable terror. At the same moment the most solid blocks of warehouses, offices, and private dwellings were shaken to their base—doors, locked and even bolted, were thrown wide open—thousands of square of glass were smashed—and, to add to the alarm, the entire line of lamps through the greater portion of the streets were extinguished, rendering it difficult to pass from place to place, and jeopardising the safety of those who rushed forth to ascertain the cause of the consternation. The fear which prevailed was particularly experienced by the poorer inhabitants, who poured forth from court and alley screaming for deliverance from some unknown danger, and dragging their helpless children at their heels. Crowds ran first this way and then that, inquiring what was the cause of the alarm. Now one j reason was assigned and then another, and some vague rumour was circulated pretending to the disclosure of the origin of the casualty, the crowd rushed to the spot, only to left in the more bewildered state of amazement and uncertainty.
“The spectacle which the burning vessel presented at the moment of the explosion was one of the most frightful yet grand which could have been witnessed. The flames had enwrapped the whole of the lower portion of the vessel, but had not burst forth and ignited the rigging. Suddenly a sound that deafened and made the solid earth to heave and reel burst upon the ear, and the black hull belched forth a volume of flame illuminating the heavens and casting its lurid light on either shore, and over the vessels lying at anchor in the Sloyne and the river. High in the air the yards, masts, and in fact the whole of the upper portions of the vessel were thrown by the force of the explosion, and fell like fiery hissing serpents into the waters all around. Bolts, portions of the hull, and fragments of the lighter parts of the ship were propelled as far as either shore, and we heard of some pieces falling upon the steam boats lying near the landing stages. The hull was riven into a thousand pieces, and immediately the smoke had cleared away portions of the burning mass were seen floating down the river with the ebb tide. Of these, at one time, nearly as many as a hundred were perceptible, and as they floated down the stream presented a very singular appearance. They were traced for a considerable distance, but eventually the lights were extinguished by the water dashing over them, and no mischief was occasioned by the burning pieces. Shortly after the explosion a portion of the hull floated past the Woodside ferry-boat, that vessel being compelled to shut off steam to avoid coming in collision with it as it came down the river. A vessel called the Retriever was lying within a few hundred yards of the burning ship, but she sustained no injury from the falling burning spars. Soon after the explosion, Captain Sumner, of the steam-tug Phoenix, left the Prince’s Landing-stage, and proceeded round the vessel, visiting the ships lying in immediate proximity, one of which, outward bound, had received the shock on her quarter, and had her cabin doors and other portions of furniture completely smashed. Captain Sumner then observed the masts floating down the river, together with several other portions of the vessel and her cargo. The Lotty Sleigh was barque of 220 tons burthen, and we understand was insured. She shipped a full complement of seamen, and the captain had all his effects and a considerable sum of money on board. Two of the crew, after being landed, went to the Sailors’ Home. One of them, before the fire began, was engaged in putting the powder on board from the magazine boat, and, although he knows little as to the origin of the fire, he speaks of the terrific rapidity with which it spread over the vessel. Most of the clothing of the crew has been lost, and many of the poor fellows are left in pecuniary distress.
“Some surprise has been expressed that the vessel was not scuttled when she was first discovered to be on fire, in order to prevent the explosion; but when it is considered that the flames spread with unusual rapidity, and that the cargo was of the most destructive nature, it is not to be wondered that those on board escaped for their lives, and did not take those precautions which under other circumstances they probably would have done. Besides the powder, the vessel had a large valuable general cargo of articles adapted for the West Coast trade, and, doubtless, the loss to the owners or underwriters will be large. Great praise is due to Captain Hughes, of the Rock Ferry steamer Wasp, and the men under his command, for the promptitude with which they went to the assistance of those on board the burning vessel, and the precautions which they took in getting them safely on board the steamer. Although the shock was felt perhaps most severely in the lower part of the town, it extended to the upper portions also. In the neighbourhood Berry-street and Great George-street, and in the direction of Falkner-street and Parliament-street, it was experienced to such an extent as to cause considerable alarm amongst the residents, various being the surmises and conjectures in regard to its origin. People rushed out of their houses in a state of great trepidation, each apparently under the impression that the explosion was confined to their particular district. A tremulous motion lasting for several seconds had been felt, and a loud report heard in some cases, a brilliant flash being observed in the streets; but beyond this, individual experience could not extend. The first impression was that a sudden ignition of gas had taken place a few houses distant, and neighbours began anxiously to inquire the precise locality. This was perhaps strengthened by the fact that in many streets the whole of the gas lamps and the lights in dwellings were to a large extent extinguished, though their partial extinction in other places seemed, upon a reasonable view of the matter, entirely to negative the supposition. In some cases the idea of an earthquake was suggested; in fact everyone appeared to have a different version, according to the peculiar circumstances under which the momentary shock was experienced. The time being that when most of the residents were either at home or proceeding thither, the natural impulse was to go in quest the cause of what evidently appeared to be an accident. Along the whole line of docks the shock was felt with great violence, and the utmost consternation was caused. The damage, however, was chiefly confined to the breakage of windows, those facing the river having especially suffered from the effects of the concussion. The force of the blast seemed to have varied in an unaccountable manner; at one house the whole of the windows would be shivered into a thousand fragments, and the very next would, perhaps, have escaped with none or very slight damage. As a rule corner premises seemed to have suffered most, and these were chiefly public-houses, the plate-glass fronts of which were sadly mutilated. No personal injury, as far as we could learn, was sustained, though there were one or two narrow escapes. The lamps at several of the dock sheds were extinguished, and some panes of glass forced out of several ships lying in the docks. At the Salthouse Dock Shed one of the massive doors at the north-east corner trembled so much beneath the force of the concussion that the policeman on duty thought it was about to fall. One of the iron tie-beams which cross the roof broke at one of the links, which was about six inches in circumference, and the beam swinging down just escaped a man who was standing near. At the Southern Hospital the shock was severely felt, the whole building distinctly vibrating. All the gaslights went out at once. The impression was that an explosion of gas had taken place in the house; the gas at the meter was therefore turned off immediately. Many of the patients rushed into the street in their night dresses—some with broken legs crawling out upon their hands and knees; and, had it not been for the admirable coolness the house surgeon, backed most ably by the porters and nurses, the consequences might have been dreadful. The poor sufferers were soothed and removed to their beds as soon as possible, and in about half an hour the hospital resumed its usual quietude. The only damage done was the blowing off of some of the ventilating gratings in the wards, and the smashing of several of the windows. The streets of Liverpool were densely crowded for hours after the occurrence, and it was near midnight before a feeling of conscious security returned. Some idea may be formed of the terrific effect of the explosion when it is mentioned that the report was heard at Chester, the authorities at that place having telegraphed to Liverpool to know what was the cause of the tremendous report which they had heard.
“The explosion was felt with terrific force at Birkenhead, and the greatest alarm prevailed amongst the inhabitants, numbers thinking that an earthquake had taken place. The public lamps and nearly the whole of the gaslights in the shops and private houses were extinguished, and people rushed into the streets exhibiting the utmost terror. Almost simultaneous with the explosion there was a frightful crash of glass throughout the township, particularly at the ferry and in those streets which were most exposed to the effects of the concussion. The lights on the Woodside Landing-stage were extinguished, and the covered bridge connecting the stage with the old promenade was rendered a perfect wreck. Nearly every pane of thick plate glass which covered the bridge was demolished, as was also the glass at the pay gates and the offices. The damage sustained at Woodside Ferry will probably be not less than £250. The new steamer Cheshire, which was on the river at the time, had also some of her cabin windows broken. The appearance of Liverpool, as seen from Rock Ferry, after the explosion, was very remarkable. Instead of the illumined scene usually witnessed, all was dark and gloomy, the lamps along the river side, as well those in the town, having been extinguished by the shock of the explosion. The aspect of Liverpool was more that of a waste, dreary moor, than that of the greatest port the world.—“Liverpool Mercury.”—Dublin Evening Mail, January 18, 1864
Among the other subjects on cdv cards issued by Samuel Walters is the cutter yacht Windward. Unfortunately, I have no further information on the Windward or why she was painted and produced as a cdv.
Cutter yacht Windward
The British & North American Steam Packet Company’s steamer, Scotia, was a product of Messrs Robert Napier& Sons of Govan in 1862. She was the last paddle steamer built for the Company, better known as Cunard, for their Atlantic Crossing and at 379 ft by 40¾ ft, and 3871 tons gross, was larger than the Persia, built in the same yard six years earlier. Scotia was fitted up luxuriously for 275 cabin passengers and had seven water-tight compartments, and a double bottom, to ensure the safety of her passengers. She was a fast boat and reduced the record for sailing to just two hours under nine days. Her engines were of the side-lever type with cylinders 100 inches in diameter and operating at a pressure of 20 lb. They drove her paddle wheels, 40 ft in diameter, to give an operating speed of 13½ knots.
British & North American Steam Packet Company’s Scotia
Scotia is pictured on a westward voyage, passing Cape Race, Newfoundland, where the New York City Associated Press maintained a newsboat. A parcel with the latest European news was tossed overboard from the steamer to be picked up by the newsboat which is also in the foreground of the painting. The news was then relayed to New York by telegraph and published under the byline “via Cape Race.” The practice ceased in 1869. Although more costly to run than screw steamers, the popularity of the Scotia meant that she stayed in service till 1875 when she was converted to screw propulsion at Liverpool.
A second view of the Scotia was also produced. This was an unusual gull’s-eye view of the steamer in an Atlantic gale. Scotia was sold in 1875 and converted to screw propulsion for laying telegraph cables.
Scotia, seen from the eye of a gull
While the operation of Scotia by Cunard was subsidized by the mail contract, the Liverpool & Philadelphia Steamship Co., better known as the Inman Line, demonstrated that an efficient transatlantic service could be carried out at a profit with screw steamers and without the mail subsidy, relying heavily on the immigrant trade. The line’s first ship, City of Glasgow was built in 1850 and carried 130 cabin passengers and 400 in steerage, sailing between Liverpool and Philadelphia, but was lost without trace in March 1854. The Company also lost their new ship, City of Philadelphia on her maiden voyage when she ran aground at Cape Race, in the same year. Fortunately all aboard were saved. The Inman Company developed an early relationship with Messrs Tod & M‘Gregor, then the most prominent of the iron shipbuilders on the Clyde.
Many of the Inman Line ships were painted by Walters and cdv’s issued by the shipping company had cabin location plans on the back, providing advertising and a souvenir for the cabin passengers. Further examples can be seen in the article on the Allan Line.
In the 1850s, the screw steamers of the Inman Line could not compete for speed with the paddle steamers of Cunard but by demonstrating a regular and reliable service, the ships proved popular. From 1857, New York became their main gateway for immigrants to America and the company was renamed the Liverpool, New York & Philadelphia Steam Ship Co. Improvements in screw propulsion ultimately gave the Line a share of the mail contracts.
The City of Baltimore was a product of the yard of Messrs Tod & M‘Gregor in 1855 and was requisitioned as a transport for the Crimean campaign. She entered service for the Inman line in 1856, sailing between Liverpool and Philadelphia, but the following year included New York in the sailings. She was sold in 1874.
Inman’s City of Baltimore
Cabin plan of City of Baltimore
The City of Cork was built in 1863 by Messrs William Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, and was 255 ft long by 33 ft in breadth, registering 1547 gross tons. She served Inman until 1871, when she was sold to Italian owners. She is pictured off Tuskar Rock lighthouse.
City of Cork
Cabin plan of City of Cork
The City of London was also built in 1863 but came from the yard of Messrs Tod & M‘Gregor. She was 336 feet in length by 40½ feet in breadth, 2560 tons gross but was not at first very successful. In 1869, she was lengthened to 374 feet and re-engined, to become a valued member of the fleet. She was sold in 1879.
City of London
Cabin plan of City of London
The City of Montreal from the yard of Messrs Tod & M‘Gregor in 1872, and at 4489 tons gross was the Line’s largest steamer and was built to compete with the steamers of the new White Star Line. She was 419 feet long by 44 feet broad, and could carry 130 first class passengers with 1,360 in steerage. However, she proved to be slow, capable of just 14 knots, and heavy on fuel. In 1876, her engines were compounded and she appeared with a second funnel and much improved performance. She is shown off Fastnet.
In July 1887, she caught fire off Newfoundland and was burned to the waterline. Fortunately, her passengers and crew were rescued and there was no loss of life.
City of Montreal
Cabin plan of City of Montreal
In 1881, The Inman Line planned a magnificent new steamer and were attracted to the Barrow Shipbuilding Co., who proposed building the steamer from steel rather than iron. However, supply issues with the new material resulted in a change back to iron, and the steamer, City of Rome, was overweight and under-powered for the Inman service. After a few trips from Liverpool to New York, she was rejected by her owners and returned to the builders who modified her for a successful life with the Anchor Line. Shortly after her launch, William Inman died and after a series of financial losses, the Line was sold in 1886 to American owners.
City of Rome
Although not a Samuel Walters painting, the Norddeutscher Lloyd liner, Hermann, was built by Messrs Caird & Co., Greenock in 1865 to sail between Bremen and Baltimore. She was built of iron, 318 feet in length by 40 feet in breadth and 2715 tons gross. In 1872, she was brought up to date and had her engines compounded. She was sold in 1893 in part exchange to Messrs Armstrong, Mitchell & Co., for a new steamship. The cdv was issued by Messrs Straiton of Greenock.
Hermann
Samuel Walters also produced cabin plans for the Sun Shipping Co., known as the Hall Line that sailed from Liverpool to the Middle-East and Far East. In the 1875-76 period, they had three new vessels built by the London & Glasgow Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Govan. Childwall Hall, Branksome Hall, Trentham Hall, were 331½ feet in length by 34½ feet in breadth, and 2100 tons gross. The Childwall Hall was lost in 1878 near Cape St Vincent with the loss of 15 lives, and the other two vessels were sold in 1881 for the trade between Spain and Central American ports.
Branksome Hall
Cabin plan of Branksome Hall
Perhaps the most interesting Samuel Walters cdv is one that is unidentified. It shows a two funneled paddle-steamer with a whaleback and has the look of a blockade runner. I tentatively identified the steamer as the Liverpool built, Banshee, and this was later confirmed by Mr Phil Ireson who has done some magnificent detective work regarding the evolution in design of the steamers from different builders on the Mersey and Clyde in the 1860s. He pointed out that the painting listed as Banshee in the Samuel Walters biography is quite different and indeed is the blockade-runner, Hope, not the Banshee. The Banshee was built by Messrs Jones, Quiggin & Co., Liverpool in 1863and was 214 feet long by 20 feet in the beam and 325 tons gross. Her hull was steel on an iron frame. She arrived at Nassau in mid-June and made it into Wilmington on the 28th of the month. At the beginning of July it was reported that she was burned at Cape Fear with a cargo of cotton and turpentine on board, but was reported in Bermuda at the beginning of August.
“Exciting Chase.—A letter from steamship Banshee, recently arrived at Nassau, says:—“We left Wilmington on the 21st of September. At 5.30 a.m on the 22nd, discovered a large cruiser about two miles off. This fellow gave us a tremendous chase. At first, when the water was smooth, we gained on him; it then came on to blow, and he got his sails to bear and came up with us. I thought I saw New York in prospective. We then threw over part of our deck load, and went away from him. The wind increased almost to a gale, and he came up again. We then put her head to sea, and threw the remainder of the deck load off, which lightened her, and we gained steadily, and lost him at 7.30 p.m. after a chase of 14 hours, and right glad was I to see him stop. There never was such a chase, except the Nashville by the Keystone State, and we should most surely have been taken if we had not lightened her. After getting away we had heavy weather, and ran short of coals, and were obliged to put into Great Harbour, about 90 miles from this. There I chartered a schooner to take me to Nassau, and bring coals back. We started, got caught in a regular West Indian gale in a 29-ton boat, and the crew funked and put back. However, after bribing them, I got them to start again, and arrived here this morning.”—Dublin Evening Mail, October.
“On the 21st on November, the United States steamer Fulton captured the blockade runner Banshee off Wilmington. The Banshee was bound for Wilmington from Nassau, and had a very valuable cargo.”—Morning Advertiser, December 7, 1863
Banshee had a cargo of coffee, tobacco, and dry goods, manilla ropes etc., was captured after a chase of three hours. She had run the blockade eight times. Stephen R. Wise in his “Lifeline of the Confederacy,” University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, 1988, records that it was the James Adger that captured Banshee. Thereafter she served with the Union Navy. A second Banshee was built on the Clyde by Messrs Aitken and Mansel, Glasgow.
Banshee
Another little mystery arises with another successful blockade-runner, this time the Clyde-built Giraffe that features on a rather worn cdv issued by Messrs G & J Burns. The reverse has the summer arrangements for the Burns’ Royal Mail Line, issued in May 1871, and the steamer used by the passenger was the Buffalo. However, the steamer illustrated in the Giraffe, built by Messrs J. & G. Thomson, Govan, in 1860, for Messrs Burns’ Glasgow to Belfast station. She was 268 feet in length by 26 feet in breadth and 677 tons gross. The Confederate States of America purchased her in 1862, and she was renamed Robert E. Lee. After successfully running the blockade, she was captured by the James Adger on November 9, 1863, and thereafter entered the Union Navy as Fort Donelson. Some of her exploits are to be found in John Wilkinson’s “The Narrative of a Blockade Runner,” Sheldon & Co., New York, 1877.
Giraffe from cdv
Giraffe from Parker and Brown’s “Mail and Passenger Steamships of the XIXth Century,” Samson Low, London, 1928
To complete this article, two more steamer cdvs are added.
The Lord Gough was an iron paddle steamer built by Messrs Caird & Co., Greenock for the Dublin & Glasgow Sailing and Steam Packet Co., Dublin, in 1863. She was 243½ feet in length by 26¼ feet in breadth and 492 tons gross. She sailed on the Glasgow to Dublin station until 1891, and was broken up the following year. Her sister, Lord Clyde, was built in 1864 and broken up in 1889. They are long-lived examples of the old style of steamship with both funnels aft of the paddle-box. The cdv is by Straiton of Greenock.
Lord Gough
The final steamer is the Helen M‘Gregor, a small iron screw steamer built by Messrs Thomas Wingate & Co., Glasgow, for Mr Charles V Robinson of Launceston, Tasmania in 1866. The vessel was 123¾ feet in length by 20 feet in breadth and 171 tons gross. Her engine of 40 h.p. drove a single screw. Many ships of this size were sent from the Clyde to the Far East and Australian waters. The article on T. B. Seath has cdv views of a few of them.
She left the Clyde for Van Diemen’s Land under the command of Captain Beasley on October 28th, 1866 and was reported off the Smalls on the 31st, making fair progress. Her arrival at Launceston is recorded on February 25, 1867. In July she was transferred to Melbourne and in September was lengthened to 152½ feet, 251 tons gross. The following month she transferred to Sydney. In 1873 she was transferred to the Clarence and New England Steam Navigation Co., sailing between Sydney and Grafton on the Clarence River. In March, 1875, she was wrecked on the bar of the Clarence River with the loss of 8 lives.
Helen M‘Gregor
Charles V Robinson was a man, clearly proud of his Scottish descent and had a number of ships built on the Clyde, including the Rob Roy, a larger sister ship to Helen M‘Gregor, built at the same yard in 1867.
Charles V Robinson