The Pioneer Steamship
SAVANNAH A Study for a Scale Model
The original plans of the
pioneer transatlantic steamer Savannah no longer exist, and many
popular representations of the famous vessel have been based on a
70-year-old
model in the United States National Museum. This model, however,
differs in several important respects from contemporary
illustrations.
To correct these apparent
inaccuracies in a new, authentic model, a reconstruction of the
original plans was undertaken, using as sources the ship's logbook
and customhouse description, a French report on American steam
vessels published in 1823, and Russian newspaper accounts
contemporary with the Savannah's visit to St. Petersburg on her
historic voyage of 1819. The development of this research and the
resulting information in terms of her measurements and general
description are related here.
The Author: Howard I. Chapelle (1901-1975) was curator of transportation in the
United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Price: $2.99
Hand ShadowsDirect Download!
Originally published by Griffith
and Farran in 1859
This is a wonderfully Illustrated How-To book ---
Portion of the Original Preface
I need not explain how these Shadows were suggested, to
any one who has seen WILKIE'S picture, "The Rabbit on
the Wall." But by what pains they were invented can
never be revealed; for it is known to my tortured digits
alone, and they, luckily for me, are dumb. I calculate
that I put my ten fingers through hundreds of various
exercises before my "Bird" took wing; my left little
finger thrills at the memory of "Grandpapa"; and my
thumbs gave in no less than twenty times before "Boy"
was accomplished. Yet now how easy it is to make the
"Duck" to quack, the "Donkey" to bray, "Toby" to wag his
tail, and the "Rabbit" to munch his unsubstantial meal.
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year-old
model in the United States National Museum. This model, however,
differs in several important respects from contemporary
illustrations.
Originally published by Griffith
and Farran in 1859