Bill Fowler: The Queen Still Rules the Waves
[Bill Fowler is Distinguished Professor of History at Northeastern University.]
At more than 1,000 feet in length and with engines generating more than 150,000 horsepower, Queen Mary 2 dwarfs her puny ancestor Britannia, yet she carries on Samuel Cunard’s traditions.
On July 4, 1840, thousands of cheering spectators crowded the docks of Liverpool, England, to bid farewell to Samuel Cunard and his steamship Britannia bound for Boston via Halifax. At a time when sailing ships dominated the Atlantic, Cunard and his Scottish partners were risking everything to establish the first regular transatlantic steamship service.
After a swift passage and a brief stop at Halifax on July 18, Britannia steamed into Boston Harbor. Her paddle wheels churned the water while the rhythmic throb of her engines filled the air. Cannon boomed a salute from Fort Independence....
Read entire article at Boston Herald
At more than 1,000 feet in length and with engines generating more than 150,000 horsepower, Queen Mary 2 dwarfs her puny ancestor Britannia, yet she carries on Samuel Cunard’s traditions.
On July 4, 1840, thousands of cheering spectators crowded the docks of Liverpool, England, to bid farewell to Samuel Cunard and his steamship Britannia bound for Boston via Halifax. At a time when sailing ships dominated the Atlantic, Cunard and his Scottish partners were risking everything to establish the first regular transatlantic steamship service.
After a swift passage and a brief stop at Halifax on July 18, Britannia steamed into Boston Harbor. Her paddle wheels churned the water while the rhythmic throb of her engines filled the air. Cannon boomed a salute from Fort Independence....