'Steam Weekly Between New-York and Liverpool, calling at Queenstown, (Cork Harbor,) Ireland'. Broadside.
New York: Frank McElrey, 1863. Large Civil War era broadside with wonderful large engraved illustration of a steamer at full throttle, with printed schedules and rates of passage for the Liverpool, New York and Philadelphia Steamship Co. The call at Queenstown was added in 1859 specifically for Irish emigrants leaving for the United States.
The Line's first steamer, the City of Glasgow, was a new iron hulled screw propelled steamer, replacing the older technology of wood hulled paddle steamers. This new technology proved that unsubsidized trans Atlantic ocean liners could be profitable. The steamers are described in the broadside as "full powered Clyde built double engine iron steamships."
The steamers here are the City of London, City of New York, City of Baltimore, City of Washington, City of Manchester, Etna, Edinburgh, Kangaroo, Glasgow and Bosphorus.
The Line was founded as the Liverpool New York and Philadelphia Line in 1850, was absorbed into the American Line in 1893, and changed its name to the Inman Line. It was one of the 3 largest trans Atlantic passenger shipping companies, competing with the White Star Line and the Cunard Line. Cunard had a great advantage because its rates for passengers were subsidized by the UK government; this allowed 20,000 immigrants escaping the Great Famine to emigrate to the United States in the 1840s and 1850s.
Rates of Passage here are payable in gold or currency; first class cabins start at $80 and steerage at $32.50. Steerage passengers "will require to provide themselves with a Mattrass (sic), Bedding and Mess Tins ... all of which can be had in New York for $3, or less".
Printed on tissue, 11 1/4 x 18 1/4". Old fold flattened, small perforations in manuscript note where ink has penetrated the paper. "February 21, 1863" printed at lower left. "John G. Dale, Agent, 15 Broadway, NY" printed at lower right. Manuscript period notes at the top margin, "Received Monday 2 March '63" Very good condition. Item #23968
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