The Times (of London, England), in the issue of May 8, 1819, thus announced the expected event:

"Great Experiment. - A new steam-vessel of 300 tons has been built at New York for the express purpose of carrying passengers across the Atlantic. She is to come to Liverpool direct."

This steamer, named the Savannah, the first that crossed the Atlantic, was built at New York by Francis Ficket. Her engines were made by Stephen Vail, of Morristown. She was launched on the 22d of August, 1818. She could carry only seventy-five tons of coal and twenty-five cords of wood. Commanded by Captain Moses Rogers, of New London, Conn., the Savannah sailed from Savannah, Ga., on the 25th of May, 1819, bound for St. Petersburg via Liverpool. She reached the latter port on the 20th of June, having used steam eighteen days out of the twenty-six.