SS North America
From New York
Captain James H. Blethen, Sr.
Passage:
Departed New York on June 24, 1851. Greatest distance in 24 hours was 335 miles and the shortest run during the same time was 125 miles. Passage from Panama to San Francisco was 12 days, 21 hours. Intermediate ports were Valparaiso, Chile; Panama; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Acapulco, Mexico. Had constant head winds and experienced a gale when off Acapulco. Vessel not able to use canvas from Panama northward.
Daily Alta California, Shipping Intelligence, Port San Francisco, September 20, 1851
ABSTRACT OF THE LOG OF THE STEAMER NORTH AMERICA, J.H. BLETHEN COMMANDER, FROM NEW YORK TO PANAMA
| DETAIL | DAYS | HOURS |
| Tuesday, June 24th, at 2 P.M., left the wharf at New York July 9, at 7 P.M., crossed the Equator, in long 34 40 West. Times |
||
| July 9, at 7 P.M., crossed the Equator, in long 34 40 West. Time | 15 | 5 |
| July 10, at 10 P.M., the Island of Fernando Noronha bore East, 5 miles | 1 | 3 |
| Sunday, July 13, at 2 P.M., crossed the parallel of Bahia | 2 | 16 |
| Thursday, July 17, at meridian, arrived at Rio | 3 | 22 |
| Running time from New York to Rio | 22 | 22 |
| Sunday, July 27, sailed from Rio at 3 P.M. At 4 P.M. arrived at Razor Island -- detained there 2 hours landing stow-aways. At 6 P.M. sailed from Razor Island | ||
| August 6, at 12, Midnight, Cape Virgins, northern point of entrance to Straits of Magellan bore N, 6 miles | 10 | 6 |
| Thursday, August 7, at 3:30 P.M., passed Cape Froward, the extreme south part of the continent: 15-1/2 hours | ||
| At 5 P.M., strong gales and heavy squalls from the westward. Lay to under the lee of Cape Holland: 1-1/5 hours | ||
| Friday, August 8, at 5:30 A.M., left Cape Holland, and at 8 P.M., Cape Pillar, south point of the western entrance to the Straits of Magellan bore South, 2 miles: 14-1/2 hours | ||
| Time through the Straits | 1 | 7-1/2 |
| Thursday, August 16, at 2 A.M., arrived off the harbor of Talcahuana, and after ineffectually endeavoring for six hours to make the harbor, bore up for Valparaiso. Hard gales and furious squlals from N N W, with heavy rain and a heavy sea. Arrrived August 15, at 4 P.M. | 1 | 8 |
| Running time from Rio to Valparaiso | 18 | 4-1/2 |
| Thursday, August 24, at 3 P.M., sailed form Valparaiso, August 31, arrived at Panama, and cast anchor at 4:30 P.M. | 10 | 1-1/2 |
| Running time from New York | 51 | 4 |
| DETENTION IN COALING, &c. | ||
| At Rio Janeiro | 10 | 22 |
| At Razor Island | 2 | |
| At Cape Holland | 12-1/2 | |
| Off Talcahuana | 6 | |
| At Valparaiso | 5 | 23 |
| Total, from New York to Panama | 68 | 2-1/2 |
Daily Alta California, October 3, 1851
REPORT OF THE STEAMSHIP NORTH AMERICA.--Sailed from New York June 24, Rio de Janeiro July 24, and Valparaiso Aug 21. Left at the port of Rio, ship Jane Henderson, Stewart, from Manila, for Liverpool--put in with loss of mainmast; barque Joseph Fish, Seavey, from San Francisco, for New Orleans; Sarah Sheaf Sands from San Francisco for New York; brig Falmouth, Oliver, from San Francisco for Baltimore; schr Orb, Warren, from Baltimore for San Francisco, repairing, to sail soon; U.S. steamer Susquehannah, Madeira, arrived at Rio De Janeiro on the 26th, bringing as passenger Mr. Schenck, Minister to Brazil. U.S. steamer Jefferson, for the Pacific, was thrown on her beam end by a cross sea, date unknown; righted after cutting her away her masts, and succeeded in getting into Port Desire. U.S. frigate Congress and storeship Relief, were in port. Spoke lat 57 S, long 66 50 W. exchanged signals with a three-masted steamer showing French colors, steering to the northard. Aug 7th, at Cape Holland, Straits of Magellan, was boarded by a boat from the French barque Garonne, Lacombe, of Bordeaux, wrecked on that point July 24 -- crew and part of cargo saved. The captain was endeavoring to obtain a vessel to reship to Valparaiso. The above are the only vessels seen on the passage and none have been seen in the Straits since 1st July. The following American vessels were in the bay of Valparaiso on the day of sailing: Brig Toronto, Rodgers, ship St. Lawrence, Brown, brig China, Frohs, from San Francisco, for the States; barque Carib, Ripley, from San Francisco, waiting orders; brig Isabella, Freguson, from San Francisco; barque Gulnare, Lucas, Havre, for San Francisco, sails t-day; barque Ohio, Ranpack, fm Acapulco for San Francisco soon; barque Alice Tarlton, Coffin, from Panama, waiting orders; ship Tarolinta, from San Francisco, waiting orders; barque Southampton, Lieut Turner from New York for San Francisco; US storeship barque Alpha, Porter, from Callao, put in leaky, as to be sold soon; Barque Huntress, Soule, San Francisco; schr Wm. Spoffard, Kant, from San Francisco, unmasted; barque Kedar, Fessenden, from Boston, for Coquimbo and Boston, soon; ship Tiber, Hathaway, from Panama, for sale; brig Equator, Candage, from Montevideo; barque F.C. Colby, Smith, from San Francisco; barque Francis, Higgins, from New York for San Francisco, sail this A.M.; brig Fremont, from Mazatlan; barque Elizabeth Whitney, from Panama for New York, sails to-day; brig Swiftsure, Mooney, from Constitution, to be sold to-day; barque Ralph, Davis, from San Francisco, sold soon; brig Anna, Erskine, from Panama, sold soon; ship Sarah Eliza, Crary, Callao, leaky; ship Manchester, Coffin, from San Francisco, wtg freight; barque Hermitage, Forrest, San Francisco; ship Harriet Ervine, Spavin, Boston; brq Sultan, Watson, Callao, leaky, will be sold; brq Maria, Matteson, San Francisco; barque Isabel, Lovejoy, Taichuana, sails 22d; ship George Law from San Francisco, wtg freight. July 15, lat 52 S, long 65 W, ship Flying Cloud, from New York for San Francisco, was spoken by the Hemet Erring, which arrived at Valparaiso Aug. 16. The brig Belfast arrived at Valparaiso July 21, leaky, 120 days from Panama.
Cargo: Not listed.
Passengers:
Allen, J. and lady
Allen, R.
Ashley, J.
Ashley, P.
Atchison, Capt.
Aubult, J.
Ballusted, C.
Barman, Henry
Barnes, I.
Barry, J.
Beach, J.
Beard, C.
Beard, S.M.
Benber, Charles
Bolin, M.
Boyle, T.
Bradbury, Mr.
Brewer, H.O.
Briggs, James
Butler, J.
Button, J.B.
Cabellero, A.
Candor, ?
Coalman, J.
Conder, J.
Conner, M.
Cookley, C.
Couradmess, Mr.
Crim, J.J.
Curtiss, T.
Cutter, M.
Davis, J.L.
DeLabro, F.
DeLuse, George
Dennin, J.
DePinay, Mr.
Dillon, Mrs. and children
Dougherty, T.
Drummond, J.
Dumont, S.B.
Dunlevy, R.W.
Dunne, A.W.
Ely, H.G. Farrell, William
Fenney, J.
Field, ?.
Fisher, William P.
Foley, M.
Franklin, J.
Fuller, S.N.
Fuller, W.J.A.
Fullebrown, A.
Gage, H.
Gager, W.
Gallagher, J.
Goochard, C.
Goonan, B.
Gray, A.
Green, B.T.
Guthre, Martha
Haharg, W.E.
Hale, N.E.
Hall, J.
Halland, T.
Hallenby. H.
Hancock, S.
Hastworth, W.
Hawson, E.R.
Hayden, D.J.
Hescog (Hesceg?), M.
Hesketh, W.M.
Hess, L.
Hoberg, M.
Hollinburgh, H.
Hood, J.A.
Humbolt, A.
Ingalsten, D.
Ingalsten, O.
Jackson, A.R.
Jacobi, L.
Jennings, William and lady
Jones, F.
Joseph, T.
Kies, J.
Krause, Mr.
Langdale, R .
Langdell, Jas
Langdell, Jno
Lavin, J.
Lazaar, A.
Lee, James
Lemis, T.L.
Lestrade, Mr.
Lovering, Jas
Maharg, W.E.
Malcat, G.
McCurry, H.
McDougal, Mr., lady and child
McLean, J.
Miller, Mr.
Mitchell, C.
Morrell, J.
Morrell, Mrs. S.
Mulcahoy, James
Murphy, W.
Needham, D.
Noonan, Mrs. and children
O�Brien, J.
O�Neal, R.
Pedra, M.
Philplace, G.
Phinney, T.K.
Pope, C.
Preston, Mr. and lady
Redfield, Mr.
Roch, Mr.
Rosebury, Madame
Rotschoff, Hon. A. and servant
Russell, Mrs. A.M.
Ryan, Mrs. and children
Schelling, J.
Shevalier, P.
Straf, Frane
Straf, Victor
Strutt, C.L. and lady
Strutt, H.L. and lady
Swallow, A.
Thompson, William
Thomas, H.B.
Vedeger, B.
Waters, R.
Watters, Mr.
Weaver, Mr., and lady
Wheeler, A.
Wills, B.F.
Wilson, E.
Zamora, T.E.
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