William Scarbrough, who was the owner of the USS Savannah more than he was anything else, purchased the ship when it was still on the slipway. It was purchased with the aim of converting it to an auxiliary steamship and give his company the distinction of offering the world’s first transatlantic steamship service.

The Savannah had multiple sources of propulsion, though. The steam engine could drive the side paddlewheels on either side which were retractable when the engine wasn’t in use. But it also had rigging that allowed it to be used as a sailing ships. So when it made the crossing in 1819, the trip took the better part of a month because poor weather forced them to use the sails more than the steam engine, a ratio of about 89% to 11%.

The ship wound up being more of a novelty than anything else, and unfortunately she ran aground off the south shore of Long Island and broke up. When Tropical Storm Ian passed through in 2022, some wreckage washed up on Fire Island that was thought to be part of the Savannah. You can visit those parts at the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society‘s museum exhibit.

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