User:Gatoclass/SB/Norwich

Design and construction
In 1832, a group of Connecticut investors headed by Captain William W. Coit, a figure of then-growing prominence in New England steam navigation, decided to initiate a steamboat service between Norwich and New London on Connecticut's Thames River, and New York City. A small steamboat, General Jackson, previously in service on the Hudson River, was acquired for the purpose, and began running on the route the same year, with Captain Coit personally in command. After about three years, Coit and his associates—who by this time had incorporated as the New London and Norwich Steamboat Company—decided to replace the Jackson with a new steamer. The new vessel, constructed in 1836 by Manhattan shipbuilder Lawrence & Sneden, was named Norwich after her home port.

Norwich was a wooden-hulled passenger-and-freight sidewheel steamboat with a registered tonnage of 346 gross. She was 160 ft in length between perpendiculars—175 ft overall[gz]—with a beam over the hull of 25 ft and over of 45 ft.[gz] She had a hold depth of 9 ft and loaded draft of 6 ft.

Norwich was powered by a single-cylinder vertical crosshead engine with a 40 in bore and 10 ft stroke, built by Cunningham & Hall of New York. The steamer originally had twin smokestacks and boilers on the guards; on an unknown date later in her career, they were replaced by a single boiler in the hold and a lone smokestack midships. Norwich speed while in Long Island Sound service is uncertain, but she did not have a reputation for speed.

Norwich – New York City service, 1836–1841
Norwich made her maiden voyage from Norwich to New York in July 1836, with Captain W. W. Coit in command; he would remain in command of the new steamer for her first few years of operation. Following the debut of Norwich, Coit's previous command, General Jackson, was transferred to Hartford, Connecticut.

refs

 * dunbaugh
 * sanford joins line, adds huntress 1838, huntress leaves may to take place of ne, back to 3 nights/week w/norwich p. 51
 * new boston to norwich rr 1840, for through traffic to NY, which is why sanford added huntress? Norwich now too small for route, sanford adds charter oak, later bunker hill, for daily service to ny. aug 1840 norwich replaces belle?, runs opp, charter oak. norwich back sep 1840-1841 winter. Worcester (vanderbilt) maiden may 1841, coit commanding, new york (sanford) replace norwich and charter oak? pp 69-70
 * Erroneously says norwich no work 1841-1845 p 86.


 * morrison 1845 season broken paddles
 * morrison 1848 season 3 trips to albany
 * morrison vanderbilt early owner
 * dayton erie rr service, summary plus image, belle 2nd oldest to 1896, connecting w/ thorn 1837, coit "brought out" norwich, more 2 pages later
 * norwich oldest steamboat - gazette
 * oldest steamer brief history, raised after public response 1909ish, other steamers, image swallow etc mm&p1912
 * salts of the sound brief history