VII. INDEPENDENT ADVENTURERS.
Independent adventurers have made noteworthy efforts to improve the Passage. When steam took the place of sails, it was outsiders who commenced the innovation ; and there have been others who thought they could improve the Passage by building steam vessels on novel principles ; while others have suggested taking trains through a tunnel, or a tube, or on a monster train-ferry. It is no part of this history of the Passage to deal with proposals for tunnels or train-ferries; but as two novel vessels were built and tried between Dover and Calais with the object of abolishing sea-sickness, it will be appropriate to mention them.
The first of the " peculiars," as they were called, was the " Castalia," invented by Captain W. Dicey, R.N., who, during ten years of retirement at Walmer, planned a steamship having a double hull, or, rather, two half hulls ; and these being connected by a deck bridge, there was an open water-way under the centre, where the paddle-wheels worked, the outsides being smooth like a screw-propelled ship. While the plans were being worked out at Walmer, Captain Dicey was frequently in consultation with his neighbour at Walmer Castle, Earl Granville, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and for that reason the ship was named, after Earl Granville's second wife, Castalia. The twin-ship came to Dover on the 15th September, 1874, but did not make a trial trip to Calais until 20th July, 1875, when the voyage occupied one hour and fifty minutes. In her subsequent voyages she proved to be a slow boat, making a large consumption of fuel. New boilers were put in and other alterations made, including a gorgeous decoration to fit her to carry the Prince of Wales (afterwards Edward VII.), on his voyage across the Straits of Dover, 15th October, 1875, on his journey to India. That was the last voyage of the " Castalia " in that year.
The main point was whether there was less sea-sickness amongst her passengers than on other ships, and on that opinions were divided. As for entirely abolishing seasickness, the " Castalia " was a failure, which was made evident on her first trip ; and subsequent trials only confirmed that conclusion; but the public had fallen in love with the twin-ship, with Captain Dicey, its inventor, and with the Countess Castalia, its namesake, therefore, they were loth to admit that their great expectations had not been realised. The English Channel Steamship Company, who had built the " Castalia," resolved to raise ;^i5o,ooo more capital, and build another "Castalia" that would be swifter and less costly in the use of fuel. The new capital did not come in, but the original " Castalia " was put on the Dover Passage again in 1876. Her novel construction attracted a good many travellers, but they nearly always missed the boat express train at Dover, and to catch the Paris mail, in the morning, she left Dover an hour before the other steamers, Dover hotels being well filled by travellers who stayed here all night to ensure a passage in the " Castalia." In June she carried 1,741 passengers; in July, 2,938; and in August, 5,388. In September her machinery broke down, and she went into dock until 1877. Certain improvements were made, but before the summer season of 1878 commenced, the Company went into liquidation, and the original " Castalia " went back to the Thames, and was seen in the Straits of Dover no more. The new " Castalia," projected by the English Channel Steamship Company, was never built; but, in time for the 1878 summer traffic, a twin steamer on similar lines, but having two perfect hulls instead of two halves was built for the London, Chatham and Dover Railway Company, and was named the " Calais-Douvres." This twin-ship was very popular, sometimes carrying as many as 750 passengers in one voyage; and her average, during the season, was 500 per voyage. This steamer, too, was costly in respect of fuel, a very " wet boat " in rough weather, and nautical men were of opinion that, in a gale, she would be dangerous. She was not used in the winter, but she was continued on the summer service until 1887, when she was taken off, and the twin-ship idea was dropped on the Dover Passage.
Another "peculiar" was the "Bessemer," specially invented by Mr. Henry Bessemer for the Dover Passage, to prevent sea-sickness, by having a swinging saloon, which was intended to be always kept horizontal by a mechanical contrivance, however the ship might roll in rough seas. This novel steamship also came to Dover in 1875. On the 8th of May she made a trial trip from Dover to Calais. Those in charge did not venture to let the saloon swing, so the contrivance for preventing sea-sickness was not tested. In entering Calais Harbour the vessel refused to answer the helm, and, crashing into the West Pier, she did damage for which the MunicipaUty of Calais claimed ;£2,8oo. That ended the " Bessemer 's " career.
While the "peculiars" were having their trials, practical men came to the conclusion that bigger boats and more powerful engines would be the best improvement of the Passage. In 1884 the International Communication Company proposed to build a large Water Station at Dover for carrying on the business of the Passage by larger boats than those then in use. They went no further than issuing their Parliamentary Notice, because the London, Chatham and Dover Company, who were in possession of the field, were prepared to act on the same lines. They had already, in 1883, placed the " Invicta " on the Passage, which, in the matters of accommodation and comfort, was all that could be desired, but something more was needed in speed. The threat of outsiders to capture the traffic induced the Railway Company to build two more vessels equal to the " Invicta" in accommodation but sw^ifter. The first of the two, the " Victoria," came on the Passage in 1886, and she occasionally did the voyage in sixty minutes, which was a record. For lightness, the " Victoria " was built with steel, 310ft. long, 35ft. beam, 8ft. draught, and 300 tons register. The luxuriousness of her fittings eclipsed all that had been before seen on the Passage. In 1887, the sister ship, the " Empress," came on the Passage. She was 75ft. longer than the " Victoria," and was pronounced to be " the best of all the Passage steamers." Her time in crossing, under favourable circumstances, was fifty minutes — another record. The third of the series (not counting the " Invicta ") was the " Calais-Douvres," which came on the Passage in June, 1889. This was not a twin-ship, but, like the old " Calais-Douvres," which had then left the service, she had a rudder at each end to facilitate entrance to the harbours. Her trial trip was on the 30th May,i8S9, when she carried the official visitors to the opening of Calais new harbour, her time being seventy minutes; but, subsequently, she frequently crossed in an hour. The Dover and Calais passenger traffic in this year, owing to the Paris Exhibition, was beyond all records, in many weeks averaging 17,000 in seven days. The London, Chatham and Dover Company's fleet on the Dover Passage in that year was said to be " next door to perfection."