← Transportation

19th Century Maritime Vessels

Illustrations of historical ships from the 19th century, showcasing steamboats and sailing vessels in dynamic maritime scenes.

Engraving of a Wood & Roger's system for lowering a lifeboat from a moving ship. Dated 19th Century
Engraving of a Wood & Roger's system for lowering a lifeboat from a moving ship. Dated 19th Century
185 assets in this story
Illustration depicting the steamer 'The Great Britain', the first screw steamer to cross the Atlantic. Dated 19th CenturyTHE ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIP 'LA PLATA'Illustration from a book depicting a floating market. Crew members of the boat purchase items from boats filled with produce. Dated 1913THE JOHN O'GAUNT 'SETTLING DOWN'Engraving showing a race held between sailing canoes (or 'miniature yachts') in the Solent, off Hampshire, 1871. In the background a steamer, full of spectators, is visible. Date: 21 October 1871An engraving depicting the entrance to the Port of Ramsgate, a harbour situated in Ramsgate, south-east England, serving cross-Channel freight traffic. Dated 19th centuryAn engraving depicting a Trinity House lightship. Dated 19th centurySTEAM-YACHT BUILT FOR HIS LATE HIGHNESS EL HAMI PACHA, SON OF THE LATE VICEROY OF EGYPT, BY SCOTT RUSSELL AND CO.Engraving of a Wood & Roger's system for lowering a lifeboat from a moving ship. Dated 19th CenturyUPSETTING OF THE GORLESTON SALVAGE LIFE BOAT AT YARMOUTH, UK, 1867Spanish Armada. "Pilar" (1881). Gunboat of the Pilar series built in the arsenal of Cartagena (spain) that was launched on January 3, 1881 and entered into service in the same year. It was the first series of gunboats, with an iron hull, to be built in a Spanish shipyard. It had a low speed and its military value was very limited. Illustration by Angel Cortellini. Engraving by Toms Carlos Capuz (1834-1899). La Ilustracion Espa–ola y Americana, 1881.SUBMARINE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH BETWEEN NEWFOUNDLAND AND CAPE BRETONCAPT. TAYLER'S BREAKWATER, OFF BRIGHTONWRECK OF THE WINDSOR CASTLE STEAMERTHE 'ROYAL ADELAIDE,' STEAMSHIP, ON HER PASSAGE FROM CORK TO LONDONNew Caledonia, A double Pirogue getting on by several natural, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1846Engraving showing Fridtjof Nansen's ship 'Fram', leaving the harbour of Christiania for the Arctic, 24th June 1893. Nansen embarked with 12 crew for a three-year expedition, right across the Arctic pack ice from the New Siberian Islands to the Greenland Sea. Date: 1893Collision in the English Channel, between the Steamer "Mangerton" and "The Josephine Willis", 1856. 'The mate of the Josephine Willis...shouted to the steamer; but no notice was taken, the steamer continuing her course, and in less than five minutes the collision took place...Upon hearing the terrible crash Captain Clenny rushed up on deck and...seeing that the ship was foundering, told the passengers to throw the hencoops overboard and hold on to them...The last that was seen of him, was after the ship had fallen over on her beam-ends, with her topgallant yards in thGermany Bremerhaven harbour arrival of the AmericanPaddle steamer ""Washington"" after lithograph by C.F. Fedeler 1847,Engraving showing the bow of the 'Enterprise'; one of two ships used by Sir James Clark Ross's Search Expedition of 1848-1849. Ross's expedition was one of many to search the Arctic for signs of Sir John Franklin's ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845. In 1845 the British Admiralty sent two polar exploration ships, HMS 'Erebus' and HMS 'Terror', to look for the Northwest passage round the northern coast of Canada. The expedition, commanded by Sir John Franklin, disappeared from view late in The travelers crossing the reefs of the sea, archipelago of Novaya Zemlya. Arctic Ocean, Russia. Europe, 19th century Old engraving illustration trip to the North Pole, from Novaya Zemlya to Yenisei river by Adolf Erik Nordenskiold 1875THE WRECK OF THE "INDIAN CHIEF": THE RAMSGATE LIFEBOAT RESCUING THE SURVIVORS, 1881North Sea Fleet, boarding an incoming clipper, 1896, rowing boat, Germany, illustration, reproduction from a model from the 19th century. Authentic, file restored for optimal use, exact date of submission unknown, Historic, A lifeboat fights high waves in stormy seas while a sailing ship sails in the backgroundPirogue of New Zealand, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1847print of H.M.Revenue Cutter Vigilant towing the Barge Alfred of London, a valuable Prize, captured 17th Decr. 1828 having on board 1010 half-Ankers of Contraband Spirits captured 17th Dec. 1828 having on board 1010 half-Ankers of Contraband Spirits concealed under a Coasting Cargo.THE RECENT GALE, WRECKS AT HARTLEPOOL, FEBRUARY, 1861Traditional trading boat, Burma, Myanmar. Southeast Asia. Travel to the kingdom of Ava, 1855 by Colonel Sir Henry Yule (1820-1889) Le Tour du Monde 1860WRECK OF THE ROYAL MAIL COMPANY'S STEAMSHIP 'RHONE' OFF ST. PETER'S ISLAND, WEST INDIES, 1867THE 'ORION' SINKINGMan travels his rowing boat; Study pictures / Etudes Gravées.THE 'AZORIAN,' ORANGE SCHOONERThe King of Denmark's New Steam-yacht the "Falkin", 1858. 'This vessel, the property of his Majesty Frederick VII., King of Denmark, was designed and built by Mr. Charles Langley, of Deptford-green Dockyard in London. The following are her dimensions: Length over all, 127 feet; ditto perpendiculars, 107 feet; breadth of beam, 19 feet 6 inches; depth from upper side of the keel, 11 feet 6 inches. Her tonnage, builders' measure, is 195 tons. The Falkin is built of the best Staffordshire plate. She is capacious for her tonnage, and her lines and proportions are of great beauty. She haFishing for mackeral off the south coast of England.The sinking of the steamship Ville du Havre, 1873THE ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB SCHOONER MATCHMiddle Ages. Ship of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Engraving by Serra. Museo Militar, 1883.THE COLLISION OFF DOVER: SINKING OF THE "STRATHCLYDE", UK, 1876TIIE PRINCE OF WALES'S YACHT, HILDEDEGARDE, ENGRAVING 1876, UK, britain, british, europe, united kingdom, great britain, europeanEngraving of a Spritsail rigged boat. The spritsail is a form of three or four-sided, fore-aft sail and its rig. Dated 19th CenturyWheeled gunboat of the French navy, intended for the rivers of Tonkin and equipped with a platform and a steel mast with haotchkiss revolver guns, France. Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1883Engraving depicting English ships sailing. Dated 17th CenturyR.T.Y.C. MATCH, DRAWN BY N.M. CONDY. ESQ., THE 'ANTAGONIST' AND 'MYSTERY' TOWED OFF BY THE WATERMAN STEAMERA Ship of TyreVictoria and Albert, Queen Victoria's yacht, United Kingdom, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 689, Volume XXVII, May 10, 1856.VESSELS USED IN THE ZANZIBAR SLAVE TRADEEngraving depicting an ocean-going double screw steamship. Dated 19th Century.Catamaran, from the Types of Vessels series (N139) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889 Issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. Die-cut trade cards from the "Types of Vessels" series (N139), issued in an unnumbered set of 25 cards in 1889 by W. Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco. The card versos have "Honest Long Cut" text printed in either green or blue. Knapp is the lithographer of the green backs and Giles is the lithographer of the blue backs. Because all but one card in the series are affixed to the original album page, card versos are not visible.. Catamaran, from the Types of Vessels series (N139) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco. Original lithograph by Knapp & Company (American, New York). 1889. Commercial color lithograph. Issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. (New York and Durham, N.C.)Dispatch vessel 'HMS Iris'. Launched in 1877, this was the first steel ship built for the British Admiralty. Constructed of steel made by the Siemens-Martin process at Landore Siemens Steel Company, Swansea, Wales. A transitional vessel with both sails and steam engines. From 'Great Industries of Great Britain', (London, c1880). Wood engraving.William Parry's (1790-1855) ships, the Hecla and Griper, in Winter Harbour. Parry was an English rear-admiral and Arctic explorer.Arctic explorations. Polar expedition to the Arctic by George Washington De Long (1844-1881). The ship "Jeannette" was crushed by ice near the Wranel Island. The "Jeanette" abandoned in the ice, northeast of the New Siberian Islands, on June 12, 1881. Engraving by Rico. La Ilustración Española y Americana, 1882. Author: Bernardo Rico (1825-1894). Spanish engraver.An engraving depicting the entrance to Ramsgate harbour, a harbour situated in Ramsgate, south-east England, serving cross-Channel freight traffic and smaller working and pleasure craft. Dated 19th centuryViking expedition returning to Scandinavia 9th-10th century ADWRECK OP THE SCREW STEAMSHIP HIOGO ON THE EDDYSTONE ROCKS, 1867Engraving of the Orient Steam Navigation Company's new liner, SS 'Ormuz', coming into port. Built in 1886, the 'Ormuz' was sold in 1912 and re-named the 'Divonia'. She was scrapped in 1922. Date: 1887An engraving depicting the English steamer 'Bellenden' arriving at Dunkirk, a commune in France, with a cargo of cattle. Dated 19th centuryCortez's Fleet Sailing for Mexico, Anonymous Jean-François de Galoup, Comte de La Pérouse (August 23, 1741-1788) was a French explorer and naval officer. In 1785, the King of France commissioned La Perouse to head an expedition to explore the Pacific Ocean, to investigate whaling and fur prospects, and to establish French claims in this area. La Pérouse had admired the explorer James Cook, and wanted to continue his work. La Perouse was assigned two 500-ton ships called the Astrolabe and the Boussole. His crew of 114 included sailors, scientists, a physicist, three draftsmen, three naturalists, clergymen, and a mathematician. They left France in August, 1785. La Perouse mapped the west coast of North America in 1786, and visited Easter Island and Hawaii. His ships reached the west coast of Alaska in 1786 and did extensive mapping of the North American west coast from Alaska to Monterey, California. Next La Pérouse landed at Botany Bay (Port Jackson), Australia, before heading for the Solomon Islands. La Pérouse took the opportuniIllustration depicting the attempt to salvage the 'Great Britain' after she went aground in Dundrum Bay. Dated 19th CenturyFishing for mackeral off Brighton, London, 1835.Fight off the North Foreland between the crew of the Prince Arthur fishing-smack of Ramsgate and of the Boulogne fishing-boat No. 439, 1861. 'The right of frequenting fishing-grounds has frequently been matter of dispute between Governments...Collisions between the fishermen of different nations are...of frequent occurrence when their fishing-grounds adjoin or are held in common. Thus in the Channel the French and English fishermen are often at loggerheads, and sometimes...these skirmishes end in serious encounters...a Boulogne fishing-boat...ran into the Prince Arthur's starboard bow, carriedThe yacht 'America' which wins the sailing match at Cowes for the Club Cup : the race will hereinafter be known as 'the America's Cup' race. Date: 22 August 1851History of Spain. Catalonia. Tarragona. Fire on the merchant steamer "Carmen", off the mouths of the Ebro River, in the early hours of 29 May 1884. The ship's captain, Pedro José Guerra, ordered the evacuation of the entire crew when it was no longer possible to extinguish the fire. The Swedish merchant steamer "Baltzar van Plater" found the ship on fire and offered to help. Drawing by Monleón. Engraving by Bernardo Rico (1825-1894). La Ilustración Española y Americana (The Spanish and American Illustration), June 8, 1884. Author: Bernardo Rico (1825-1894). Spanish painter and engraver. Rafael Monleón y Torres (1843-1900). Spanish artist.The Ship of prey. The good man was seasick, vintage engraved illustration. Journal des Voyage, Travel Journal, (1879-80).Barge at closer than abeam, vintage engraving. Barge at closer than abeam, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1842. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10660253THE LOSS OF THE 'JEANNETTETaking soundings for a proposed Channel Tunnel, 1879. Artist: UnknownSailing boat in the Blockland near Bremen, river, reed bank, leisure sport, man, tiller, calm, Germany, historical illustration 1880, EuropeSpain, Basque Country, Guipuzcoan coast, Pasajes. Shipwreck of the "Jovellanos" steamboat due to the heavy swell that drove it into the rocks. ship was violently pushed by the storm onto the reefs of Punta de la Terma, on November 25, 1881. Illustration by Angel Cortellini. Engraving by Vela. La Ilustracion Espaola y Americana, 1881.Drawing showing ship "John Ena" at sea.Eric the Red sails to Greenland Date: 983Engraving showing the scene on deck as the ship's crew hoists sail in rather heavy seas. Some of the passengers appear to be enjoying the spectacle, whereas other look rather seasick. Date: 1884Clipper Ship 'Comet' of New York in a hurricane off Bermuda on voyage from New York to San Francisco October 2 1852 E C Gardner commander C Parsons publisher N Currier 1855The 'Challenger' off the Needles Date: 1874The Prince Albert lifeboats being pulled over the ice, expedition in search of the explorer John Franklin, illustration by Le Breton from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 531, Volume XXI, April 30, 1853.EAST AFRICA - A cutter from the Royal Navy ship 'HMS Daphne' captures a slave-dhow off Brora. 1869Engraving depicting a Galley. Dated 19th CenturyThe turret-ships Abyssinia and Magdala, for the defence of Bombay Harbour, 1871. 'The monitors...went by way of the Suez Canal. The Abyssinia was built and her engines made by Messrs. Dudgeon, of Millwall; the Magdala by the Thames Shipbuilding Company...These vessels mount each four 18-ton guns - a pair in each of the two turrets...The armour plating round the hull consists of an upper and a lower strake, the upper being 7 in. in thickness, and the lower strake 6 in. Upon this deck is built the upper or breastwork deck, which incloses within its elliptical walls of armour-plating the two turrShips of the Hanse off Copenhagen, Denmark, 1428, historical woodcut, 1870, EuropeEngraving showing the Union Steam-ship Company's Royal Mail Steamer 'Tartar' and, inset, the Dining Saloon on board the ship. Launched in 1883, the 'Tartar' worked for the Union company until 1897 when it was sold to the Canadian Pacific Line. In 1908 the 'Tartar' was scrapped after sustaining damage by running aground. Date: 1883Engraving depicting a steam crane being used to move cargo off boats. Dated 19th centuryThe Adder and the Monarch laying the submarine telegraph cable between Orfordness England and Scheveningen Holland, 1853Bartholomew Diaz, Portuguese navigator, sails to the CapeMrs Jerome. 'Morning Star' RYS painting. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes.Engraving depicting ships along the Saint Lawrence River. Dated 19th CenturyAmerican Fleet in the Strait of Magellan. Illustration from French newspaper Le Petit Parisien. February 23, 1908. Private Collection.BARCO DE VELA DE FORMOSA - GRABADO POR LE PAGELET - SIGLO XVIII. Author: LIEUTENANT BLONDELA (-1788).Whaling in the 19th century, sailing ship, small dinghy with harpooner, fishing, harpoon, historical, sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), drawing ca. 1850Illustration depicting a wind carriage on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, used to take men and tools to make repairs on the track. Dated 19th centuryThe San Francisco Bay seen from the Golden Gate, America, Historical, digitally enhanced reproduction from an original around 1860.Engraving depicting the HMS Sovereign of the Seas. HMS Sovereign of the Seas was a 17th century warship of the English Navy. Dated 19th centuryA Raymond Moulton sailing merry-go-round in Saint-Malo, Brittany, France. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1885Ship sailing in the Mediterranean Sea along the coasts of Syria. Old 19th century engraved illustration from El Mundo Ilustrado 1879Engraving of a passenger ship anchored off the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, in quarantine, 1873. In the foreground of the image can be seen local traders, in their little boats, bringing food out to the passenger ship. Date: 1873 A Nile-boat cautiously navigates the cataract of Ambigole. Date: 1884Illustration depicting the wreck of the steamer 'Humboldt' at the mouth of the Halifax Harbour. Dated 19th CenturyGalicia, Spain. Collision and shipwreck, at dusk on 21 July 1884, of the steamers ""Gijon"" (Spanish) and ""Lexham"" (English), off the Sisargas Islands, between the latter and Cape Vilan. Drawing by A. de Caula. Engraving by Bernardo Rico (1825-1894). The Spanish and American Illustration (La Ilustracion Espanola y Americana). July 30, 1884.East Indian fast sailer with additional oars in the 16th century, ship, historical, digitally restored reproduction of a 19th century originalThe Prince and Princess of Wales in Egypt: the Dahabieh, or Nile boat, for the Prince and Princess, 1869. 'The river barge or dahabieh, fitted up for this excursion, is named the Skandria, or Alexandria, in compliment to her Royal Highness. Its interior forms a suite of rooms fitted up as the private apartments of the Prince and Princess during the trip up the Nile. There is no engine on board to propel this barge, nor any cooking apparatus, so that the vessel is free from many of the discomforts of steam-boat travelling. The steamer which takes the dahabieh in tow contains the accommodation fTHE 'CITY OF RAGUSA', A VESSEL ON ITS WAY FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO NEW YORK ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, 1870Coberta, batelao, igarite and montaria, boats used on the Amazon River and the Rio Madeira, Brazil, South America. Exploration of the Rivers Amazon and Madeira in the Brazilian Empire by Franz Keller-Leuzinger, 1867