My introduction to the Collins Line was through David Shaw's book, "The Sea Shall Embrace Them," about the sinking of the steamship Artic. Glad to see this shipping line getting some attention. Thank you!!
No, the lines you’ve never heard of and never will are the most depressing ones. There were tons of transatlantic shipping companies that started, left for their first voyage and were never seen again. No record of who is on board, just the name of the ship and the people who owned it.
This did indeed touch me. American author Herman Melville grew up wealthy and connected in the New York City of Collins and Vanderbilt, but his father was bankrupted before dying young. The Melvilles were thrown into blameless but ignominious poverty, avoided by their connections, virtual outcasts. He later wrote "In New York City a family can rise like a bubble in a vat...and burst." The fortunes of EK Collins did much the same. The important thing about Collins and Melville both is that cruel fate notwithstanding, they pursued creative visions and achieved greatness.
Captivating You are a master storyteller. The narration and music are wonder. The graphics are astonishing. I love the shot of two women in period dress on the shore. This was so well produced and told.
It's interesting that you mentioned how he looked in the photograph. At first, I smiled to it as he did have a grizzled, experienced, and no nonsense look to him. After hearing the story and seeing the photograph again, I was blown away by the change. I think it's so interesting how the image of someone can change once you know their story.
Outstanding job, so tragic about Mr. Collins, living alone in his final years in an apartment as a widower and not much money apparently. Tom, you do such a great job, I hope you teach somewhere a Maritime history class.
"Content with not being quick at all" is the second greatest usps burn I've ever heard. First is the one where someone calculates that turtles could deliver packages sooner.
It seems the ships of the Collins line were like the supersonic aircraft Concordes years later. Ahead of their time, heavily subsidied, expensive to operate and were ultimately not profitable.
Sounds like the subsidies weren't worth it and they dragged the company down more than they actually helped. No idea why he accepted that raggedy post deal that made him lose money hand over fist since he had to drive at inefficient speeds. Plus he got unlucky. As did the Concorde eventually.
@@annnee6818 concorde ahd a rough start as well when bitter americans tried to stop the Anglo-french (ie non american) plane being given permission to land
@@andrewyoung749That was because of noise complaints. Around that time, the US had its biggest protests in history to this day due to environmental concerns (~20 million people on the streets), so for political reasons they were not necessarily wrong to be concerned regarding environmental reasons.
every engine is inefficient at full throttle. So given opportunity to run at a more economic speed Collins' steamers would be as effective as Cunard's.
While a lot of people have been giving you suggestions for future studies, how about the wreck of the S.S. Republic? Not to be confused with the White Star liner that sank in 1909, the 1853-built paddle steamship Republic was originally a cargo ship that was originally named the S.S. Tennessee, carried California Gold Rush prospectors and even mercenaries heading to Central America, and became involved in the Civil War as a Confederate blockade runner before becoming captured by and used as a gunship by the Union. Renamed as the Republic, she sank in a hurricane as she was taking goods and immigrant passengers to the defeated South for the Reconstruction era, including a huge fortune in gold and silver coins to replenish the South's economy. The commercial archaeological/shipwreck exploration company Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. discovered the wreck and her treasures in 2003. She was and interesting ship that lived and exceptionally interesting life that I'd like to see shared with your viewers here too. Feel free to contact Odyssey whenever you want to do a video or videos studying her.
I think I may have heard of that ship actually. Another suggestion that I have is more of a challenge: the passenger ship SS President. The first steamship to sink on the transatlantic run. Most results I get when I search the name especially on RU-vid is the riverboat. I feel this ungainly but bold of the first ocean liners deserves its story to be told as best it can. :)
Excellent video, Tom. When you chalk up on a board the many coincidences that caused the downfall of the Collins Line, it draws a fascinating chart of government short sight, brewing unrest, and utter bad luck. The marker idea sounds just the right thing to do and honour the man. Go for it.
This seem the to be one of the most tragic stories I heard in Ocean-going transport. I feel like Edward and everyone that was part of this company should be remembered for what they did. and this line shouldn't be forgotten.
Remembered as an idiot, that thought a government subsidy would help cover cost, which it would not. then instead of dumping the subsidy, pushed his ships to murderous routines of full power no matter the safety problems. what a complete ass hole, happy he died alone and broke, he deserved it after he did that to so many other families, all because he was chasing the dollars.
Beautifully crafted and elegantly told, this story of the Collins Line provides dignity to the triumphs so often overlooked from its forgotten place in maritime history. From this captivating video, we now know the role that Edward Collins had in creating and operating these gorgeous liners, that have been so lovingly brought back to life. The architecture and artistry of these five vessels has never been discussed in such vivid detail. In first reading about the Collins Line from the Time-Life book series on The Liners, the tragedies that befell both the Arctic and Pacific, and the subsequent collapse of the line, made one feel profound sorrow for Edward Collins. The efforts being made here to honour his place in history through the provision of a grave marker is a very noble endeavour. We wholeheartedly support your efforts and look forward to seeing this visionary figure receive the kudos so long deserved. Many thanks for your incredible efforts and this extraordinary channel.
Thank you so much got such a supportive comment! I’m honored to be able to share these stories, and hope you enjoy the coming installments on the Arctic and Pacific!
In many ways the entire history of the Collins Line was just like the last two decades of the White Star Line. Plagued with bad luck and faced by economic and political enemies on all sides.
I've watched several of your videos. I'm pleased at the quality of work. Well researched and good writing. Good delivery. Nothing lacking in the graphics. Nicely done. That's the overall impression of all of the work. Thank you for your fine efforts.
I just discovered your channel and subscribed. I've watched about 4- 5 videos. You're presentation is so professional and fascinating. I'm hooked. Thank you. 🌟🌟🌟
First video of yours I've watched in a long time. I think luck struck right for the Collins Line, and then immediately reversed course. It's a shame, too. He seems like a good guy, and his company seems reliable. Of course, I don't suppose I'll ever know for sure; I don't live in 1850's America.
Thank you for the video. I have some historical information I need to get together to donate to the museum from both the Perry and Collins shipping lines. I'm a Perry by birth Collins by marriage
We would love to put a grave marker on Edward Collins’ grave but need permission from a relative. Would you please email me at tlynskey@historicalfx.com
Great video as always. I hate to give video ideas but maybe you could take a look into the Moore McCormack line I haven’t seen much documented on this shipping company and it seems interesting on the surface
I'm new to your channel, and absolutely love it!!! I wanted to find out if you ever were able to get a marking for Mr. Collins grave. Can you please let me know where I can go to contribute. Keep up the great work, and thank you for keeping the history alive.
Well done sir. I anticipate you next educational offering even without an Ascott . (sincerely your videos are excellent) Take note National Geographic.... or ok the History Channel
Watching this video that you presented and especially the end of it's with the unmarked grave of the guy in question. Has brought back extreme memories of my own grandmother. Not having a grave marker. I myself wanted to put one there. But I have no way to get to supposedly where she is buried. So this will never happen. Keep up doing good videos. I look forward to seeing More of your videos on famous ships from the past. That have sunk and what happened when they did. Exactly in detail
🚢These steam ships by the Collins, they look almost like the black ships that US Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry🇺🇸would use to steam the ships towards the Pacific Ocean to go west and reach Japan🇯🇵 for Perry’s goal to end the 220 year Japanese isolation policy by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1853. Believe me, the mid-1850s was a time for Japan🇯🇵 to start opening its country for both Western European and US trade agreements. And later on, Japan’s Edo/Meiji culture would become a economic cultural growth in the world of the late 19th century!
I believe your right, my maiden name is Perry, yes from the. Perry shipping line, and I married into the Collins shipping line. I need to get everything together band donate it before bi get much older
How about Exploring Bath, Maine; The City of Ships. Bath was the site of the First Ship built in the U. S. at its original settlement, Popham. It is possible that more ship's tonnage has been built in the extended city of Bath than in any other 10 mile piece of water frontage at any other location in the U. S. The Bath Iron Works may be the last yard building BOTH commercial and military ships in America! sdh T.A. '67
Yeah my cousins grew up there and their dad (my uncle) is a engineer at the shipyard and has been for 30 years. Such a beautiful city and it has history galore
@@PartTimeExplorer Yes, I have watched both of these several times. As my grandmother on my dad's side was a Berry, her husband was the executor of the Lina Sewell's estate and I am therefore a cousin of Ada Katherine Minott Haggett wife of Frederick Michell Haggett, I was hoping for more about the shipbuilders.
Your story telling is great I have been watching the videos nonstop the past few days, amazing history, I can't believe how passionate yet how tragic the ends were for some many of these pioneering mariners. For instance the people ramming into Fulton's Steamboat trying to disable it, I thought maniacal saboteurs was a more modern thing but it appears the neanderthals have always screwed with people. May they be flagellated to death for their crimes against innovation, preferably by a marauding paddle-wheel.
_(so this was the origin of the America's Cup; that yacht was a beast and Steers was a genius)_ Managed to squeeze in some time for this. I walk away with a far heightened knowledge now of the Collins Line and increasing sorrow that it went out the way it did. Edward was a visionary, a master of his trade, a fine human being with a wealth of knowledge, and is one of the great American pioneers as far as I'm concerned. Sounds like what did the line in was a triple whammy of a stingy Congress, a prejudiced South, and an especially harsh treatment by fate of which I fail to understand why. I assume that Congress' refusal to give Collins ample funding was also the beginning of America's going away from being a seafaring nation. Big, big shame, perhaps none more so than Edward's family not even having the care to mark his grave. This story and the bit more I know about it only increases my resolve to follow in the footsteps of men like Edward and someday bring my own superliner to life, one that will dominate the scene. Cunard, as much as I admire, look up to, and respect them, only increasingly sound to me like a greedy competitor that wants a complete monopoly over the Atlantic and would rather there be no one else around to challenge them. Now there isn't anything necessarily wrong with that, but it's as if they feel entitled to it. I don't know, that's just what I think. It puts me in a more revolutionary mood than anything. I can see why Willy Gibbs wasn't especially fond of British people. XD
I love watching this channel a little drunk and pretending to be a sea captain sailing the oceans, but alas im just sitting here drunk in Kentucky too drunk to taste this chicken.....
