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The origins of the name
Royal William, a steamship built in Quebec City for the "Quebec
and Halifax Steam Navigation Company", reaches back to the heyday
of the region's historical naval construction industry during the
19th century.
One of the owners of the Royal William was Samuel Cunard, founder
of the famous Cunard Line maritime shipping company. The Royal William
was launched on April 29, 1831, a major event that drew enormous crowds
to the Quebec Port.
In 1833, the Royal William was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic
Ocean solely on steam power. The crossing took 22 days, quite a remarkable
exploit at the time!
The fruit of a long tradition of naval construction, the ship has
been the subject of hundreds of books, most of which were written
in English.
In 1894, the Canadian government honoured the courage, skill and entrepreneurial
spirit of these master craftsmen of the naval construction industry.
In 1933, to commemorate the centenary of the crossing, Canada Post
issued a stamp with an image of the Royal William that is now highly
sought by philatelists the world over. The Royal William will always
remain a symbol of innovation and know-how! |
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