Transatlantic Travel in 1902: Steamships Were King, Not Sail

Correction to the premise: By 1902, steamships dominated North Atlantic passenger and mail service. The era of commercial sail on this route had effectively ended.

The Reality of 1902 Crossings

• Blue Riband holders (fastest regular liners) were all steam turbine or quadruple-expansion steamers.
• Typical westbound crossing: 5–6 days (e.g., Kaiser Wilhelm II, Deutschland, Cedric, Celtic).
• Eastbound (with Gulf Stream): 4.5–5.5 days.
• Fares: First class $150–$400; steerage $25–$35 (equivalent to ~$900–$2,500 and ~$150–$200 today).

The 1854 "Flying Cloud" Record

The clipper Flying Cloud set a sailing-ship record of 13 days 19 hours (anchor-to-anchor) New York–San Francisco via Cape Horn in 1854—not a transatlantic run. The fastest transatlantic sailing packet runs were ~14–15 days westbound in the 1850s.

Why Steam Won

• Schedule reliability independent of wind.
• Higher average speeds (20+ knots vs. 8–12 knots).
• Greater cargo/passenger capacity per hull volume.
• Shorter turnaround times in port.

By 1902, only niche trades (nitrate from Chile, grain from Australia, lumber from the PNW) still used large sailing ships. The last regular transatlantic sailing packet had ceased decades earlier.