Royal William

Canadian steamship

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July 13, 2026

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The Royal William was a Canadian steamship built primarily for navigating the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was notable for being the second ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean using steam power, following the Savannah. The Royal William's voyage from Quebec to the Isle of Wight took 17 days. Despite demonstrating the capability of steam for transatlantic travel, the ship's ability to carry only enough fuel for the journey meant it could not carry a commercial load, thus not fully meeting the challenge of oceanic steam navigation. The ship was later sold to the Spanish government.1

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ship
The first Atlantic crossings
…by a Canadian ship, the Royal William, which was built as a steamer with only minor auxiliary sails, to be used in the navigation of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The owners, among them the Quaker merchant Samuel Cunard, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, decided to sell the ship in England.…
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…by a Canadian ship, the Royal William, which was built as a steamer with only minor auxiliary sails, to be used in the navigation of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The owners, among them the Quaker merchant Samuel Cunard, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, decided to sell the ship in England.…
Read More