Heading to Californian gold fields? 0

[RWB]

Here's your transportation and approximate cost. The "twelve miles of land transportation" was on mule back.

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by RWB

[GoldFinger1969]

Yes, these were covered in David Bowers' Liberty Head DE book.  He gives examples of how much and how long it took to get to California through various means (land, thru Panama, etc.).  Also the costs...and how much you actually made once you got there.

[Henri Charriere]

I see the month, November, and the day, Saturday the 19th, and the time and place of departure, North River (Hudson River) but what was the year???  Pre-SSCA, 1857, or post?

[RWB]

1852.

[Henri Charriere]

Note:  The description "2,000 Tons Burthen," as used under the name of the first ship, "Star of the West," is an archaic form of the noun "burden," which may be a reference to a ship's gross tonnage. (By comparison, the S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA (1857 ) weighed 2142 tons, was 272 feet long, had a 40-foot beam and a 32-foot depth.)

Never let it be said ol' Henri Charriere never jumps at the chance of adding to the "body of knowledge" for the benefit of interested members and curious lurkers.  🤣

[RWB]

All the other ship ads also refer to "tons burthen" of the ship. See explanation, below.

"Tonnage, in the context of ships, refers to the total weight or capacity of a vessel. It is a measurement of the volume of enclosed space within the ship, including cargo, fuel, and passengers. On the other hand, burthen (sometimes spelled burden) is a term used to describe the carrying capacity of a ship. It represents the maximum weight a ship can carry, including cargo, provisions, and crew." [See: https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/tonnage-vs-burthen ]

[It might also refer to the total mass of Sumo wrestlers that can fit in the main cabin of a ship before it sinks.   ]

Edited December 1, 2023 by RWB

[GoldFinger1969]

From the Bowers book, the ships in the 1850's apparently weighted mostly about 1,000 tons (give-or-take) and would hold 1-3 tons of gold upon return.

Some ships may have been larger and a few decades later, I am sure the ships on average were bigger.

[RWB]

On 11/30/2023 at 10:52 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

From the Bowers book, the ships in the 1850's apparently weighted mostly about 1,000 tons (give-or-take) and would hold 1-3 tons of gold upon return.

Some ships may have been larger and a few decades later, I am sure the ships on average were bigger.

The smallest ships I've seen in the Californian trade were 600 tons burthen, with a few as large as 3,000 tons. (corrected).

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by RWB