Packet boat
Steam driven packets were used extensively in the United States in the 19th century on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, supplying and bringing personnel to forts and trading posts.
Packet craft were used extensively in European coastal mail services since the 17th century, and gradually added cramped passenger accommodation.
Behind this search for sailing faster than the wind, however, lay the foundations for a development in naval architecture and its science which would serve until the appearance of the steam vessels.
[citation needed] In 1863, during the American Civil War, the packet boat Marshall carried the body of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson from Lynchburg to his home in Lexington, Virginia, for burial.
When the Erie Canal opened in New York state in 1825 along the Mohawk River, demand quickly rose for travelers to be accommodated.
[citation needed] Travelers could get from New York City to Buffalo in ten days, with a combination of sailing and packet boats.
Packet boats were also popular along the James River and Kanawha Canal in Virginia, allowing travel beyond the falls upriver.
[citation needed] Packets were the predecessors of the twentieth-century ocean liner and were the first to sail between American and European ports on regular schedules.
In 1821, Byrnes, Grimble & Co. inaugurated the Red Star Line of Liverpool Packets, with the four ships Panther, Hercules, Manhattan and Meteor.
[citation needed] Receiving information as quickly as possible—whether regarding particulars about trade, foreign markets, decision-making, professional partnerships, business documents, legal contracts, personal letters and political, government and military news—was of urgent importance to 19th century commerce.
The Morning Herald (New York), 1 February, on the front page, reported: "The foreign news given today is highly important.
The Patrick Henry had a fine run of nine days to the long(itude) of 38, where she took, on the 4th inst, strong westerly gales, which prevailed since that time without change.
"[8] Improvements in the speed of that communication was crucial for many commercial, financial and shipping business activities—speedier information made capital move faster, directly affecting world trade.
[10] By the time of the maiden voyage of the Patrick Henry, in 1839, packet captains had begun taking more risks against their competitors as steamships were coming into service.
[12] Even if the size of the sailing packets grew markedly, their service speed did not follow the trend after the introduction of steamships on the route in the late 1830s.
