SS Constitutionen

SS Constitutionen at the harbour of Arendal
SS Constitutionen at the harbour of Arendal
History
Norway
NameSS Constitutionen
RouteChristiania—Bergen
Launched1826
FateScrapped, 1871
General characteristics
TypePaddle steamer
Tonnageca. 200 tons[1]
Length99 ft (30 m)[1]
Beam17 ft (5.2 m)[1]
Propulsion2 × Horseley Ironworks 30 hp (22 kW) steam engines[2]
SpeedAbout 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)[1]
Capacity32 passengers[1]

SS Constitutionen was a paddle steamer constructed in England and imported to Norway in 1826. It was the first steamship of Norway, and was used for passenger traffic between Christiania and Bergen. It was scrapped in 1871.[1] A long-term captain of Constitutionen was Peter Severin Steenstrup, later founder and manager of the workshop Akers Mekaniske Verksted.[3]

Drawing by Henrik Wergeland, picturing the "battle at the market place" at Stortorvet, Christiania.

An incident involving the ship happened in Christiania on 17 May 1829, on the Norwegian Constitution Day, when a crowd of people welcomed the arrival of the ship with greetings like Leve Constitutionen. The commander of Akershus met the crowd with armed cavalry, the so-called Torgslaget, an event which eventually influenced the population's attitude to the Swedish authorities.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Godal, Anne Marit (ed.). "Constitutionen". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Dampskipet "Constitutionen"". The National Archives of Norway (in Norwegian). 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. ^ Schou, August (1938). Håndverk og industri i Oslo 1838–1938 (in Norwegian). Oslo håndverks- og industriforening. pp. 86–87.
  4. ^ Arstal, Aksel; Just, Carl, eds. (1966) [1938]. "Torvslaget". Oslo byleksikon (in Norwegian) (2 ed.). Oslo: Aschehoug.
  5. ^ Mardal, Magnus A. "Torgslaget". In Henriksen, Petter (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 17 January 2012.