ers man ▁watching ▁a ▁spirit ▁level , ▁B ess emer ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁limited ▁joint ▁stock ▁company , ▁the ▁Sal oon ▁Sh ip ▁Company , ▁to ▁run ▁steam ships ▁between ▁England ▁and ▁France . ▁This ▁gained ▁£ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁capital , ▁finan cing ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁ship , ▁the ▁SS ▁B ess emer , ▁with ▁the ▁naval ▁constructor ▁Edward ▁James ▁Re ed ▁as ▁chief ▁designer . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁B ess emer ▁was ▁a ▁ 4 - p addle ▁ste amer ▁( 2 ▁p add les ▁each ▁on ▁port ▁and ▁star board , ▁one ▁fore , ▁one ▁a ft ), ▁length ▁, ▁bread th ▁at ▁deck ▁beam ▁, ▁outside ▁bread th ▁across ▁p addle - box es , ▁, ▁dra ug ht ▁, ▁gross ▁register ▁t onn age ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁tons . ▁The ▁internal ▁Sal oon ▁was ▁a ▁room ▁ ▁by ▁, ▁with ▁a ▁ce iling ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁floor , ▁Mor oc co - cover ed ▁seats , ▁divisions ▁and ▁spir al ▁columns ▁of ▁car ved ▁o ak , ▁and ▁gilt ▁m ould ed ▁pan els ▁with ▁hand - p aint ed ▁mur als . ▁B ess emer ▁was ▁built ▁ ▁by ▁Ear le ' s ▁Sh ip building ▁of ▁H ull . ▁She ▁was ▁yard ▁number ▁ 1 9 7 ▁and ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁September ▁ 1 8 7 4 . ▁ ▁Career ▁The ▁ship ▁sa iled ▁from ▁D over ▁to ▁Cal ais ▁on ▁a ▁private ▁trial ▁in ▁April