On June 19, 1819, off the coast of Ireland, the British naval cutter HMS Kite embarked on a three-hour pursuit of the American steamship SS Savannah. The British mistook the smoke from the Savannah's funnels for a ship on fire and fired warning shots to force it to stop. This incident occurred during the Savannah's historic voyage, as it was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The encounter highlighted the novelty of steam-powered vessels at sea and the initial confusion they caused among traditional sailing navies.
