komagata maru

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komagata maru

Post by aukepalmhof » Wed Jun 04, 2014 9:36 pm

OTTAWA, May 6, 2014 /CNW/ - One hundred years ago, on May 23, 1914, the KOMAGATA MARU , a Japanese steamship, arrived in Vancouver's Burrard Inlet with 376 passengers, all British subjects, mostly Sikhs from Punjab, India. Under the era's exclusionary immigration policies, the passengers were denied entry, and the ship was forced to return to India. In connection with Asian Heritage Month, Canada Post has issued a new stamp marking the centennial of this event, while also recognizing the strides Canada has made toward creating a more tolerant and diverse society.
The stamp, available in all post offices and online, features an artistic rendition of images from a small collection of archive photos, shot on board and during the voyage. Two collectible Official First Day Covers are also available.
"This stamp commemorates an important – yet tragic ‒ moment in our history. Remembering this tragedy brings to light how Canada has transformed into a diverse and welcoming country," says the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport and responsible for Canada Post.
"Canada Post's stamps tell the stories of our history. But we don't just commemorate our heroic events; our nation is also shaped by the failures of its past. Events like Komagata Maru have helped encourage Canadians to make it a priority to build a more free and welcoming society that today doesn't just tolerate diversity, but thrives by it," says Deepak Chopra, President and CEO, Canada Post.
The KOMAGATA MARU’s arrival challenged a 1908 regulation that denied entry to immigrants unless they had $200 and had made a "continuous journey" from their home country ‒ conditions that were nearly impossible for immigrants from India to meet. Under the policy, only 20 returning residents, and the ship's doctor and his family were allowed to enter. The remaining passengers were confined to the ship for two months, after which the ship was forced to sail back to India. Upon arriving in India, many on board were viewed as political agitators. Twenty passengers were shot after disembarking while many others were imprisoned. The restrictive immigration policies that the passengers challenged were not repealed for 33 years.
SOURCE Canada Post.
KOMAGATA MARU.
Built as a steel cargo ship under yard No 168 by Charles Connell & Co, Scoutstoun, Glasgow for Dampfschiffs-Rhederei “Hansa” at Hamburg.
13 August 1890 launched as the STUBBENHUK.
Tonnage 3,016 grt, 1,864 net, dim. 100.34 (lpp) x 12.58 x 7.21m.
Powered by one triple expansion steam engine 3-cyl. Manufactured by J & J Thomson, Glasgow, 1,600 hp, one shaft, speed maximum 11 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 10 first class and 620 third class (North Atlantic Seaway)
Crew 43.
22 September 1890 in service.
She was built for the service between Germany and Canada.
19 October 1890 sailed for her maiden voyage from Hamburg to Canada.
February 1891 the Hamburg America Line took over the Dampfschiffs-Rhederei “Hansa” after they feared increasing difficulties on their main line direct to the USA from new entry rules for emigrants.
1893 The STUBBENHUK made four voyages from Germany to Montreal, and one via Halifax through to Baltimore, also in 1894 was she in this service.
16 October 1894 renamed in SICILIA.
27 October 1894 under her new name she sailed from Hamburg to Canada, thereafter another voyage from Hamburg to Boston.
08 May 1895 she made her first voyage from Stettin via Helsingborg, Gothenburg and Kristiansand to New York, she made two more voyages in this service.
From May 1896 she made four voyages between Germany and Montreal and from 1897 again in the service from Stettin via Scandinavian ports to New York.
13 March 1901 she opened a new year-round service between Genoa, Naples and New York for emigrants. Her last voyage in this service was on 02 February 1902.
April 1902 she sailed for her first of nine round voyages between Odessa via Constantinople, Smyrna and Piraeus to New York, of which the last sailing was on 23 July 1904.
Then again in the Italian service to the USA.
From 1892 until July 1907 altogether the SICILIA in 65 voyages took 41456 emigrants to Ellis Island in New York.
1913 Sold to Shin’ei Kisen Goshi Kaisha, Japan and renamed in KOMAGATA MARU.
1914 Was she chartered by the British citizen of Indian origin Baba Gurdit Singh for one voyage from Hong Kong to Vancouver.
04 April 1914 she sailed from Hong Kong with on board 165 Indian passengers and via Shanghai were other passengers embarked she sailed to Yokahama.
3 May 1914 she sailed from Yokohama with on board 376 passengers under which 340 Sikhs, during this voyage the lower deck was also used as passenger accommodation.
23 May 1914 the KOMAGATA MARU sailed into the Burrard Inlet, but the passengers were not allowed to enter Canada due to a new regulation adopted in the beginning of that year for new Indian emigrants.
Only 24 passengers were allowed to enter Canada, and the ship was ordered to take the other passengers back to India. After two months with the passengers still confined to the ship a tug towed on 23 July her out of the bay.
27 September the KOMAGATA MARU arrived in Calcutta were she under escort of a British patrol boat was ordered to anchor in Budge Budge and placed under guard. The British government of India held the passengers for dangerous agitators, when the British tried to arrest some leaders a scuffle broke out and police used firearms in which 19 passengers were killed, some passengers escaped but most were arrested.
The organizer of the voyage Gurdit Singh escaped and till 1922 he lived in hiding, with the help of Mahatma Gandhi he did give himself over to the authorities and was sent to prison for the next 5 years.
1924 The KOMAGATA MARU was sold to Kasahara Shoji, Japan and renamed in HEIAN MARU.
11 February 1926 she grounded at Cape Soedomari near Hokkaido and was lost.
Canada 2014 $2.50 sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komagata_Maru Merchant Fleets in profile volume 4 by Duncan Haws.
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2014 Canada Kumagata Maru.JPG
komagata_stamp.jpg

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