Comparing the stamp with drawings I have of the three CALEDONIA’s she must be the CALEDONIA built in 1840 of the Cunard Line.
The ship depict on the stamp is a paddle steamer, while the Anchor Line ships are screw, also she carries the Spanish flag, the Anchor Liner ships never carried the Spanish flag.
The rigging is exact the same as the Cunard liner, and differ of the Anchor Line vessels.
Built as wooden paddle steamer by R.Wood, Port Glasgow, Scotland for the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., which later became known as the Cunard Line.
1840 Launched under the name CALEDONIA, three sisters the BRITANNIA, ACADIA and COLUMBIA.
Tonnage 1.156 gross, 619 net., dim. 63.09 x 10.36m.
Powered by side-lever engines, 440 nhp., manufactured by Robert Napier, Glasgow, speed 8.5 knots. Bunker capacity 640 tons, daily consumption 37 tons.
Cargo capacity 225 tons.
Ernest Argyle, writing in Sea Breezes, July 1951 says that he believes the stamp on the "Liverpool Philatelic Congress" label is the CALEDONIA not, as printed on the stamp, Brittania.
Passenger accommodation for 115 first class passengers. Crew 89.
Three masted barque, square stern and clipper bow. One funnel (and not two as given in my first message on the vessel)
When the company won the mail contract the four paddlesteamers were ordered for a fortnightly mail service between Liverpool and Halifax and Boston.
19 September 1940 maiden voyage under Capt. Richard Cleland from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston.
10 Nov. 1849 made her last sailing in this service from Liverpool across the Atlantic to Halifax and Boston.
Early 1850 sold to the Spanish Navy, not renamed, sold together with the HIBERNIA for £35.000.
1851 Wrecked at Havana, Cuba, by running on to a shelf of rocks at the harbour mouth, the damage was so great that she had to be abandoned.
Cuba 1997 15c sg 4160, scott 3822
Sources: merchant Fleets in Profile Vol 2 by Duncan Haws. North Atlantic Seaways by N.R.P Bonsor.
http://www.newscotland1398.net/poneyexp ... yex13.html
CALEDONIA 1840
Re: CALEDONIA 1840
Until recently I have gone along with the fate of the Caledonia and Hibernia two ships belonging to Cunard and sold early in 1850 to the Spanish Navy for £35,000 but the new book on Cunard Line by Peter Newall has a different version and I am inclined to go along with that. Here are the extracts from two recent books:
Note on the fate of Caledonia and Hibernia
Caledonia:
In Shipwrecks of the Cunard Line by Sam Warwick and Mike Roussel:
Caledonia Sold in early 1850 to the Spanish Navy and in 1851 was wrecked near Havana, Cuba.
In Cunard Line - A Fleet History by Peter Newall:
Caledonia August 1850 sold with Hibernia to the Spanish Government for use as troopships to Cuba. On 8 July 1852 renamed Conde de Regla and used on the Cadiz to Cuba mail service operated by the Spanish Navy. Used as a troopship from 1857 - 1860 and then decommissioned.
Hibernia:
In Shipwrecks of the Cunard Line by Sam Warwick and Mike Roussel:
Hibernia In 1850 sold to the Spanish Navy and renamed Habanois. Lost at sea without trace in 1868.
In Cunard Line - A Fleet History by Peter Newall:
Hibernia Sold in 1850 with Caledonia to the Spanish Government for use as troopships to Cuba. On 8 July 1852 renamed Velasco and used on the Cadiz to Cuba mail service operated by the Spanish Navy. Used as a troopship from 1857 - 1865 and then decommissioned. Broken up 1869.
Stewart Wilson
Note on the fate of Caledonia and Hibernia
Caledonia:
In Shipwrecks of the Cunard Line by Sam Warwick and Mike Roussel:
Caledonia Sold in early 1850 to the Spanish Navy and in 1851 was wrecked near Havana, Cuba.
In Cunard Line - A Fleet History by Peter Newall:
Caledonia August 1850 sold with Hibernia to the Spanish Government for use as troopships to Cuba. On 8 July 1852 renamed Conde de Regla and used on the Cadiz to Cuba mail service operated by the Spanish Navy. Used as a troopship from 1857 - 1860 and then decommissioned.
Hibernia:
In Shipwrecks of the Cunard Line by Sam Warwick and Mike Roussel:
Hibernia In 1850 sold to the Spanish Navy and renamed Habanois. Lost at sea without trace in 1868.
In Cunard Line - A Fleet History by Peter Newall:
Hibernia Sold in 1850 with Caledonia to the Spanish Government for use as troopships to Cuba. On 8 July 1852 renamed Velasco and used on the Cadiz to Cuba mail service operated by the Spanish Navy. Used as a troopship from 1857 - 1865 and then decommissioned. Broken up 1869.
Stewart Wilson
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Re: CALEDONIA 1840
A Spanish Navy web-site has on the CALEDONIA.
18 September 1850 she arrived in Cadiz, Spain
16 October 1850 under the name CALEDONIA she sailed from Cadiz and via the Canary Islands, with on board troops and the mails for Cuba.
July 1852 was she renamed in CONDE DE REGLA.
1857 Decommissioned from the Spanish Navy and put up for auction. But she was not sold.
1859 During the Spanish campaign in Africa she is commissioned again as troop transport between the port of Biscay, Cadiz and Ceuta.
1861 She is used again in the service to Cuba with troops which landed in Puerto Rico and in December that year participated in the landing operations in Mexico.
1863 Engaged in the campaign of Santo Domingo.
1864 Out of service and scrapped.
18 September 1850 she arrived in Cadiz, Spain
16 October 1850 under the name CALEDONIA she sailed from Cadiz and via the Canary Islands, with on board troops and the mails for Cuba.
July 1852 was she renamed in CONDE DE REGLA.
1857 Decommissioned from the Spanish Navy and put up for auction. But she was not sold.
1859 During the Spanish campaign in Africa she is commissioned again as troop transport between the port of Biscay, Cadiz and Ceuta.
1861 She is used again in the service to Cuba with troops which landed in Puerto Rico and in December that year participated in the landing operations in Mexico.
1863 Engaged in the campaign of Santo Domingo.
1864 Out of service and scrapped.