SCOTIA paddlesteamer 1828

The full index of our ship stamp archive
Post Reply
shipstamps
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:12 pm

SCOTIA paddlesteamer 1828

Post by shipstamps » Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:42 pm


Built in 1828 by Robert Steele and Co at Greenock, Scotland as a wooden paddle steamer for the Dublin & Glasgow Shipping & Steam Packet Co..
Launched under the name SCOTIA.
Tonnage 166 tons.
Accommodation for some passengers.
Port of registry Dublin.

She was used in the service across the Irish Sea between Dublin and Glasgow together with the ERIN, there were three crossing a week and calls were made at Peel, Isle of Man.

February 1844 bought by the Anglo Maltese Steam Navigation Comp, at Malta.
From paintings which still exist today, which show the vessel with a black hull and a red funnel with a black top, a other painting with an all black funnel as seen on the stamp.
Carried the name SCOTIA on the paddle-boxes.

When ready for the voyage to Malta under command of the experienced captain Antonio Cacace, she was delayed by bad weather, and at least in early March she sailed from Gravesend, made a call at Gibraltar, then she sailed to Palma (de Majorca) for bunkers before she headed to Malta on 5 April 1844.
However during the last part of her voyage, she met bad weather. More coal was used in the boiler, and the coalbunkers got empty before she had reached her destination.
All unwanted wood and doors and furniture was used as firewood, but she had to reach Malta on the 10 April under sail.

After arrival at Malta she was chartered to transport the Pasha of Tripoli and 200 troops, horses and military equipment to Benghazi, the charter hire was 650 dollars.
07 May returned back at Malta with passengers and general cargo consigned to various merchants, carried that trip also 96 head of cattle.
Late May she grounded by entering the port of Tunis, got bottom damage, and after her return to Malta was hauled up the slipway of the shipyard owned by Giuseppe Camilleri of Senglea.

Made after the repair sea trails in October, then again advertised for sailing to North African ports.
Not so lucky with her steam engine, many defects plagued the vessel.
The British Admiralty loaned the owners a qualified engineer from the Malta Dockyard, thereafter she maintained her service without much trouble.

Reboilered between September and October 1845 by the Royal Dockyard and early November ready for sea trials, her engine was then advertised as developing 160hp, and her gross tonnage was listed as 300 tons.

In 1846 she made a voyage to Constantinople, and thereafter sold to Eynaud and Co. at Malta, who used her in a service from Malta to Tunis.

The Malta Times of 25 January 1848 gives:

On the morning of January 15th, (1848) the steamer SCOTIA was observed lying in the Bay of Stora, Algeria, much deeper in the water than customary; consequently, as there was no one on board, Captain Williams of the schooner RHODA lying at anchor close by, lowered his boat and went on board, accompanied by a portion of his crew, when to his surprise he found that the water had risen so as to cover the machinery, and that it was fast increasing, which he imagined must have been occasioned by a material damage from a French brig which parted from her anchors and went foul of her on the night of January 13th.
Captain Williams did not leave the SCOTIA until the arrival of Captain Pereira, which took place shortly, when a consultation was held as to the expediency of running her on shore in order, if possible, to save the wreck of the ill fated ship, which was done by the sole exertions of the RHODA’s crew and three of four of the SCOTIA’s men. She was speedily run on a sandy beach, and immediately parted asunder. On the following day, a large portion of her woodwork was sold by auction on the spot. The boilers and part of her engines were observed peering over the troubled waters, and will, no doubt, be ultimately recovered.

Malta 1985 3c sg 772

Info received from Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Asprey, additional info received from Tony …. , Ted Finch. and Mr. Adams. but mostly copied from http://www.fimbank.com/2002%20Accounts.pdf Irish Passenger Steamship Services, Vol 2 by D.B. McNeill.

aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: SCOTIA paddlesteamer 1828

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:51 am

Malta 1985 3c sg 772
Attachments
1985 Scotia-Paddle-Steamer-1884 (2).jpg

Post Reply