Antilles

[shipstamps]

A vessel which remained unidentified for a great number of years is that depicted on a set of stamps issued by Costa Rica in 1911. This ship was the Antilles of the Morgan Line, built in 1907 by Cramps, at Philadelphia. She was a single screw ship of 6,873 gross tons and ran on the company's service from New York to New Orleans, along with the Comus and Momus. As far as I (E Argyle) know she never visited Costa Rica and her appearance on stamps of that country is purely incidental. She happened to be the latest product of United States' shipbuilding yards when the stamps were printed in 1907-8 and the printers, the American Bank Note Company, apparently chose the ship as representative of the time. Main points of identification are the four lifeboats swung high on gravity-type davits, the lofty navigating bridge and short masts. The Antilles had dimensions 410ft. x 53.2ft. x 25.6ft. Her brief career came to an end in 1917 when she was torpedoed.
Sea Breezes 12/53 SG94

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a passenger-cargo vessel under yard No. 339 by W Cramp & Sons & Engine Building Co., Philadelphia, USA, for the Southern Pacific Co. (Morgan Line), New York.
03 December 1906 launched under the name ANTILLES.
Tonnage 6.879 gross, 4.500 dwt, dim. 440 x 53.2 x 37ft, draught 25.6ft., length bpp 410 ft.
Powered by one triple expansion steam engine, 860 nhp, speed 16 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 164 first class passengers.
April 1907 delivered to owners.

She was built for the coastal liner trade between New York and New Orleans, and fitted out with Marconi Wireless telegraph equipment.

After World War I broke out she made one voyage from New York when she sailed from that port on 25 August 1914 in ballast to Genoa, Italy, returned from that port with 244 passengers for New York.

October 1917 she made as United States auxiliary transport a voyage with troops from the USA to France, after disembarking her troops in Brest she returned to the USA.
17 October 1917 the German U-105 in position 48 10N 11 20W torpedoed her on her homebound voyage.
The submarine was not seen on board and the first knowledge came when a torpedo struck the vessel near the engine room. The explosion killed many engine room staff and sleeping crew below decks, at the time of the explosion she had 234 persons on board. She sank within 6 minutes, and took with her 16 soldiers, 3 ship officers and 48 men crew.

Source: Log Book. North Atlantic Seaways by N R P Bonsor. Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the age of steam by Charles Hocking. Register of Merchant Ships Completed in 1907.

[Arturo]

Antilles

Costa Rica 1911, S.G.?, Scott: 91.