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by aukepalmhof » Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:37 pm
Built as a five-mast steel rigged vessel under yard No 179 by J.C. Tecklenborg Werft, Geestemünde for the F. Laeisz, Hamburg.
07 May 1902 launched as the PREUSSEN. She was the second ship under that name by Laeisz.
Tonnage 5,081 grt, 4,765 net, dim. 133.19 x 16.3 x 9.90m, draught 8.3m. length bpp. 121.92m.
Sail area 6,806 m², speed under sail maximum 18.5 knots.
Crew 46.
Building cost 1,200,000.00 DM.
She was the largest five mast ship in the world without auxiliary engines ever to sail. She was special built for the nitrate trade from the west coast of South America for Europe.
31 July 1902 under command of Captain Richard Boyd Petersen of the island Föhr she left for her maiden voyage from Geestemünde bound for Iquique.
05 August she passed Cape Lizard, and on 08 October she dropt her anchor on the road of Iquique after a passage of 64 days after she left the English Channel.
Her homeward voyage she made in 79 days.
The second voyage was the fastest ever made to the west coast of South America.
05 March 1903 she passed the Lizard, and eight days and 11 hours later she passed the equator, 36 days after she left the Channel she was already in a position of 50 degree south, after rounding Cape Horn she arrived 57 days after she left the Channel in Iquique.
Spring 1908 was she chartered by Standard Oil Co. 11 March 1908 she left Cuxhaven bound for New York, where she loaded a full cargo of case oil.
27 May she left New York and around Cape of Good Hope to Yokohama, Japan, where she arrived after a passage of 112 days.
From Japan she sailed in 75 days to Taltal, Chile, where she arrived on 30 December 1908.
20 January 1909 she sailed from Tocopilla to Hamburg
After arrival Hamburg Capt Petersen was replaced by Captain Hinrich Nissen. Captain Petersen made 11 roundtrips on her to South America, and 1 voyage around the world. Capt. Petersen got a shore job as inspector by the company.
08 May 1909 she left again Hamburg for Taltal where she arrived on 26 July.
Her last voyage was still under Captain Nissen, she left Hamburg 31 October 1910 bound for Valparaiso, with coal and general cargo. The weather was not favourable and Capt. Nissen decided to let the PREUSSEN tow by the tug PRESIDENT LEEUW to the English Channel. During the night of 5/6 November the tow passed Strait Dover, where after the tug let go.
06 November 1910 she came in collision with the Newhaven-Dieppe cross-Channel ferry BRIGHTON, the weather was foggy and the BRIGHTON made 17 knots, while the PREUSSEN made around the 4 knots.
The BRIGHTON tried to cross the bow of the PREUSSEN but the ships bowsprit sheered off one of the funnels, the fore rigging of the PREUSSEN was damaged, and her bow got a crack, she was taken in tow by the tug ALERT.
About 18 miles off Dover in the lee of Dungeness Capt. Nissen let go his anchors, but during a squall her anchor chains parted, but before she grounded Capt. Nissen got his vessel under sail and sailed out from the coast.
The PREUSSEN needed repair and with assistance of three tugs, the ALERT, JOHN BULL and ALBATROSS she headed for Dover.
By nearing the port a heavy squall hit the vessel and JOHN BULL’s towing cable broke, the bow of the PREUSSEN hit a rock in Crab Bay where after the bow got stuck, the wind pushed the ship around and she came broadside stuck against the rocks.
For weeks Capt Nissen tried to get her refloated, even with the help of 12 tugs she was not refloated. During the week between 4 and 11 January 1911 there was a heavy storm, and high seas broke against the ship, which broke in two and she was lost.
Most of her cargo was salvaged, and she was lost without loss of live.
Even today parts of the wreck are visible during low water.
Sierra Leone 2008 400 Le sg?, scott?
Central African Republic 2018 900F sg?, scott?
Grenadienes of Grenada 1995 $1 sg2081, scott1790a
Penrhyn 1983 18c on 10c sg299.
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Last edited by
aukepalmhof on Wed Apr 10, 2019 9:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.
