A fine picture of the P&O liner Chusan appears on the 50 cents denomination. It was chosen to represent the modern liner traffic in Eastern waters. The first regular steamer schedule running through Singapore by the P&O Company was established and inaugurated by the paddle-steamer Lady Mary Wood which arrived with mails at Singapore on August 4, 1845, 41 days out from London. The first Chusan of 699 tons, was one of the first screw steamers built for the company, and she inaugurated the Australian mail service via Singapore in 1852. The "Chusan Waltz" was composed in honour of the event, and was played at Gala Balls in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
The second Chusan, of 4,636 tons, engaged mainly on the Indian service, was one of the Tasmania class, a useful ship if somewhat smaller than the crack liners of her day. The vessel depicted on the stamp is the third ship of the name. Of 24,000 gross tons, built at the Barrow-in-Furness yard of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., she was ordered in May 1946 and she was launched on June 28, 1949 by Viscountess Bruce, wife of the Rt. Hon. Viscount Bruce of Melbourne, one of the directors of the P&O Company. General particulars of the vessel are: length 672 ft. (overall); breadth, moulded, 8511.; draft 48ft.; power 42,500 s.h.p.: speed 22 knots in service conditions. She has accommodation for 475 first-class and 651 tourist-class passengers; her crew numbers 572. Leaving on December 18, 1953 from London, the Chusan made the first call of a P&O mail ship at Japanese ports since the war.
On June 12, 1953 she was in collision with the Liverpool cargo ship Prospector (6,165 tons) five miles off Dover. No lives were lost but the cargo steamer was damaged above the waterline. The crash occurred in foggy conditions one mile west of the South Goodwins lightship between 9 and 10 p.m. Both vessels returned to port under their own steam. The Chusan has proved an extremely popular summer cruising ship, making three-week voyages to the Mediterranean with calls at Genoa, Messina, Catania, Istanbul, Athens and Casablanca.
SG49 Sea Breezes 9/55
Additional information from Auke Palmhof.
Built as a passenger- cargo liner under yard No. 964 by Vickers-Armstrong Lt., Barrow for the P&O Line, London.
29 March 1945 ordered.
28 June 1949 launched under the name CHUSAN (III). Named after the Chou-shan archipelago at the entrance to Hangchow Bay, south of Shanghai in eastern China.
Tonnage 24.215 gross, 13.445 net, 7.703 dwt., dim. 646.5 x 85.2 x 36.2ft.
Powered by six geared steam turbines, manufactured by the shipbuilder, 42.500 shp., twin screws, speed 23 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 474 first class, 514 tourist when built.
Cargo capacity 408.890 cubic feet general cargo and 25.750 reefer cargo.
31 May 1950 ran trials and 14 June 1950 delivered to the P&O.
She was built for the service of the P& O between the U.K. and the Far East and Japan, and the largest and last passenger liner by the P&O built for this service. When built she carried a short funnel, which was lengthened in 1952 with a Thorneycroft top.
Her first voyages were short cruises from London, her first voyage from London on 01 July 1950 bound for Lisbon and Madeira.
15 September 1950 she sailed from London on her first voyage to Bombay and then she returned, second voyage she sailed again from London in November to Japan.
During the summer of 1953 she made short cruises from Tilbury, U.K.
12 June 1953 when on one of this cruises she headed down the English Channel, when she came in collision with the British cargo vessel PROSPECTOR in foggy weather near the South Goodwin light vessel, there was not much damage on both ships but the CHUSAN steamed back to Tilbury for repairs, sailing out again on the 15 June.
The next years she repeated this cruises during the summer and in the winter used in the service to the Far East.
After the summer of 1959 she got a refit, her accommodation altered; thereafter she could accommodate 464 first and 541 tourist class passengers.
Air condition was fitted in the whole accommodation block.
Early 1960 returned to service, after she sailed to Japan, she crossed the Pacific to Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles, when she returned via Honolulu to Yokahama.
06 June 1963 sailed from London for her first voyage to Australia, arrived Sydney on 10 July.
Then she made a three-week cruise to Tahiti before returning to the U.K.
She was kept in the service to Australia, but made also regular cruises from Britain and Australia.
09 June 1970 she sailed for the last time from London in the Australia service, it was also the last sailing of a passenger liner of the P&O to include a call at Bombay before heading to Australia.
During the summer of 1970 she made four cruises from Amsterdam with tourists from Europe, the next summer repeated.
04 July 1973 sold via Mitsui and Co. Ltd, London to Chou’s Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., Taiwan for scrapping.
01 July she had already arrived at Kaohsiung.
19 September 1973 scrapping commenced.
Source: P&O A Fleet History by the World Ship Society. From Chusan to Sea Princess by Malcolm R Gordon.
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