Steamships

New Zealand Steamship

Scottish Built Ships

SS Abyssinia was a British mail liner built in 1870, and originally operated by the Cunard Line on the Liverpool–New York route. She later served the Guion Line on the same route and the Canadian Pacific Line in the Pacific. In December 1891, Abyssinia was destroyed mid-Atlantic without loss of life by a fire that started in her cargo of cotton, highlighting the danger in carrying both cotton and passengers on the same ship.

Wikipedia

Ajax was a wooden, propeller-driven steamship built in 1864. She provided logistical support to the Union Army on the Atlantic coast during the American Civil War. After the war she was sent to San Francisco where she provided freight and passenger services between that city and other ports on the Pacific coast. She provided the first scheduled steamship service between the United States and Hawaii.

Wikipedia

The SS America was built at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, 1854-55. Original Owner: Great Western RR Company. Rebuilt by Samuel Sneeden, Greenpoint, 1858. New Owner: Peter A. Hargous. Name changed to Coatzocoalcos in 1859. Chartered to the Quartermaster s Department, War Department in 1861 and 1862 from $1200 to $1400 per day. Name changed to America in 1862. Operated from New York to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua for the Central American Transit Company. Her last sailing from San Francisco for the Transit Company was on February 15, 1868.

Commerce on the Sacramento – San Joaquin Rivers dominated the early history of Contra Costa County. The rivers were a favored route to and from the booming gold fields and rapidly growing towns of Stockton and Sacramento. Along the northern shore of Contra Costa County pioneering steamships made Martinez, Black Diamond, Antioch and Marsh’s Landing important ports of call. One of the most famous of the early river steamers was the Antelope, first owned by the California Steam Navigation Company and later by the Donahue Line.

City of New York was a British built passenger liner that was designed to be the largest and fastest liner on the Atlantic. When she entered service with the Inman Line in August 1888, she was the first twin screw express liner in the world, and while she did not achieve the westbound Blue Riband, she ultimately held the eastbound record from August 1892 to May 1893 at a speed of 20.11 knots. City of New York and her sister City of Paris are considered especially beautiful ships, and throughout their careers were rivals to White Star Line's Teutonic and Majestic.

See Norway-Heritage

SS La Gascogne Passenger Lists 1891-1892

See Day By Day June 6, 1891

First-class passengers enjoyed the central third of the vessel, on the main, upper, and promenade decks. Second-class passengers had reserved for their sole use the after-part of the ship, with a large smoking-room forward of their upper-deck space. The after saloon was in American walnut and light oak. The after state-rooms were equally handsome, and all the after accommodation, including the ladies' room and the smoking-room, was described as being thought extravagantly luxurious. The steerage passengers were accommodated on the middle and fore part of the lower deck.
 

Builder: Wm Denny & Bros 
Where Built: Dumbarton, Scotland 
Date Built: 1885 
Tonnage: 2466 GRT 
Propulsion: Single screw steam. Triple expansion 16 knot 
Owners & Previous Names: 1885-1931 USSCo 

Built at Buffalo NY by King Iron Works
Launched July 1871

220’ LOA, 206’ LBP, 32’ beam, 24’2” depth
2 decks, coal-fired boiler, low pressure engine

Enrolled at Erie PA July 16, 1871 (#1)
210.0 x 32.6 x 14.0, 1239.46 tons (gross tons, 932.02 NT 1882)     US 100008     to:
Erie & Western Transportation Co., Erie PA (home port Erie PA) Great Lakes vessel fleet of Pennsylvania Railroad, as known as the “Anchor Line”

USS Quaker City was a heavy, 1,428 long tons (1,451 t) sidewheel steamship leased by the Union Navy at the start of the American Civil War. She was subsequently purchased by the navy, outfitted with a powerful 20-pounder long rifle, and assigned to help enforce the Union blockade of the ports of the Confederate States of America.