SS Clan Matheson (1905)

History
United Kingdom
Name: Clan Matheson
Owner: Clan Line Steamers Ltd
Operator: Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd
Builder: Furness, Withy & Co.
Launched: November 27, 1905
Christened: Clan Matheson
Commissioned: March 1906
Homeport: Glasgow
Identification:
Fate: Sunk, September 14, 1914
General characteristics
Type: Cargo Ship
Tonnage:
Length: 400 ft 0 in (121.92 m)
Beam: 51 ft 0 in (15.54 m)
Depth: 27 ft 2 in (8.28 m)
Installed power: 448 Nhp[1]
Propulsion: Richardsons, Westgarth & Co. 3-cylinder triple expansion
Speed: 13.0 knots

Clan Matheson was a steam ship built in 1905 by the Furness, Withy & Co. of Hartlepool. She was the second ship named Clan Matheson in service with the Clan Line used on their Oriental routes.

Design and Construction

In 1905 Clan Line sold their old steamer Clan Matheson, and placed an order with Furness, Withy & Co. of Hartlepool to build two ships for them (future Clan Matheson and Clan Macpherson). The ship was launched on November 27, 1905, and commissioned in March of the next year.[3] As built, the ship was 400 feet 0 inches (121.92 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 51 feet 0 inches (15.54 m) abeam, a mean draft of 27 feet 2 inches (8.28 m).[1] Clan Matheson was assessed at 4,775 GRT and 3,053 NRT.[1] The vessel had a steel hull, and a single 448 nhp triple-expansion steam engine, with cylinders of 26-inch (66 cm), 43-inch (110 cm), and 71-inch (180 cm) diameter with a 48-inch (120 cm) stroke, that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to 13.0 knots (15.0 mph; 24.1 km/h).[1][4]

Operational history

In early 1900s, the Clan Line operated two main routes between United Kingdom and her colonies in the East. The first one was a direct route from the home ports through the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal and to the ports of India and Ceylon. The second one involved sailing down the western coast of Africa first to the ports of South African colonies, then onto the ports of Ceylon and India, and occasional trips to Australia.

Upon delivery to Clan Line in March 1906, Clan Matheson was loaded and departed from Birkenhead on March 22, 1906 on her maiden voyage. She arrived at Port Said on April 13 [5], passed through the Suez Canal and took course to India. After stopping at many Indian ports, she departed on her return trip home from Chittagong via ports on June 6, 1906.[6] The ship passed through the Suez Canal on July 3, and arrived back in London on July 17, 1906.[7]

On her second trip Clan Matheson departed from Liverpool on August 12, 1906,[8] arriving at Cape Town on September 5.[9] After calling at several South African ports, the ship departed for Galle from East London on September 25.[10] She arrived in Ceylon on October 13, 1906[11] and from there proceeded to Australia in ballast. After arriving at Port Pirie on November 13,[12] Clan Matheson loaded approximately 2,000 tons of various rare metal concentrates and headed for Sydney.[13] The ship arrived at Sydney on November 20, where she loaded 9,185 bales of wool for transportation to Europe.[14] After touching at Melbourne, Clan Matheson arrived in Adelaide where she took on 4,097 bags of wheat for Antwerp,[15] and 1,032 bales of wool destined for Germany.[16] The ship left Adelaide on December 7, arrived at Aden on January 8, 1907, from where she travelled to the Suez Canal, passed through it on January 13[17] and reached her destinations in Northern Europe in early February.

In 1907 Clan Matheson made two trips to India. During the first one, she departed Greenock on March 2, 1907 via South Africa, stopped off at various Indian ports, arriving at Chittagong on May 30, 1907.[18] The ship left for return journey on June 12, 1907 arriving at London on July 22, 1907.[19] For her second trip she departed England in mid-August, passed through the Suez Canal on September 6, 1907, calling at Colombo, Madras and other Indian ports, and finally reached Chittagong on October 15,1907.[20] Clan Matheson left Chittagong on October 21 proceeding via Colombo to London where she arrived on November 22 1907.[21] After unloading her cargo she proceeded to Greenock reaching it on December 22, 1907.[22]

The ship immediately departed Greenock stopping off at Liverpool to load cargo leaving it on January 1, 1908 for India via South Africa.[23] The ship reached Beira on February 13, 1908[24] and proceeded to Colombo. Clan Matheson arrived at Ceylon in early March and proceeded to India visiting several ports such as Vizagapatam, Madras and Cuddalore before departing for London via Galle. The ship departed Galle on April 1[25], passed through the Suez Canal on April 16 and arrived at London on April 30, 1908.[26]

The ship was then chartered by the American & Australian Line to deliver cargo from New York City to Australia. Clan Matheson departed from Swansea on June 6, 1908[27] arriving in New York on June 19.[28] After loading general cargo, including 1,400 bundles and 2,959 coils of wire, 1,400 rolls of barbed wire and 5,525 steel rails among other things,[29], the ship departed New York on July 25, 1908.[30] The ship called at Albany on September 19 to coal and continued to Melbourne where she arrived on September 27.[31] Clan Matheson continued to Sydney reaching it on October 4.[32] After spending two weeks there, the ship departed for New Zealand reaching Auckland on October 26.[33] After stopping off at Dunedin on November 11,[34] the vessel continued on to Port Pirie where she arrived on November 21.[35] From Port Pirie Clan Matheson continued on to Sydney where she loaded 10,148 bales of wool for Europe plus 702 bales for transhipment and some other cargo such as 77 tons of tallow[36] and Melbourne where she loaded on 5,002 bales of wool for Europe.[37] After departing Melbourne on December 19, the ship sailed to Adelaide, and from there departed for Europe on January 8, 1909.[38] On January 23 the vessel passed through the Suez Canal and arrived at Dunkirk on February 8, 1909.[39]

TBC

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships. London: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. 1906–1907.
  2. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald, September 24, 1914, p.6
  3. ↑ Practical Engineer, p.985 (1905)
  4. ↑ Page's Engineering Weekly, Volume 7, p.1207
  5. ↑ London Standard, April 14, 1906, p.3
  6. ↑ London Standard, June 8, 1906, p.3
  7. ↑ London Standard, July 18, 1906, p.3
  8. ↑ London Standard, August 14, 1906, p.3
  9. ↑ London Standard, September 8, 1906, p.3
  10. ↑ London Standard, September 27, 1906, p.10
  11. ↑ London Standard, October 17, 1906, p.3
  12. ↑ Port Pirie Recorder & North Western Mail, November 14, 1906, p.2
  13. ↑ The Advertiser, November 16, 1906, p.4
  14. ↑ Daily Commercial News & Shipping, April 20, 1907, p.3
  15. ↑ Chronicle, December 22, 1906, p.25
  16. ↑ The Register, December 11, 1906, p.9
  17. ↑ London Standard, January 15, 1907, p.3
  18. ↑ London Standard, June 1, 1907, p.3
  19. ↑ London Standard, July 23, 1907, p.4
  20. ↑ London Standard, October 17, 1907, p.3
  21. ↑ London Standard, November 23, 1907, p.3
  22. ↑ London Standard, December 24, 1907, p.3
  23. ↑ London Standard, January 3, 1908, p.3
  24. ↑ London Standard, February 15, 1908, p.3
  25. ↑ London Standard, April 3, 1908, p.3
  26. ↑ London Standard, May 2, 1908, p.3
  27. ↑ London Standard, June 11, 1908, p.3
  28. ↑ New York Tribune, June 20, 1908, p.10
  29. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald, October 5, 1908, p.8
  30. ↑ London Standard, August 7, 1908, p.3
  31. ↑ Kalgoorlie Miner, September 28, 1908, p.5
  32. ↑ Daily Commercial & Shipping List, October 6, 1908, p.16
  33. ↑ London Standard, October 27, 1908, p.3
  34. ↑ London Standard, November 13, 1908, p.3
  35. ↑ Kalgoorlie Miner, November 24, 1908, p.3
  36. ↑ Daily Commercial News and Shipping List, December 22, 1908, p.14
  37. ↑ Daily Commercial News and Shipping List, January 5, 1909, p.3
  38. ↑ London Standard, January 11, 1909, p.3
  39. ↑ London Standard,February 9, 1909, p.3
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