Cuba

1872                                                 Cuba                                            1950

Iron twin-screw Great Lakes passenger and package freight vessel

Built at Buffalo NY by King Iron Works
Launched May 9, 1872

246’ LOA, 231’ LBP, 35’6” beam, 24’6” depth
2 decks, 6 hatches @ 24’, 2 coal-fired boilers, 2 steeple compound engines, 600 IHP

Enrolled at Buffalo NY June 1, 1872 (#175)
231.7 x 35.7 x 13.35, 1526.01 tons (1359.97 NT 1882)     US 125028     to:
Charles Ensign, Buffalo NY (home port Buffalo NY) (Operated as Holt & Ensign Commercial Line)

Sold 1884 (after death of Charles Ensign) to John Donaldson, Buffalo NY

Sold 1906 to Northern Navigation Co. of Ontario, Sarnia ON and renamed Ionic.  U. S. enrollment surrendered Sept 13, 1906. Passenger cabins removed and converted to package freighter.
Enrolled Canadian 238.2 x 35.6 x 12.6, 1708 GT, 1030 NT   Can 116954  (home port to Sarnia ON)

Fleet renamed Northern Navigation Co. 1911

Fleet sold early 1913 to Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co., Montreal QC  Richelieu & Ontario fleet merged late 1913 into Canada Steamship Lines, Montreal QC.  (Vessels remained under the ownership of Northern Navigation Co. until 1922 and were operated as Northern Navigation Division while in the Canada Steamship Lines fleet.)

Transferred 1916 to Canada Steamship Lines fleet

Sank Nov 8, 1919 in Williamsburg Channel, St. Lawrence River.  Repaired over winter 1919-20 and renamed Maplebranch  (1) 1920.

Sold 1929 to The Steamer Colin W. Ltd., Quebec QC, St. Lawrence Tankers Ltd., Mgr. and converted to tanker at Montreal QC.

Remeasured 1934 to 1046 GT, 650 NT

Rammed Aug 13, 1934 by British cruiser H.M.S. Dragon in Montreal QC harbor and sank.  Raised, sold to Manseau Shipyard (Les Chantiers Manseau Ltd.), Sorel QC, towed to Sorel and rebuilt.
Remeasured to 231.8 x 35.5 x 12.6, 1014 GT, 634 NT

Transferred 1937 to Marine Industries Ltd., which organized Branch Lines Ltd. to operate her.

Laid up 1946 at Sorel QC and did not operate again

Scrapped about 1950 at Sorel QC

 

X021

 

 

See history in Scanner May 1972 (#22)

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

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