SOUTHERN CROSS (V)

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aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

SOUTHERN CROSS (V)

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:56 pm

Norfolk Island and Samoa issued in 1999 both a set of stamps for the 150 years Melanesian Mission, the stamps have been designed after stained glass windows, and the highest value of the set shows one of the vessels of the Melanesian Mission the SOUTHERN CROSS. At all 9 ships have carried the name SOUTHERN CROSS for the mission and 1 is still in service.

The design is not so clear but it shows us a topsail schooner, only two vessels can be the depicted vessel, the SOUTHERN CROSS IV was barquentine rigged, and did not have the rigging as given on the stained glass window, the V was a topsail schooner with a square sail on the foremast that she must be the vessel depict on the stamp. All the other ships of the mission are different.

Built as a steel hulled passenger-cargo vessel under yard no 738 by Armstrong, Withworth & Co, Low Walker on-the-Tyne for the Bishop of Melanesian, London.
11 February 1903 launched as the SOUTHERN CROSS (V). Christened by Mrs. John Selwyn, the widow of the late Bishop Selwyn.
Tonnage 683 ton, dim. 61.16 x 56.1 (bpp) x 9.1 x 3.96m.
Powered by one auxiliary triple expansion steam engine, manufactured by the North Eastern Marine Engineering Comp., Wallsend. 600 hp?, speed 11 knots.
The auxiliary engine were never used unnecessarily, or pressed more than could be avoided, because of the long distances to be covered on the work of the diocese and because of the urgent necessity of conserving the coal supply.
Accommodation for 105 persons.
There was a small chapel on board. In its original shipboard configuration, the 2.5m x 3.0m chapel opened out onto the saloon, which doubled as a congregation space during a service. Bishop Wilson described it as "the little church [which] makes this ship visibly different from all others”.
She was fitted out with two large lifeboats, two cutters and a dinghy.
Building cost £20,000. She was based at Auckland, New Zealand.

25 May 1903 sailed from the River Thames under command of Captain William Sinker, who was for a long time the captain on the ship.
Used as a mission ship in the south Pacific till she was sold for scrap.
March 1933 arrived Auckland and was broken up by Auckland Shipbreaking Co. Ltd.
The paneling of the chapel were rescued or bought by a priest, and carefully reassembled and you can now see in the St Mattheu’s in the City Church in Auckland.

Source: http://www.miramarshipindex.nz and various internet sites.
Norfolk Island 1999 45c/$1.20 sg?, scott?
Solomon Islands 1999 $1.00/1.50 sg?, scott?
Attachments
southern_cross.V jpg (2).jpg
1999 southern cross 1.jpg
1999 southern cross.jpg

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