Princess Alice

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shipstamps
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:12 pm

Princess Alice

Post by shipstamps » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:28 am

Monaco issued three interesting ship stamps. One of 50 cents denomination commemorates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the oceanography museum at Monte Carlo and shows Prince Albert with two of his well-known yachts used for oceanographical research, the Hirondelle (I) and the Princess Alice. The former, a small schooner of 200 tons bought in England in 1873, made the first of 25 cruises in connection with oceanographical research in 1885, and established the Prince's reputation as a leading authority
The Princess Alice was the first of three yachts built specially for Prince Albert and fitted out by him for research work. She was a 333-h.p. auxiliary of 550 tons, completed in 1891 and used in all for seven years before being replaced by a larger vessel, the Princess Alice 11
Sea Breezes Dec 1960
Monaco SG2263 Incorrect name in Gibbons.
Attachments
SG2263
SG2263
Princess Alice II.jpg

aukepalmhof
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Re: Princess Alice

Post by aukepalmhof » Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:37 pm

She was built in 1891 as a yacht under yard No. 609 by Green at Blackwell, U.K., for Prince Albert of Monaco.
12 February 1891 launched under the name PRINCESS ALICE (I).
Tonnage 555 tons, dim. 168 x 27ft.
300 hp auxiliary engine, manufactured by Messrs Penn and Sons.
Rigged as a three-masted topsail schooner.

In the following six years from 1891-1897, Prince Albert completed six important expeditions.
He managed to sink his net 5.530 meters in the Monaco trench off Madeira as part of his study in deep-sea fauna. The vessel was equipped with strong hauling steam winches to lower and haul the net. His former yacht the HIRONDELLE did not have these winches and it took the crew some 13 hours to bring the net back on board from a depth of 3000 meters.

Lloyds Register of yachts gives then.
1900/01 Owned by Bruno Mencke, registered at Hamburg and renamed EBERHARD.
1902/03 Owned by Spencer Chapman, London registered, renamed ELLINOR.
1919 A Government Vessel (she is not listed in Squadron Yachts in the War and also not under the name ELLINOR in Ships of the Royal Navy Vol. I and II by J.J.Colledge).
I know there was an ELLINOR in use as a survey vessel by the British Admiralty but before 1919, so I am in doubt she is the same vessel.

Monaco 1996 3f sg, scott1992. 2012 1.00 Euro MSsg?, scott?, (the mint sheet gives PRINCESS ALCE II but she has two mast, the I is showed instead, also on the TAAF stamp.)
Portugal 1996 1.35e sg2486, scott2085. (given by Stanley Gibbons Ships on Stamps as HIRONDELLE which is wrong, the HIRONDELLE was a two masted yacht, while the stamp clearly gives a three masted vessel.)
TAAF 2012 1 Euro sgMS?.

Source MARHST-L D. Harding. Salt Water Palaces by Maldwin Drummond.
Attachments
tmp12E.jpg
2012 princess alice (1).jpg
2012 princess alice (1) monaco.jpg
Last edited by aukepalmhof on Mon Mar 15, 2021 1:47 am, edited 3 times in total.

htholman
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Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:54 pm

Re: Princess Alice

Post by htholman » Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:10 pm

A later edition of College's Ships of the Royal Navy gives (at p. 126) Ellinor (ex-screw yacht Eberhard) Survey ship, 593 gross, 180(o/a) x 27ft. Purch 1901. Fate unknown.
The Ellinor was engaged in the Admiralty survey of Newfoundland and northern Canada from 1903 to at least 1910 so it is possible she was still in service in 1919. I would be interested in any other details. Some of the fascinating history of the vessel can be found at: https://sailstrait.wordpress.com/2015/1 ... dentified/

aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: Princess Alice

Post by aukepalmhof » Sat Oct 10, 2015 2:06 am

1912 ELLINOR as survey vessel in the West Indies (Kingston & Port Royal) under command of Captain J.W.F. Combe.
She is the ex-PRINCESS ALICE.
Of the Bruno Mencke expedition in 1900 onboard the EBERHARD is much information on the internet but most in German.
As an Admiralty survey vessel not much found, her fate is still unknown.

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