Quadra

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shipstamps
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Quadra

Post by shipstamps » Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:03 pm


Fleming and Ferguson, of Paisley, built the Quadra in 1891 to Canadian Government specifications. She was named after Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, a famous Spanish explorer, the first master of the ship being the scholarly Capt. John T. Walbran. The vessel reached British Columbia in 1892 ready to serve the Department of Marine and Fisheries. At the time, she was the only government vessel on the coast available for non-military purposes. She was employed in servicing aids to navigation, supporting government administration, surveying, transporting officials and dignitaries and of policing the sealing and fishing industries.
In 1917, the vessel collided with another ship and was beached to prevent her from sinking. Refloated, she became an ore carrier. However in 1924, the Americans seized her for rum-running and later auctioned her for scrap
The Quadra was a steel, screw steamship, single decked, of 573 gross tons, 265 net. Length 174 ft. 5 in.; beam 31 ft. 1 in.; depth 13 ft. 5 in. Port of registry: Ottawa. Her engines were of the quadruple-expansion type, developing 140 n.h.p. SG821

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

Re: Quadra

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:24 pm

Built under yard No. 172 as lighthouse tender by the yard of Fleming and Ferguson at Paisley, Scotland for the Canadian Government, Ottawa.
Launched under the name QUADRA, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra.
Tonnage 573 gross, 275 net,dim. 174.5 x 31.1x 13.6 ft.
Quadruple expansion steam engine 120 nhp., speed 12 knots.
Sept. 1891 completed.

When British Columbia joined Canada in 1871, there were but three lights on the coast and little traffic other than a handful of local traders and sealing schooners, sometimes a warship of the Royal navy visited the coast.
Within two decades this situation had entirely changed and new lighthouses were established in response to the needs of more and bigger ships. In 1881 when Canada Pacific with his fleet of white express steamers commenced the mail service to China and Japan, it had become imperative to build a steamer for servicing the aids of navigation.

When the QUADRA sailed from Scotland she was under command of Capt. John T Walbran ( 1848-1913), to save coal on the long trip around the Horn, most of the voyage was on sails only. She arrived in Esquimalt, British Columbia on 5 Jan. 1892.
After arrival she was managed by the Department of Marine and Fishery, and came under the command of W.G.Owen, a few months later Walbran was back on board and he took over the command again for the next 12 years.
Used as a lighthouse tender, supporting government administration, surveying work or transporting officials and dignitaries, one of her duties was also policing the sealing and fishing industries, searching for missing ships. She was the first Canadian ship, which carried a constable, and there was a cell on board.
26 Sept.1917 after a collision with the CPR steamer CHARMER during foggy weather in the entrance of Nanaimo Harbour, she was towed to shallow water where she sank, by high water only her masts and funnel were visible. With the wartime shortage of tonnage she was sold to the Britannia Mining & Smelting Co. Ltd., Vancouver, who refloated the wreck, she became now an ore-carrier in the trade between Howe Sound and Tacoma. Tonnage now given as 683 tons.

1919 Sold to the Quadra SS Co. Ltd., Vancouver.
1924 Sold to Canadian Mexican Shipping Co. Ltd., Vancouver, intention was to use her in the grain trade to the USA. But instead used as rum runner.
On 24 Sept. 1924 she was seized by the USA Coast Guard cutter SHAWNEE with on board 12.000 cases of liquor off San Francisco.
Litigation lasted several years, and the QUADRA deteriorated slowly, at least she was sold by auction for $ 1.625 and broken up 2nd quarter of 1929.

Source: Ships of Canada by Thomas Appleton. Register of Merchant Ships completed in 1891. Watercraft Philately Vol 43 page 55. Newmills records. http://www.cimorelli.com/cgi-bin/magell ... ame=Quadra
http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/e/stmp670.htm

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