Argentine gunboat Uruguay which made history when she rescued the members of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Professor Otto Nordenskjold from their base at Snow Hill Island after they had been given up for lost. Their vessel the Antarctic, was lost after being crushed in the pack-ice and Nordenskj old's party had to spend two winters in their hut at Snow Hill in 64 deg. 25 min S. before they were picked up by the Uruguay on November 8, 1903 (an error appears to have been made in the stamp design as the date is given as "8. X. 1903") The Uruguay was the first Argentine ship to make an Antarctic voyage. In 1904 she visited the South Orkneys and sailed down Bransfield and Oerlache Straits in search of Dr. Charcots expedition. This was her last Antarctic voyage for she was not suitable for navigation in ice regions, despite the fact that she had been specially strengthened for the work and given a substantial wood sheathing. Her principal assets were a good turn of speed and ability to proceed independently under sail or steam. Warships, however, are not built for Polar work, and it was fortunate that the season 1903-1904 was a particularly open one regarding ice. The Uruguay had a relatively easy time in reaching Snow Hill Island, off Graham Land otherwise there would have been a different ending to the story. The Argentine crew did not know the type of weather conditions they would meet and all honour is due to them. Built at Birkenhead by Lairds in 1874, the Uruguay was a single-screw iron steamer of 550 tons displacement on dimensions 142.8ft. x 25ft. x 11.9ft. The stamp, which has just been issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the rescue, shows a spirited picture of the ship and a chart of the regions she visited.
SG855 Sea Breezes 1/54