Sometime ago I did got a 90 grani stamp from the Sovrano Millitare Ordine de Malta (Sovereign Military Order of Malta), issued in 1976, I am not sure of it is a stamp of a label, but I found out that the ship depict on the stamp/label was the REGINA MARGHERITA. A photo in the book South Atlantic Seaways depict the same vessel.
Built as a passenger vessel under yard No 254 by A. McMillan & son at Dumbarton for Società Rocco Piaggio & Figli, at Genoa, Italy.
July 1884 launched under the name REGINA MARGHERITA.
Tonnage 3.577 grt., dim. 120.69 x 12.80m.
Powered by compound steam engines, single screw speed 16 knots.
Passenger accommodation for I & II 250 and 1.200 steerage passengers.
Two funnels and two masts.
She was built for the passenger and emigrant service between Italy and South America.
01 December 1884 maiden voyage from Genoa via Barcelona, St Vincent, Montevideo where she arrived on 17 December and then to Buenos Aires.
She was a nice looking vessel with a clipper bow, and she was very fast. Her dining saloon extended the whole breadth of the vessel on the main deck aft. It could be divided by two thick velvet curtains, which divided first and second-class passengers.
The public rooms of all classes were lit by electric light.
When in July 1883 an agreement was reached between the owner of the REGINA MARGHERITA and Società Italiano di Traporti Marittimi Raggio & Co for a joint fast line from Naples and Genoa to South America, with fortnightly sailings the REGINA MARGHERITA and the UMBERTO I were with two ships of the other company placed in this fast service.
The new company was named Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI).
She sailed for the first time in the new founded service on 2 July 1885. The line did not more make calls at St Vincent but instead made calls at Las Palmas.
1896 Fitted out with new triple expansion steam engines by Ansalso of Genoa, speed increased to 17 knots.
1898 Transferred to the Egyptian Line. Later again used in the South America service were she made an other 15 round voyages.
1910 Sold to Società Nazionale di Servizi Maritime.
Used during the war between Italy and Turkey in 1911-1912 as a hospital ship, and during seven voyages, made calls at the ports of Derna, Tripoli, Tobruk and Benghazi and transported 1162 wounded and sick soldiers back to Italy.
11 February 1913 capsized at Genoa while under repair, total loss, and she was scrapped.
Source: South Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor.