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ON May 25, 1947, the Argentine Government issued two special postage stamps to commemorate the first Antarctic postal service, established in 1904 on the island of Laurie, in the South Orkneys group of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. The map on the stamp clearly claims this territory for Argentina. On the right of the design is the date, "22 of February, 1904,' referring to the occasion when the Argentine flag was hoisted for the first time in the Antarctic. Inset on the map is, presumably, the Scotia. the vessel which carried the Argentine officials to the South Orkneys for this occasion, and likewise carried the first mails. The story behind the stamp design is rather interesting.
In 1902. Mr. William S. Bruce, organiser of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, purchased the Norwegian whaler Hekia. She had been built at Drammen in 1872, originally a wooden vessel of 355 gross tons. 140ft. long and barque rigged; later she was fitted with an auxiliary engine. For the Scottish expedition she underwent extensive alterations and repairs at the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company's yard at Troon. When this work was finished very little of the old Hekia was left. She was given new compound engines and a single-ended boiler by Muir and Houston, of Glasgow, which enabled her to maintain a speed of eight knots. She was renamed Scotia and sailed for the Antarctic, under the direction of Mr Bruce, on November 2, 1902. Mr. Bruce made his base at Laurie Island, establishing a meteorological station at Scotia Bay.
After the expedition had completed its work. Mr. Bruce visited Buenos Ayres and offered the installation to the Argentinian Government, who accepted it. A decree was signed on January 2, 1904, by President Rocca and the Minister, W. Escalante. In the decree was stated the convenience, both scientific and practical, of establishing meteorological and magnetic stations in the seas South of the Republic. Three members of the staff of the Argentine Meteorological Office, Senors L. H. Valette, E. C. Szmula and H. A. Acuna, were appointed to the South Orkneys station for one year, being accompanied by Mr. C. Mossman and the cook. William Smith, who formed part of the crew of the Scotia.
This ship arrived back in the Orkneys on February 14, 1904, with the personnel mentioned, and on the 22nd the Argentine commission was installed. According to an Argentine source, the Scottish flag which flew over the meteorological station was lowered and replaced by that of the Argentine. Taking advantage of this commission, the Director-General of Ports and Telegraphs at Buenos Ayres authorised the establishment of a post office for the station, and one of the Argentine staff, Senor Acuna, was detailed to act as postmaster. The Scotia,on her homeward voyage, carried several letters (which are still in existence) marked with a circular cancellation which read Orcades del Sur. Distrito 24o. Rio Galiegos, 20 de Febrero. de 1904.
SG791,2 Sea Breezes 12/48

The vessel depict on the stamp is not the SCOTIA; the SCOTIA was rigged as a sailing vessel with an auxiliary engine, while the stamp depicts a much more modern vessel.
From my Argentinean source, I got, that she looks if she is one of the new transports ordered at that time by the Argentinean Navy, but she was delivered in 1950 long before the stamp was issued, so he is very doubtful.
Till so far the ship on this stamp is not identified.

According Navicula the vessel depict is the PAMPA built-in

Argentine 1947 5c sg 791/93 scott?

The original nmae of the Scotia was the HEKLA, not Hekia as stated.

Richard A. Hindle