The iron hulled transport vessel "ANGAMOS" of the Chile Navy was built by the yard of James E.Scott, Greenock for the City of Cork Steam Packet Co. Ltd., at Cork, Ireland.
28 April 1876 Launched under the name "SHANNON BELLE" or "BELLE", under British flag
Tonnage 885 gross, 464 net, 719 ton under deck, dim. 235 x 31 x 16.8ft. Three masts and schooner rigged.
Powered by a double acting steamengine of 400 nhp., manufactured by the Greenock Foundry Co., one screw.
On a certificate of 5th July 1876 her length is given as 255.Oft, from this it appears that the figure of a length of 235 was probably an error.
Passenger accommodation for 290-369 passengers (seasonal).
Delivered under the name "BELLE”. Used in the service between Cork and M11ford Haven or Liverpool/Bristol or even to London.
Some Chilean literature describes her as a former 'pig boat' but generally ships employed on Irish Sea services carried large numbers of cattle. There is some mystery about her origins, her builders were J.E.Scott, who neither before nor afterwards built any other ship for the City of Cork Steam Packet Co. Ltd- The card index at the Glasgow City Archive, located at the Mitchell Library, records her under the name of "SHANNON BELLE", so I suspect that she was launched under that name for another owner, but was sold before completion. Her first registry entry was at Cork, dated 13th July 1676, when she was registered as "BELLE". Her Cork registry was closed following her sale by a bill of sale dated 16th July 1879, to Francis Elgar, of Milford, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. She was then registered at Liverpool on 12th July 1879. Her Liverpool registration was closed on 4th Feb. 1880 with the comment "Sold to foreigners (the Chilean Government) as per letter from H.M. Consul at Valparaiso dated 18th Nov. 1879.
By an ordinance of 17 October 1879 bought by the Chilean Government for $222.000. The Mitchell Library has a two page letter dated 4th Nov. 1983 from Dean Stehman of California, describing the career of the "ANGAMOS" (ref AGN 1796). In a translated summary from Historia de la Marina de Chile by Carlos Lopez Urrutia, published in Santiago in 1969, is she called "BELLE OF CORK". She arrived at Valparaiso on the day of the Battle of Angamos, after which she was renamed. Was refitted in a transport and used during the war between Chile and Peru as an auxiliary cruiser. Armament one Armstrong 8 inch breech loading gun, mounted on a swivel base, and weighing 11½.~ tons; it had a 18 ft. (5.5m.) bore length, and was at that time the most powerful weapon in the area. Participated in the bombing of Arica and Callao, Peru.
11 December 1880 her 8 inch gun exploded, and fell of the ship while being discharged, (apparently because of the recoil, but it may also have split apart).killing Lieutenant Tomas Second Perez.
On 9 September 1888 Captain of Corvette, Policarpo Toro Hurtado on board the "ANGAMOS" took possession of Eastern Island on behalf of the Government of Chile. She was wrecked on 2 April 1890 when she was in search for the shipwrecked British steamer "GULF OF ADEN" (built 1887, 2.366 tons) on the island Tres Dedos (Three Fingers) belonging to the Ballenar group laying in the approach of the Darwin Channel in the Chonos (the other Source gives "CHRONOS") or Guaitecas archipelago.
The book gives, when she was entering the haven of Vallenar Tres Dedos Isl., a part of the Chronos Archipelago on a mission to search for the survivors from the steamer "GULF OF EDEN" (under that name I could not find a vessel in the Dictionary of Disasters at Sea). At 5.30 in the evening "ANGAMOS" ran onto a submarine (submerged)rock that was not listed on the navigational chart, but thanks to good weather the entire crew, armament, stores and even the crew's belongings could be saved- As a result of the subsequent low tide the vessel herself became a total loss with no means to free her.
The gunboat "MAGELLANES" was dispatched to the scene and brought the survivors off to Valparaiso.
(Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the age of steam 18241962 by Charles Hocking gives for the "GULF OF ADEN") On a voyage from Liverpool to Valparaiso with general cargo and large number of passengers. She foundered on 22 May 1890 with the loss of 73 lives. (One of the two sources has a wrong date).
The book has not a entry on the loss of the "ANGAMOS" She was still in the Brassey Anual of 1892 (!) her details given as Displacement 1200 tons, dim 250 x 28.8 x 15.4 ft (draught). one propeller, power 1485 nhp. Armament given as 1 - 8", 13 ton BLR (Breech loading rifled?). Launched 1876
Chile 1940 80c + 2p20, 3p60 and 6p40 sg 279/80. scott B1 and B2
1988 50p sg 1081 and sg MS?
Thanks to Mr. Mario F Rosner, for translating the Chilean website other details of the "BELLE" from MARHST-L members, Mr. A. von Mach and Mr Buxton, Irish Passenger Steamship services Vol 2f by D.S.McNeill. and Mr Malcolm McRonald