Built as wooden paddle steamer by Robert Menzies at Leith, England for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., in London.
22 May 1841 launched under the name FORTH, she was one of 14 sisterships built for the Royal Mail Line.
Tonnage 1.939 gross, 1.147 net, dim. 83.82 x 18.29 (over paddle boxen) x 9.14m.
Powered by side-liver 2 cylinder steam engines, 400 nhp. manufactured by Caird and Co at Greenock.
The wooden hull was made of British and African oak with diagonal iron and wood fastenings; iron braces and copper sheathed.
Passenger accommodation for 100 passengers.
Barquentine rigged.
In appearance they were heavy and cumbersome and looked more like a warship, they were referred to as being “Ocean Stage Coaches” not passenger lines.
She carried an inverted lifeboat on top of her paddlebox.
Building cost around £60.000.
Built for the Royal mail’s U.K/West Indies service. The formation of the Royal Mail Line was unique and without precedent in maritime history. The felt of 14 steamers and three sailing vessels were substantially completed and assembled at Southampton the homeport of the vessels, before the service began.
17 Dec. 1841 sailed for her maiden voyage under Capt. Favrer from Southampton to St. Thomas-Havana-Belize-Veracruz-Havana-Nassau (18 March 1842)-Bermuda-Fayal-Falmouth-Southampton. The intention was to call Nassau on her outward voyage, but due to engine trouble she made the call on her homeward voyage.
She was the first mail vessel of the Royal Mail Line in service; she went to St Thomas to await the mails from the THAMES.
The crossing from Falmouth to Barbados averaged 19 days, calling at Corunna and Madeira for coal. After arrival in the West Indies, the Trans-Atlantic vessel did not return home at once, but were employed on the branch services in turn, eventually returning to the U.K. after an absence of four to six months.
She made 16 voyages without incident, but at 5 a.m. on 14 January 1849, under command of Capt. Sturdee, she was totally wrecked on the Alicrane Reef, near Campeachy (Yucatan). There was no loss of life. The passengers and crew were landed on the reef, from which they were later taken off by a passing vessel.
This was the second time that one of the company’s ships had been wrecked on the Alicrane’s, the first being the TWEED, which sank with a heavy loss of life in Feb. 1847.
Barbados 1979 12c sg613, scott?
Watercraft Philately Volume 50 page 24.