COLUMBIAN (1855)

Service dates: 1859-1877

Official number: 7459

Shipping lines: P&O STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY

Ship type:

• Passenger Ship

Passenger Liner.

Career

17.03.1855

Launched for the European & Columbian Steam Navigation Company’s projected service from Britain to Colon in what is now Panama but was then part of Colombia (hence the name of both company and ship). This idea collapsed and on delivery she was taken up for Crimean War trooping.

06.1856

Owners granted the Australian mail contract under the name European & Australian Royal Mail Company.

01.1857

Left Southampton for Australia.

04.1857

Entered E&ARM service Sydney/Suez, the only one of their ships not to suffer a catalogue of mechanical disaster.

02.02.1859

Purchased by The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

03.04.1859

Registered in name of P&O in Glasgow.

14.05.1859

First P&O voyage, Sydney/Mauritius/Aden/Suez.

06.1863

Broke down at Singapore but limped to Bombay.

04.1864

Sent home for repairs, but these proved to be expensive. New engines ordered for her were fitted to Surat.

03.1865

Sold to Scott & Co, Greenock, as part payment (£30,000) for the new Mongolia. Refitted, and given new direct-acting inverted engines by Greenock Foundry Co.

22.05.1866

Resold to P&O for £65,000.

23.05.1867

Registered in London.

12.06.1867

First P&O voyage after repurchased, Southampton/Alexandria/Marseilles/Alexandria/Southampton featured frequent engine breakdowns!

09.10.1867

Sailed Southampton/St Vincent/Mauritius/Galle/Bombay to take up Bombay/Suez service.

12.1872

Came home for refit via the Suez Canal.

31.08.1873

Hit a rock in Galle harbour and collided with Nubia causing extensive damage.

1874

Cargo services only.

10.1875

Attended Sunda which had gone ashore and escorted her to Hong Kong.

09.03.1877

Sold to Hajee Cassum Joosub, Bombay after a pilgrim voyage Bombay/Aden/Jeddah/Hodeidah.

01.1886

Sold to shipbreakers.

Ship technical details (PDF)