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VALETTA (1853)
Service dates: 1853-1865
Official number: 25157
Shipping lines: P&O STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY
Ship type:
Passenger Liner.
Career
- 1853
- Launched. Her hull was diagonally planked, and she was only built of wood because the Admiralty continued to require wooden paddlers for contract mail services – the Marseilles/Malta service for which she and her sister Vectis were built necessitating a ‘uniform high rate of speed’ which the Authorities did not feel was attainable with an iron hull.
- 08.06.1853
- Registered as Valetta for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company at a cost of £52,801/10/-.
- 18.06.1853
- Sailed from the builders for a trial run to Cherbourg and Southampton before going out to the Marseilles/Malta/Constantinople and Marseilles/Alexandria and Malta/Corfu services.
- 05.1854
- Took mails for disabled Simla in Malta.
- 1857
- Gross tonnage re-stated as 769 grt.
- 1859
- Her original engines having been found to be too powerful and economic, they were removed and installed in the company’s Delta. New engines by her original engine-builders were fitted, which saved about 55% on fuel. Valetta was as fast with these as with her old ones.
- 06.06.1865
- Sold to Henry Bailey and by him to the Egyptian Government. Renamed Chabrhiek.
- 01.1866/04.1866
- Delivery voyage via the Cape to Suez. No further details