Collections
Search our collections for images, objects and ship records. Get started with the search box or browse what you can see. You can also find out about our collections and how to access them.
CATHAY (1872)
Service dates: 1872-1895
Official number: 65702
Shipping lines: P&O STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY
Ship type:
Passenger Liner.
Career
- 25.04.1872
- Launched.
- 08.06.1872
- Registered.
- 12.06.1872
- Delivered as Cathay for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Cathay is an archaic and poetic name for China. One of several ships built when the P&O fleet was enlarged and modernised following the opening of the Suez Canal. Somewhat old-fashioned with her saloon right aft, she was apparently a happy ship with both officers and regular passengers; a sister from the yard was named Hydaspes.
- 27.06.1872
- Maiden sailing Southampton/Bombay. Aground in the Suez Canal for 24 hours en route.
- 08.1872
- Special homeward voyage with Foochow tea.
- 27.09.1875
- Re-registered at Glasgow.
- 1880
- Fitted with new boilers.
- 22.08.1884
- Re-measured. 1,873 nrt. 108 first class and 24 second class passenger capacity.
- 23.04.1885
- Ran down and sank the brigantine Charles George when outward bound off Brighton at 0250hrs. The brigantine was apparently not showing correct navigation lights, and four of her crew and a passenger were drowned.
- 22.09.1891
- Lying at the P&O buoy off Shanghai when run into by the Russian steamer Vladimir, but without much damage.
- 14.10.1891
- On discharging cargo at Colombo about 55 cases of silk were found to be spoiled by water. A survey and repairs were made at Bombay.
- 02.1895
- Sold for £14,174 to Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan, and renamed Ikai Maru.
- 1903
- Sold to Japanese shipbreakers.