SS Canadian

SS Canadian was a British passenger ship which struck an iceberg and sank in the Strait of Belle Isle 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north of Cape Bauld (51°30′N 55°30′W) while she was travelling from Quebec, Canada to Liverpool, United Kingdom.[1]

History
Name: SS Canadian
Owner: Allan Line S. S. Co.
Port of registry: London, United Kingdom
Builder: Robert Steele & Co.
Yard number: 21
Launched: 10 December 1859
Completed: March 1860
Identification: 28222
Fate: Struck an iceberg and sank 4 June 1861
General characteristics
Type: Passenger ship
Tonnage: 1.926 GRT
Length: 86.9 metres (285 ft 1 in)
Beam: 10.4 metres (34 ft 1 in)
Installed power: 1 x 2 cyl. Compound engine
Propulsion: Screw propeller
Speed: 12 knots
Capacity: 300
Crew: 60

Construction

SS Canadian was launched on 10 December 1859 and completed in March 1860 at the Robert Steele & Co. shipyard in Greenock, United Kingdom for the Allan Line.

The ship was 86.9 metres (285 ft 1 in) long, with a beam of 10.4 metres (34 ft 1 in) and was assessed at 1.926 GRT. She had one 2 cyl. Compound engine driving a single screw propeller.[2]

Sinking

On 4 June 1861, SS Canadian sailed from Quebec, Canada to Liverpool, United Kingdom with 60 crew and 241 passengers on board.

When the Canadian sailed through the Strait of Belle Isle, ice and thick weather started to form and the captain ordered to slow the ship down to 5 knots while passing through the ice. At 11:50 AM the Canadian struck an iceberg which was largely hidden underwater. The collision fatally damaged the ship and the ship's 3 compartments were flooded quickly. Since the collision was at such a low speed and most passengers were preparing for lunch, nobody really noticed anything was wrong until passengers noticed that the crew in order of the captain were preparing the lifeboats to be lowered. Since the ship was sinking quickly, the crew needed to work very fast in order to evacuate everyone. All the lifeboats were safely launched except lifeboat number 8 which capsized when being lowered killing at least 30 people. The ship sank beneath the freezing ice filled waters a half hour after striking the iceberg. Some passengers and crew did not board a lifeboat and went down with the ship, in total 35 people perished in the disaster. Amongst those who perished was mail officer James Panton, who is considered to be one of the heroes during the sinking. He managed to guide many people to the lifeboats and even saved some of his mail bags. He also gave up his seat in a lifeboat for a female passenger. Mr. Panton was last seen hanging by a rope over the side of the ship as it went down. The 266 survivors were soon picked up by four French fishing vessels and taken to Quirpon Bay.[3]

Wreck

Canadian sank 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north of Cape Bauld, Newfoundland (51°30′N 55°30′W).[4]

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References
  1. "Ship-Iceberg Collisions". icedata.ca. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  2. "SS Canadian (+1861)". wrecksite.eu. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  3. "James Panton and The Sinking of the "Canadian" June 4, 1861". robertsewell.ca. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  4. "THE STEAMSHIP CANADIAN LOST". gendisasters.com. 1861. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
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