Steamship Prince Rupert

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The Grand Trunk Pacific Steamship Prince Rupert
Career (Canada)
Name: Prince Rupert
Builder: Wallsen-on-Tyne
Acquired: June 4, 1910
Decommissioned: 1956
In service: 1910-1956
Fate: Retired
General characteristics
Length: 307.6 feet (93.8 m)
Draft: 8' 6" (2m 59cm)
Propulsion: twin screw steamer
Speed: 18 kn
Notes: Displacement=3379 Tons

The Grand Trunk Steamship Prince Rupert, and her sister ship the Prince George, served the coast of British Columbia and Alaska.[1] Originally these vessels served regular runs from Seattle to Victoria, Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Stewart Alaska. Seattle and Victoria were dropped from the route after a few years and Skagway Alaska was added. The Prince George served briefly as a Royal Canadian Navy hospital ship in 1914.[2] She was destroyed by fire in 1945. The Prince Rupert had a 46 year career serving northern ports from Vancouver, BC.[3]:223 From 1925, ownership of both Princes was transferred along with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway system to the Government of Canada to be operated as part of the Canadian National Railway. [4]

On August 22, 1927 the Prince Rupert was caught on Ripple Rock. Captain Andy Johnstone of the competing Union Steamship line maneuvered the Cardena alongside and pulled the Prince Rupert off the reef saving her from almost certain disaster.[5]:109


[edit] References

  1. ^ Grand Trunk Pacific Steamship "Prince Rupert", Library Of Congress
  2. ^ CFB Esquimalt, Navy and Military Museum. First Aid, Nurses in the RCN, WWI. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  3. ^ Hacking, Norman R. & Lamb, W. Kay (1974), The Princess Story, A Century and a Half of West Coast Shipping (Second ed.), Vancouver: Mitchell Press, ISBN 0-88836-002-9 
  4. ^ Library and Archives Canada. Grand Trunk Pacific Coast Steamship Company, Limited. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  5. ^ Rushton, Gerald A. (1974). Whistle Up the Inlet, The Union Steamship Story. Vancouver: J.J. Doulas. ISBN 0-88894-057-2. 

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