British Peer (ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
|
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Operator | British Shipowners Company |
| Builder | Harland and Wolff, Belfast |
| Launched | 31 January 1865 |
| Christened | British Peer |
| Acquired | 1883, Nourse Line |
| Fate | Wrecked, 8 December 1896 at Saldanha Bay; 4 survivors |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Barque |
| Displacement | 1428 tons |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 36.4 ft (11 m) |
| Draught | 22.5 ft (7 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Crew | 22 |
| Notes | Iron hull |
British Peer was a large, three-masted sailing ship made of iron. It was built in 1865 in Belfast, Ireland. The ship was 247.5 feet (75.4 meters) long and 36.4 feet (11.1 meters) wide. It could carry a crew of 23 people.
In 1883, the British Peer was bought by the Nourse Line company. For a while, it was the fastest ship in their entire fleet! However, in 1878, the ship was made longer by 32 feet (9.8 meters). This change made it able to carry more cargo, but it also made the ship slower.
Adventures and Incidents
The British Peer had an eventful life at sea. On March 13, 1891, during a very big snowstorm called the Great Blizzard of 1891, the British Peer accidentally hit another ship. This ship was a steamer called Roxburgh Castle. The collision caused the Roxburgh Castle to sink, and sadly, 22 people lost their lives. Only two people survived that accident.
Carrying People Across Oceans
Like other ships in the Nourse Line, the British Peer was involved in carrying people who had agreed to work in other countries. These workers were often from India and traveled to places like Fiji and Suriname.
For example, on April 23, 1892, the ship carried 527 Indian workers to Fiji. A couple of months later, on June 11, 1892, it arrived in Suriname with more Indian workers. The British Peer also helped people return home. In September 1894, it took 450 Indian workers from Saint Lucia back to India after they had finished their work agreements.
The Final Voyage
The British Peer had visited South Africa before, in 1886. In November 1894, it stopped at the Cape of Good Hope again. This time, it was carrying a cargo of salt and 471 Indian workers.
On December 8, 1896, the ship had a terrible accident. It hit a hidden rock (called a reef) in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. The ship was badly damaged and destroyed. Only four people from the crew survived.
An investigation was held on January 7, 1897. The investigation found that the ship was lost because the captain was navigating carelessly. Today, the remains of the British Peer still lie underwater in Saldanha Bay, about 9 meters (30 feet) deep.
See also
- Indian Indenture Ships to Fiji
- Indian indenture system
