Rhine (ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
|
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Owner | Nourse Line |
| Builder | Russel & Company, Port Glasgow |
| Launched | 10 December 1885 |
| History | |
 Canada |
|
| Owner | R.C. Williams of New Brunswick, 1907; W.H. Chandler, Rhine Shipping Company, Montreal, Canada, 1909; G.I. Dewar, Montreal, 1911 |
| History | |
 United States |
|
| Owner | W. McKissock, Boston, 1915; and finally in 1923 was sold to E.P. Reiss, Boston, 1923, for use as a barge |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Iron-hulled sailing ship |
| Tons burthen | 1,691 tons |
| Length | 257.2 ft. |
| Beam | 38.3 ft. |
| Draught | 23.1 ft. |
The Rhine was a large sailing ship built a long time ago. It was made of iron and weighed 1,691 tons. The ship was about 257.2 feet (78.4 m) long, 38.3 feet (11.7 m) wide, and 23.1 feet (7.0 m) deep.
It was built by a company called Russel & Company in Port Glasgow, Scotland. The ship was launched on December 10, 1885. It was named after the Rhine river, which flows through several European countries.
About the Ship Rhine
The Rhine was mainly used to transport people from India to work in different colonies. These people agreed to work for a set period in a new country. This system was called indentured labour.
Its Journeys Across the Seas
The Rhine made many long journeys across the ocean. Most of its trips were to Trinidad, a country in the Caribbean Sea. It also sailed to Suriname and Fiji. On these voyages, the ship carried hundreds of people.
Here are some of the places the Rhine visited and how many people it carried:
| Destination | Date of Arrival | People on Board |
|---|---|---|
| Trinidad | 2 October 1888 | 677 |
| Suriname | 17 November 1890 | n/a |
| Trinidad | 13 December 1891 | 657 |
| Trinidad | 13 November 1892 | 664 |
| Trinidad | 23 October 1893 | 647 |
| Trinidad | 1 November 1895 | 680 |
| Trinidad | 13 December 1896 | 600 |
| Fiji | 30 August 1900 | 491 |
| Trinidad | 27 November 1902 | 587 |
| Trinidad | 18 February 1904 | 621 |
| Trinidad | 9 May 1905 | 612 |
| Trinidad | 9 March 1906 | 512 |
Who Owned the Rhine?
The Nourse Line owned the Rhine for many years. But in 1907, they sold the ship. After that, the Rhine had several different owners.
First, it was sold to R.C. Williams in New Brunswick, Canada. Then, in 1909, W.H. Chandler bought it and ran it as the Rhine Shipping Company in Montreal, Canada. In 1911, G.I. Dewar, also from Montreal, took over the Rhine Shipping Company.
Later, in 1915, the ship was sold to new owners in Boston, USA. It was sold again to W. McKissock, also in Boston. Finally, in 1923, the Rhine was sold to E.P. Reiss in Boston. At this point, it was no longer used as a sailing ship. Instead, it became a barge, which is a flat-bottomed boat used for carrying goods.
Learn More
- Indian Indenture Ships to Fiji
- Indian indenture system
