SS Prince George facts for kids
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Postcard of SS Prince George, 1910
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Prince George |
| Port of registry | Prince Rupert, British Columbia |
| Builder | Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne |
| Launched | 10 March 1910 |
| Completed | August 1910 |
| In service | 1910 |
| Out of service | 1945 |
| Fate | Burned in Ketchikan, Alaska; broken up at Seattle |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger/cargo ship |
| Tonnage | 3,372 GRT |
| Length | 307 ft 6 in (93.7 m) pp |
| Beam | 42 ft 4 in (12.9 m) |
| Draught | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) |
| Installed power | 4 boilers, 6,500 ihp (4,800 kW) |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, triple expansion steam engine |
| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
The SS Prince George was a cool passenger and cargo ship. It sailed along the beautiful coasts of British Columbia and Alaska with its sister ship, the SS Prince Rupert. This ship was in service from 1910 to 1945. For a short time during World War I, it even became a hospital ship for the Royal Canadian Navy. Sadly, in 1945, the ship caught fire in Ketchikan, Alaska. The burned ship was left on Gravina Island for a few years. Later, it was taken to Seattle, Washington, and taken apart for scrap metal.
Contents
Building the Prince George
The Prince George was built by a company called Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. They built it at their shipyard in Wallsend-on-Tyne, England. The ship was officially launched into the water on March 10, 1910.
This ship was quite big, weighing 3,320 tons. It was about 307 feet (93.6 meters) long. The Prince George was powered by two engines that used steam. These engines made the ship go as fast as 18 knots (about 33 kilometers per hour). When it was first built, the ship used coal for fuel. But in 1912, it was changed to burn fuel oil instead.
The Prince George could carry a lot of stuff, about 350 tons of cargo. It also had room for 200 first-class passengers and 36 second-class passengers. For special trips, it could even carry up to 1,500 people! The ship was first registered in Newcastle upon Tyne. But later, its home port was changed to Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
The Ship's Journeys and Adventures
At first, the Prince George and its sister ship, Prince Rupert, sailed on regular trips. They went from Seattle to Victoria, Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Stewart in British Columbia. After a few years, they stopped going to Seattle and Victoria. Instead, they added Skagway, Alaska to their route.
On one of its very first trips, the Prince George carried a very important person. It was the Canadian Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He was going to Prince Rupert for a big government announcement.
The ship had a few small accidents during its time. On December 19, 1910, the Prince George got stuck in the First Narrows near Vancouver. Luckily, it was pulled free and only had a little damage. On October 14, 1912, a small fishing boat hit the Prince George in Puget Sound. The crew of the Prince George helped the fishing boat to safety.
A Hospital Ship in World War I
When World War I started in 1914, people worried about German ships attacking Canada's coast. The Royal Canadian Navy needed to protect its ships. So, on August 8, the Prince George was taken over by the Navy. It was quickly turned into a hospital ship with 200 beds.
The ship was sent to help a Canadian warship called HMCS Rainbow. At first, the Rainbow mistook the Prince George for an enemy ship because of its three funnels. But they soon realized their mistake. The Prince George served as a hospital ship for a short time. By September 1, it was given back to its owners and changed back into a passenger ship.
Later Years and Accidents
After the war, the company that owned the Prince George had money problems. The ship eventually became part of the Canadian National Steamship Company.
The Prince George had a few more bumps. On July 23, 1920, it hit a bluff in the Seymour Narrows. It could still sail to port for repairs. The ship also ran aground two more times. Once on December 30, 1933, and again on December 20, 1937.
The Final Fire
On September 22, 1945, the Prince George was lost in a big fire. It happened while the ship was docked in Ketchikan, Alaska. The ship had just arrived for a short stop. About 10 minutes after docking, a fuel tank exploded, and the fire alarm went off.
Firefighters tried to put out the blaze. But after an hour, everyone on board had to leave the ship. A tugboat pulled the burning ship away from the dock. They ran it aground on Gravina Island to stop it from floating away. Several United States Coast Guard boats also tried to help, but the fire was too strong. The ship kept burning for a couple of days until its upper parts collapsed.
Sadly, one crew member died in the fire. The other crew members went back to Prince Rupert on the sister ship, Prince Rupert. The burned ship stayed on Gravina Island for several years. Eventually, it was towed to Seattle and taken apart for scrap metal.
After the loss of the Prince George, a new ship was built. It was also named Prince George. This new ship started sailing the Alaska route in June 1948.
