SS Canadian
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |infobox caption=}}
{{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|UK|civil}} |Ship name={{flagicon|UK|civil}} SS Canadian |Ship namesake= |Ship owner=Allan Line |Ship operator= |Ship registry={{flagicon|UK|civil}} London, United Kingdom |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Robert Steele & Co. |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number=21 |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=10 December 1859 |Ship completed=March 1860 |Ship christened= |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification=28222 |Ship fate=Struck an iceberg and sank 4 June 1861 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type=Passenger ship |Ship tonnage={{GRT|1.926}} |Ship length={{convert|86.9|m|ftin}} |Ship beam={{convert|10.4|m|ftin}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship Armament= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship power=1 x 2 cyl. Compound engine |Ship propulsion=Screw propeller |Ship speed=12 knots |Ship capacity=300 |Ship crew=60 |Ship notes= }} |
SS Canadian was a British passenger ship which struck an iceberg and sank in the Strait of Belle Isle while she was travelling from Quebec, Canada to Liverpool, United Kingdom in 1861. Thirty-five out of 301 persons aboard the ship perished in the disaster.
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 {{convert|86.9|m|ftin}} long, with a beam of {{convert|10.4|m|ftin}} and was assessed at {{GRT|1.926}}. She had one 2-cylinder compound engine driving a single screw propeller.{{cite web |url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?135870 |title=SS Canadian (+1861) |publisher=wrecksite.eu |date=12 November 2009 |accessdate=9 February 2016}}
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 to 5 knots while passing through the ice. At 11:50 AM the Canadian struck an iceberg which, was largely hidden underwater, {{convert|4|nmi|km}} north of Cape Bauld ({{coord|51|30|N|55|30|W|display=inline, title}}).{{cite web|url=http://www.icedata.ca/Pages/ShipCollisions/ShipCol_OnlineSearch.php |title=Ship-Iceberg Collisions |publisher=icedata.ca |date=22 May 2009 |accessdate=9 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315031947/http://www.icedata.ca/Pages/ShipCollisions/ShipCol_OnlineSearch.php |archivedate=15 March 2012 }}
The collision fatally damaged the ship and the ship's 3 compartments were quickly flooded. Since the collision was at such a low speed and most passengers were preparing for lunch, most passengers did not know anything was wrong until they noticed that the crew, on order of the captain, were preparing the lifeboats to be lowered. Since the ship was sinking quickly, the crew needed to work very fast to evacuate everyone. All the lifeboats were safely launched except lifeboat No. 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.
Among those who perished was mail officer James Panton, who is considered to be one a hero of the sinking. He managed to guide many people to the lifeboats and even saved some of his mailbags. 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.robertsewell.ca/canadian.html |title=James Panton and The Sinking of the "Canadian" June 4, 1861 |publisher=robertsewell.ca |date= |accessdate=9 February 2016}}
Wreck
Canadian sank {{convert|4|nmi|km}} north of Cape Bauld, Newfoundland ({{coord|51|30|N|55|30|W|}}).{{cite web |url=https://www.gendisasters.com/newfoundland/15991/belle-isle-strait-nf-steamer-canadian-wrecked-june-1861 |title=THE STEAMSHIP CANADIAN LOST |publisher=gendisasters.com |date=1861 |accessdate=9 February 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1861 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian}}
Category:Maritime incidents in June 1861
Category:Ocean liners of the United Kingdom
Category:Passenger ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Ships built in the United Kingdom
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Ships of the Allan Line
Category:Ships sunk by icebergs
Category:Ships sunk in collisions