Story
This passenger vessel was built in 1888 by Hawthorne Leslie & Co. in Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Historical Notes
This vessel was built for Formosa-China mainland service.
In 1888 this vessel was renamed as the Cass before completion.
In 1906 this vessel was put on Alaska service. In 08/05/1910 this vessel went aground on Sentinel Island, Its stranding on Sentinel Island with 100 passengers and a crew of 68 under Capt. McLeod in a heavily fog-shrouded Lynn Canal left her high and dry at low tide with her bow high in the air at a 23-degree angle. The rescue vessels Georgia and Rustler took the May's passengers to Juneau. The wrecking steamer Santa Cruz and the salvage tug William Jolliffe eventually pulled the vessel off the reef. After costly repairs were made to her hull, this vessel was returned to service.
In 1911 this vessel was converted to oil fuel.
In 1930 this vessel was scuttled from Kingston Jamaica.
Owners & Masters
In 1888 she was owned by the Formosa Trading Corporation.
In 1894 she was owned by Government of Formosa.
In 1896 she was transferred to Government of China.
In 1899 she was owned by Marty & D'Abbadie of Haiphong Viet Nam.
In 1901 she was owned by Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Services.
In 1919 she was owned by Princess May Steamship Co.
In 1919 managed by Standard Fruit Co. for Caribbean freight and fruit service.
In 1931 she was owned by Di Georgio & Co. Ltd., Port Maria Jamaica BWI.
Masters
Captain McLeod (1910); Captain Josiah Gosse;
Name Significance
Named after Princess Mary of Teck, the Duchess of Cornwall after a state visit to Canada.
Rebuilds
In 1905 she was rebuilt by BC Maritime Company as 1717gt and 150 berths.
Repower
In 1911 she was converted from coal to oil.
References
- Turner, R.D. (2001)
- Canada List of Shipping
- www.alaska.boemre.gov ↗
- Wilson, Hill (2005) The Marine Pilots of Canada's West Coast
