Builders: Caird & Co Ltd, Greenock 1889
Propulsion type: Paddle two crank compound
Owners: Caledonian Steam Packet Co Ltd, Soc Anon di Navagazione of Genoa
Service dates: 1889 -1913
Tonnage: Gross 331
Comments:
This wonderful card comes from the collection of Dr Joseph Griffin. Dr Griffin was born just outside Glasgow, trained as a GP and moved to Stevenston on the Ayrshire coast, where he spent much of his leisure time cruising around the Firth of Clyde. As a young man he enjoyed frequent trips "Doon the water" and was an enthusiast on everything to do with Clyde steamers. He passed away recently aged 75 and I am grateful to his son Derek for allowing me to show the card here.
The ship featured is Galatea, which was launched on 31 May 1889. She had large compound engines and was the first Clyde steamer to have them. Whilst they were powerful they did not live up to expectations, being coal hungry and she failed to achieve her targeted speed of 17.5 knots on trials. She was a good looking steamer and was popular with passengers, despite her failings. She was regularly involved in competition to outrun her rivals and this led to her captain, Capt. Bell, being in trouble on more than one occasion, when he tried to berth at piers ahead of his turn. Such racing was quite common and a rather dangerous practice at the time. She gradually fell in performance and was to be sold in 1901, but lasted until 1906, when she was sold for use in the Mediterranean, where she sailed until 1913, when she was broken up.