SS Papoose

Coordinates: 34°17′N 76°39′W / 34.283°N 76.650°W / 34.283; -76.650
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
History
 Dutch East Indies United States
Name
  • Silvanus (1921–1926)
  • Papoose (1927–1942)
Owner
  • Nederlandsch-Indische Tankstoomboot Maatschappij (1921-1926)
  • Petroleum Navigation Co. (1927–1942)
Builder
San Pedro
Cost$2,000,000
Yard number25
Laid down20 October 1920
Launched30 June 1921
Sponsored byMrs. Earl L. Miller
Commissioned10 August 1921
Maiden voyage31 August 1921
Homeport
  • s-Gravenhage
    (1921–1926)
  • Houston
    (1927–1942)
Identification
FateSunk, 19 March 1942
General characteristics
TypeTanker
Tonnage
  • 5,789 GRT (1921–1926)
  • 3,378 NRT (1921–1926)
  • 5,939 GRT (1927–1942)
  • 3,636 NRT (1927–1942)
  • 8,353 DWT
Length412.0 ft (125.6 m)
Beam53.3 ft (16.2 m)
Depth31.0 ft (9.4 m)
Installed power2,800
Nhp
Propulsion
triple expansion
Speed11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)

Silvanus was a

Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company with the intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between Dutch East Indies and various destinations in Europe and the Far East. The tanker was employed in this capacity through the first part of 1926. In April 1926 Silvanus collided with the tanker Thomas H. Wheeler in the Mississippi River, resulting in the explosion and death of 26 seamen. Silvanus was declared a total loss and sold at auction to the newly formed Petroleum Navigation Company of Texas. The tanker was rebuilt and renamed Papoose and started operating in March 1927.[1] In March 1942, she was attacked by German U-boat U-124 off the coast of North Carolina. The ship drifted for several days and eventually sank in 200 feet (61 m) of water off Oregon Inlet
. [1][2]

Design and construction

In 1920 Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the

Royal Dutch Shell Company, decided to expand their oil carrying fleet by placing orders with a number of United States West Coast shipyards. In August 1920 it was reported that one such order for three tankers of approximately 8,400 deadweight tonnage each was entered with the Southwestern Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.[3]

Silvanus was the second of these three vessels (the other two being SS Scopas and SS Semiramis), and had her keel laid at the shipbuilder's yard on 20 October 1920, and launched on 30 June 1921, with Mrs. Earl L. Miller, wife of the Pacific coast manager of the Royal Dutch Shell, being the sponsor.[4] The tanker was built on the Isherwood principle of longitudinal framing providing extra strength to the body of the vessel. The vessel was built according to blueprints provided by the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co., had two decks and was constructed on the three-island principle. The tanker had a cargo pump room located amidships and was able to carry up to 60,000 barrels of oil. The vessel had her machinery situated aft, was equipped with wireless apparatus and had electric lights installed along the decks.

As built, the ship was 412.0 feet (125.6 m) long (

triple-expansion steam engine, with cylinders of 27-inch (69 cm), 45-inch (110 cm) and 74-inch (190 cm) diameter with a 48-inch (120 cm) stroke, that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to 11 knots (13 mph; 20 km/h).[5] The steam for the engine was supplied by three single-ended Scotch marine boilers
fitted for oil fuel.

After successful completion of sea trials on August 9, the tanker was delivered to Dutch Shell representatives the next day and put under control of Nederlandsch-Indische Tankstoomboot Maatschappij, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Shell, which controlled and operated the company's vessels in the East Indies.

Operational history

After the tanker was delivered, she remained in San Pedro for the next two weeks, before sailing out for loading at

Bombay on July 15 via the Suez Canal.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b Barnette, Michael C. (2007). "The Wreck of the Papoose". Association of Underwater Explorers. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  2. ^ "Silvanus". helderline.nl. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  3. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ^ a b c Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships. London: Lloyd's Register. 1924–1925.
  5. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  6. ^ "Sailed From This Port". San Francisco Examiner. 1 September 1921. p. 19.
  7. ^ "Foreign Ports". San Francisco Examiner. 4 October 1921. p. 19.
  8. ^ "Arrived At This Port". San Francisco Examiner. 13 December 1921. p. 17.
  9. ^ "Sailed From This Port". San Francisco Examiner. 25 December 1921. p. 56.
  10. ^ "Shipping". The Daily Telegraph. No. 13, 364. New South Wales, Australia. 11 March 1922. p. 13. Retrieved 16 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. Daily Commercial News And Shipping List
    . No. 10, 529. New South Wales, Australia. 15 March 1922. p. 8. Retrieved 16 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Buitenlandsche Havens". De Maasbode. 15 May 1922. p. 2.
  13. ^ "Shipping News". Port Adelaide News. Vol. X, no. 27. South Australia. 23 February 1923. p. 5. Retrieved 16 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Nederl. En Vreemde Schepen". De standaard. 11 May 1923.
  15. Galveston Daily News
    . 4 June 1923. p. 5.
  16. ^ "Buitenlandsche Havens". De Maasbode. 17 July 1923. p. 2.

External links

34°17′N 76°39′W / 34.283°N 76.650°W / 34.283; -76.650