.
From Wedge's "Brown's Flags and Funnels" 1940
(OR) ORIENT STEAM NAVIGATION CO. LTD
1877 Beginning
of Regular Monthly Service to Australia. Initially, via the
Cape of
Good Hope with return via Suez but from 1883 both ways via
Suez. The service
started with three ships from Pacific Steam
Navigation Co. (PSNC) and one from
the Royal Netherlands Steamship Co.
(RNSC) but soon expanded into a joint
service between Orient and PSNC
under Orient management as the Orient Line
built up its own fleet.
Peter Newall's "Orient Line: A Fleet History" (Ships in Focus Publication, U.K.
2004) is a further source of pictures. Some listed below.
List of Ships in Alphabetic Order
Acongagua –
iscs 1f3bk 4,105gt 1872
slsa photo
am No. B 20563
Glasgow (PSNC, Orient Line
(c. 1880)
management 1878-1883)
slv photo am Image No. b43747
nmm photos:
No. G.1504 (1878)
No.
G.1612 (1879)
am No. P.17642
uw No. G.2514
(c.1890)
Austral –
stscs 2f4bk 5,524gt 1881
slv wood engraving, Australian
Glasgow
Sketcher, 15 July 1882
Image No.
mp008969
slv wood engraving prints (sinking
in Sydney harbour, Nov.
1882)
Image No. mp004959
Image No.
mp004960
Image No.
mp005001
(Austral
refloated Feb.1883)
nla watercolour by H.J.
Graham uw
nla.pic-an6438976
nla lithograph uw
nla.pic-an9224394
nlnz photo am No. 1/4-008996-F
sln photo am
Digital Order No.
a636311
slt photo aq
AUTAS001126070044
slsa photo am No. B 50618
slv photo am Image No. b41692
nmm copy of painting (tall
funnels,
no yards)
No. G.2
nmm copy of painting (short
funnels,
yards fore and main) No. G.26
nmm photos:
No. G.135 (short
funnels, yards
fore and main, 1888)
No. G.1122 (tall funnels, no yards)
No. G.1123 (short funnels,
no yards)
No. G. 1750 (sunk at Sydney)
Photos, PP.60-61, Newall op. cit.
Asturias
– sttwscs 12,002gt 1908 Belfast
sln photos:
uw
(1908-1909, under charter from
Digital Order No. a636280
Royal Mail
Steam Packet Co.)
Digital Order No. a636281
awm photo uw (as hospital ship in WWI)
ID No. H12119
nmm photo uw No. P.18196
Photo, P.20, Newall op.
cit.
Cephalonia –
iscs 5,517gt 1882
nmm photo am No. P.15997
Birkenhead (1r/v under charter)
Chimborazo
– iscs 1f3bk 3,847gt 1871
slsa photo of painting uw
(c.1870)
Glasgow (built for PSNC -
No. B
11786
purchased by
Orient 1878)
slv photo am Image No. b43743
nmm
photos:
No. G.110 (1889)
No. G.138 (1893- yards on
foremast only)
No. G.1608 (1886)
Photo by F.C. Gould, P.52,
Newall op. cit.
City of London
– iscs 3,212gt 1876
nmm photo
No. P16365
Glasgow (1 or more r/v under
charter)
Cotopaxi
– iscs 1f3bkn 4,022gt 1873
sln postcard photo am
Glasgow (PSNC, Orient Line
Digital Order No. 637103
Management 1879-1882)
nmm photos::
No. G.2067 (1880)
No. G.2157 (1880)
am No. P.17647
Photo, P.55, Newall op. cit.
(nmm No. G2157 above)
Cuzco –
iscs 1f3bk 3,898gt 1871
sln photos
uw
Glasgow (built for PSNC -
Digital Order No.
a637132
purchased by Orient 1878)
uw Digital Order No. a635133
nmm copy of painting No. G.10
nmm photos:
No. G.87 (yards on fore)
No. G.858 (no yards tall funnel)
No. G.2202 (yards on fore
and
main, 1885)
am No. P.17577
uw No. P.17648
(tall funnel,
no yards)
Two photos, PP.52-53,
Newall
op. cit.
(tall funnel, no yards by
F.C. Gould)
Garonne – iscs 1f3bk
3,876gt 1871 slsa photo
am No. B 7902
Glasgow (built for PSNC -
(yards on fore and main)
purchased by Orient 1878)
nmm photos:
No. G.84
No. G.86
No. G.89
No. G.91
am No.
G.1592 (1886)
No. G.1615 (1878)
Photo F.C. Gould, P.51,
Newall op. cit.
Iberia – iscs 4,689gt
1873 Glasgow sln photo am
(PSNC,
Orient Line management
Digital Order No. a637765
1883-1890)
nmm
photos
am No. G.8
No. G.147 (June 1889)
No. G.643 (1887
- yards
on fore and main)
No. G.1383 copy of
painting
No. G.1629 copy of
painting
Photo, P.57, newall op. cit.
(nmm photo No.
G.147
above)
John Elder
– iscs 1f3bk
3,832gt 1869
slv photos:
(PSNC, Orient
Line management
aq Image
No. b43742 (Port
Melbourne
pie,1884)
1877-1886)
aq Image No. b08136 (Port
Melbourne
pier, 1884)
nmm photos:
No. G.2335 (2f3m)
No. P.17656 (2f2m)
Photo, P.54, Newall op. cit.
(nmm No. G.2335
above)
Liguria –
iscs 4,666gt 1874 Glasgow
slv colour lithograph uw
(PSNC, Orient Line management
Image
No. b28621
1880-1890)
slv photo by F.C. Gould
Image No. a14931
slq photo am Image No. 55975
nmm photos:
No. G.458 (1888)
No. G.634 (1888)
No. G.646 (1887)
Photo, P.56, Newall op. cit.
(nmm No. G.634
above,
F.C. Gould
photo)
Lusitania
– iscs 1f3bk 3,877gt 1871
slv photo am Image
No. a26206
Birkenhead (built for PSNC
slsa photo am No. B 9289
- purchased by
Orient 1878
(c. 1880)
slv wood engraving,
Illustrated
Australian News, 2
Sept. 1877
uw Image No.
mp002671
slv wood engraving, Australian
Sketcher, 1
Sept.1877
Image No. b50393
slv copy of painting uw
Image No.
a14935
slv pencil drawing
Image No.
b45895
nmm photos:
No. G.85 (yards fore
only)
No. G.130
(no yards)
No. G.641
(yards, fore
and main, 1887)
No. G.1142 (yards fore
and
main,
1878)
No. G.1494 (no yards)
No. P.17665 (F.C.
Gould
photo -
yards on fore and
main)
Photo, P.51, Newall op.
cit.
Omrah –
sttwscs 1f2m 8,130gt 1899
sln photos:
Glasgow
am Digital Order No. a638831
am Digital Order
No. a638832
uw Digital Order
No. a638833
(troopship 1917)
uw Digital Order No. a638834
slq photo uw Image No.116599
(as troopship leaving
Brisbane 1914)
slq photo uw Image
No. 134289
nmm photos:
No. G.27 (1899)
No.
P.17580
No. P.17581
(Suez Canal)
Photos, P.72 (two), P.73
(two - sinking 1918)
Newall op. cit.
Ophir –
sttwscs 2f2m 6,814gt 1891
nlnz photo uw No. 1/2-110972-F
Glasgow
slv photos:
uw Image No.
b41688
uw Image No. b41690
uw Image No.
bs001360
slsa photos:
(Duke of York
visit 1901)
ut No. B 45558/3
ut No. B 8829
(Port Adelaide)
nla photo uw (leaving Sydney
at end
1901 visit)
nla.pic-vn3065608
nmm photos:
No. G.92 (1892)
No. G.475 (1893)
No. G.489 (1903)
No. G.1822
(Sydney)
am No.
P.17583 (as a Royal
Yacht)
aq No. P.17584
(as Armed
Merchant
Cruiser, 1915- 1919)
nmm copy of painting No. G.114
Photos, P.72 (three), P.73(two)
Newall
op. cit.
Orama – sttrscs 2f2m 12,927gt 1911 sln photos:
Clydebank
uw Digital Order No. a638852
uw
Digital Order No. a638853
am
Digital Order No. a638854
aq Digital Order No. a638855
ut At Work and
Play -
02773
slv photos:
uw Image No. b37281
uw Image No. b38965
slq
postcard print (b&w) uw
Image
No.134270
awm
photo (sinking 1940)
ID
No.042606
naa
photo (sinking 1940)
Image
No.A11666, 148
nmm photos:
No. G.102
(1914)
No.
G.120 (1911)
Photos, P.84 (two),
Newall op. cit.
Orient – iscs 2f4bk 5,386gt 1879 Glasgow slv watercolour by
(first ship built for the Orient Line)
Dickson Gregory
uw Image No. b28452
Colour plate of Dickson
Gregory watercolour,
P.189, of his
"Australian
Steamships Past and
Present" (The Richards
Press Ltd, London 1928)
slv photo uw Image No. bs001359
nmm photos:
ut No. G.5
(after alterations – 1f2m)
No. G.137 (2f4m yards on
fore only)
ut No. G.740
(1898)
No. G.1101 (1892)
No. G.1125 (2f4m, 1892)
uw No. P.17600
(1f2m)
am No. P.17575
(short funnels
as built, yards on fore and main)
am No.
P.17576 (tall funnel,
no yards)
nmm copy of painting No. G.1609
Photos P.58 (two), P.
59 (three)
Newall op. cit.
Colour photo, P.176, of
painting
by R.H.
Neville Cumming,
Newall
op. cit.
Orita – sttwscs 1f2m 9,266gt 1903 Belfast sln photos:
(PSNC, 1903 one r/v)
uw Digital Order No. 638902
uw Digital Order No. 638903
uw Digital Order No. 638904
slq photo uw Image No. 134252
nmm photos:
No. G111 (with tug
alongside)
No. G1816
am No. P.17672
Orizaba – stscs 2f4bkn
6,077gt 1886 sln photos:
Barrow (PSNC, Orient Line
uw Digital Order No. a638905
Management 1886-1905)
uw
Digital
Order No. a638906
uw
Digital
Order No. a638907
slq photo uw Image No. 61342
nmm copies of paintings:
No. G.25
No. G.139
nmm photos:
No. G.131 (tall
funnels, no yards)
No. G.474 (short funnels, no yards)
No. G.637 (short funnels,
yards on
foremast, 1888)
No. G.1134 (short funnels, no
yards, 1890)
uw No. P.17675 (no yards)
Photo, P.66, Newall op. cit.
(nmm No.G.1593)
Ormuz – stscs 2f4bk
6,031gt 1886 slv photo uw
Image No. b41691
Glasgow
sln photo uw No. GPO 1 -12977
slq photos:
uw Image No. 109138
uw Image No. 189986
nmm copy of painting No. G.487
nmm photos:
No. G.507 (1894)
No. G.631 (1887)
No. G.1193 (ferry
alongside, 1889)
No. G.1199 (1890)
No. G.1835 (at Sydney)
uw No. P.17610 (yards
on
fore and main)
Photos, P.65 (three - nmm
Nos.G.134 &
G.1587
plus one
other), Newall
op. cit.
Orontes – sttwscs 1f2m 9,028gt 1902 sln photos:
Glasgow
aq Digital Order No. a638938
(wartime
‘dazzle’ paint)
aq Digital
Order No. a638940
(troop
transport 1916)
uw Digital Order No.
638941
(troop transport 1916)
uw Digital Order No.
638942
(troop transport 1916)
aq Digital Order No. 638943
(wartime
‘dazzle’ paint)
aq
Digital Order No. 638944
(wartime
‘dazzle’ paint)
sln postcard print
uw Digital Order No.638939
slq photo uw Image No. 11471
nmm photos:
No. G.118
ut No. G.136
No. G.144
am No. P.17627
aq No. P.29845
(London, 1922)
Photos, P.77 (two), Newall
op. cit.
Orotava –
stscs 2f4m 5,857gt 1889
slq photo uw Image No. 142119
Barrow (PSNC, Orient
Line
nmm photos:
management 1890-1906)
No. G.2072 (short
black
funnels, 4m,
1890)
No. G.479 (tall black funnels,
4m, 1898)
Photos, P. 68 (two: incl. an
F.C.
Gould photo of 1891
- nmm No.
G.1154; and
another
of the ship being
righted
after sinking while
coaling
in 1896 - nmm
No.
G.148); and P.69
(three),
Newall op. cit.
Oroya II –
stscs 2f4bkn 6,057gt 1886
slv wood engraving, Illustrated
Barrow (PSNC, Orient
Line
Australian News,
01/04/1895
management 1886-1906)
Image No. mp008145
slq
photo uw Image No. 67498
slt
postcard print uw
AUTAS001126071422
nmm photos:
No. G.4 (Tall funnels,
no yards)
No. G.490 (short funnels, no
yards, 1890)
No. G.1395 (tall funnels, no
yards, 1898)
nmm copy of painting No. G.1630
Photos, P.67 (three nmm photos,
Nos. Gi817 aground
Naples 1895,
G.4 -above, and
G.1131, Newall
op. cit.
Orsova –
sttwscs 2f2m 12,026gt 1909
slv photo uw Image No. b37990
Clydebank
nla colour
postcard print uw
nla.pic-vn3703104
sln
colour postcard print uw
Digital
Order No. a638954
sln
photos:
uw Digital Order
No. a638953
uw
Digital Order No. a638955
uw Digital Order No. a638956
uw Digital Order No. a638957
(as troop
transport 1916)
uw
Digital Order No. a638958
(as
troop transport 1915)
nmm photos:
No. G.105
No. G.812
uw No. P.17629
uw No. P29848 (Thames,
1924)
am No.
17631
Photos (two) Newall op. cit.
Ortona –
sttwscs 2f2m 7,945gt 1899
slq photo aq Image No. 48328
Barrow (PSNC, Orient Line
nmm photos:
management
1899-1909)
No. G.523
No. G.1047
ut No.
G.41 (1899)
am No. G.145
nmm copy
of painting
No.
G.1838
Photos (two) Newall op. cit.
Oruba –
stscs 2f4m 5,852gt 1889
slq photo
uw Image No. 62571
Barrow (PSNC, Orient Line
nmm copy of painting (4m) No.
G.9
management
1890-1906)
nmm photos:
No. G.53 (4m,
1891)
No.
G.736 (tall funnels, 4m, 1897)
Photos, P.70 (two) and P.71
(four)
after conversion to a
dummy
battleship in 1915, Newall op. cit.
Orvieto – sttwscs 2f2m 12,133gt 1909 slv photos:
Belfast
uw Image No. b37984
uw Image No. b42829
sln coloured postcard print uw
Digital
Order No. a638981
sln
postcard print (in stormy
weather)
Digital
Order No. a638982
sln
photos:
uw Digital Order
No. a638979
uw Digital
Order No. a638980
`
aq Digital Order
No. 638985
(embarking troops 1914)
nmm
photos:
No. G.122 (off
Tilbury dock
entrance, 1910)
uw No. 17633
aq No. P.29863
(Tilbury, 1924)
PhotosP.83 (two) Newall op.
cit.
Osterley –
sttwscs 2f2m 12,129gt 1909
anmm oil painting by C.D.J. Bryant
Glasgow
(as flagship of Australia Day
Regatta in Sydney
harbour in
1920s)
Reg. No. 00006004
slv
photos:
aq Image No.
pc002112
uw Image No. b38996 (in WWI)
Photos, P. 80 (three - incl.
F.C.
Gould photo) and P.81
(in WWI
"dazzle" paint) Newall,
op. cit.
Otranto – sttwscs 2f2m
12,124gt 1909 sln photos
Belfast
uw 'At Work
and Play - 02772'
uw Digital Order No. a639010
uw Digital Order No. a639011
sln coloured postcard prints uw:
Digital
Order No. a639008
Digital
Order No. a639009
slv photos uw:
Image No.
b37986
Image No. b37988
Image No. b37989
nmm photos:
No. G.107
ut No. G.1128
uw No. P.17684
Photos, P. 82 (two), Newall
op. cit.
Otway –
sttwscs 2f2m 12,077gt 1909
sln photos:
aq Digital Order No.
a639017
(Brisbane)
uw Digital Order No. a639018
sln postcard colour print uw
Digital
Order No. a639019
slv photos uw:
Image No.
bs001610
Image No. b41685
Image No.
b41684
slq photo uw Image No.
17926
slq postcard print
(in
stormy weather)
Image No. 145081
nmm photos:
No. G.106
No. G.117 (‘dazzle’paint)
sln photo uw No. GPO 1 – 16712
(passing Dawes Point,
Sydney
habour)
sln coloured postcard prints
uw:
Digital
Order No. a638991
Digital
Order No. a638992
sln postcard print uw (heavy
weather)
Digital
Order No. a638996
sln photos:
aq Digital Order
No. a638993
aq Digital Order No. a638994
uw Digital Order No. a638995
aq Digital Order No. a638997
(troop
transport 1917)
nmm photos:
ut No. 17636
aq No.
P.29857 (Tilbury,
1924)
Photos, P.79 (two),
Newall op.
cit.
Potosi
– iscs 4,218gt 1873 Glasgow
nmm
photos:
(PSNC, Orient Line
No. G.1606 (1886)
management 1880-1887)
No.
G.1613 (1885)
No. G.1616
(1886)
No. G.1699 (1884)
No. G.2256 (1885)
No. P. 17685 (copy
F.C.
Gould photo)
Photo, P.57 (nmm
No.
G.1613 -
above),
Newall
op. cit.
Sorata
– iscs 1f 3bkn 4,014gt 1872
slv
photo aq Image No. b43748
Glasgow (PSNC, Orient
Line
sln photo (ashore on Cape Jervis,
management 1879 – 1886)
South Australia)
No. GPO 1 -18024
nmm photos:
No. G1591
No. G. 1594 (1880 or 1886)
No. G.1595
No. G. 1620
(1880)
am No. P.17859
No. P.17660 (Suez Canal)
Photo, P.55 (nmm No.
G.1594
above), Newall
op. cit.
Sultan
– iscs 4,977gt 1992 Glasgow
nmm
photo No. G.2331
(1r/v under charter)
Victoria
– sttwscs 1f2mg 5,967gt 1902
nmm photos:
Belfast (PSNC, 1902 one
r/v))
No. G.132
No. G.491
No.
G.1141
Ships details from Duncan Haws’ “Merchant Fleets in
Profile:1: The Ships of the
P&O, Orient and Blue Anchor
lines” (TCL Publications,Patrick Stephens Ltd,
Cambridge 1878) and
“Merchant Fleets:8: Pacific Steam Navigation Co.” (TCL
Publications, East Sussex 1986). Additional details from John M.
Maber’s
“North Star to Southern Cross”(T. Stephenson
& Sons, Prescot, Lancs. 1967)
(RETURN)