Ships of Empire

By Andrew Wilson-Clay

The role of modern shipping and its impact on the exploits of Col James Harrison is a fascinating story and without ships, his ability to explore and hunt across the globe would have been severely hampered.

The SS Peninsular, was typical of the type vessel used by people like Harrison. Built in Scotland in 1888 for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company she carried a modest complement of passengers [1] but had a large cargo capacity.

Marine technology advanced significantly during the latter half of the 19th century and the SS Peninsular is a good example of this evolution. Three fundamental developments revolutionized man’s ability to travel by sea. They were initially the transition from wood to iron-clad and later steel hulls. This was followed by the abandonment of sails and adoption of steam power, and finally the introduction of screw propulsion.

These developments made ocean travel safer, faster, more reliable and, more profitable. The world became smaller and more accessible, and increasingly large numbers of people and goods could be transported from one quarter of the globe to another[2]. The British Admiralty also exploited these advances.  The shift from broadside cannon fire to shells fired from gun turrets for example, enabled the Royal Navy to better protect Britain’s imperial interests from foreign powers and ensure British trade routes were secure.

Famous names such Cunard and White Star have become synonymous with the history of the Merchant Navy. Later liners such as RMS Queen Mary[3], where the first-class interiors were veneered throughout using woods from the Empire, offered luxury and glamour to the select few. But for every big liner, there were numerous smaller vessels, such as SS Peninsular, which plied the ocean waves with clockwork regularity. Travel by air was a distant dream [4] which meant there was only one way to cross and that was by ship.

Of course, we mustn’t forget the impact of civil engineering projects and the building of the Suez Canal in the 1860’s [5], the brainchild of the French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps, is perhaps the ultimate example of this. After a series of political, technological, and financial challenges the canal had a profound impact on trade and, in the context of this essay, the exploitation of for African continent.

Ships formed the backbone of the British Empire and combined with the railway networks on land formed a sinuous infrastructure that connected London and ports such as Liverpool, Glasgow, Southampton and Cardiff to the World. When King George V and his consort Queen Mary travelled to India in 1911 for their Durbar[6] it was proudly noted that every coaling station was under British command.

Transportation could be a complicated and often messy business. Before the 1st World War all steamers were coal fired and the men in the stoke holds were sometimes nicknamed the ‘black gang’ because of their sooty appearance. It was backbreaking work and strikes over pay and conditions were common. Vast quantities of coal were consumed on long voyages hence the need for staging posts along the route where supplies could be replenished.

As time went by shipping companies were set up which focused on specific routes. For example, the Union Castle Line connected Britain with South Africa, the Canadian Pacific Line provide a route to Quebec and the Peninsular and Oriental Line was favoured by British Civil Servants traveling to India but also visiting maharajas and their families coming the other way.

By studying the ships that transported Col Harrison and his entourage we begin to understand how his activities were possible in the first place. Late Victorian and Edwardian ships generally had large capacities for cargo and storage. This was crucial because in those days, wealthy travellers were accompanied by vast quantities of luggage[7]. Trunks, traveling cases, often furniture, scientific and photographic equipment, not forgetting guns and ammunition were invariably hauled aboard from the quayside using large nets. These were lowered through hatches on the upper deck into the holds down below.

Ships were therefore an essential part Harrison’s ability to travel, and he had the good fortune to live in an era when the desire to explore was aided by significant advances in marine technology. Reliable transport equalled more extensive exploration.

References

1. 170 first class and 96 second class, cargo capacity 155,437 cubic feet), www.poheritage.com

2. Germany’s Imperator, launched in May 1912 could carry 4,234 passengers, 1772 in steerage (largely immigrants emigrating to the New World).

3. Launched 26 September 1934

4. It wasn’t until 1958 that more passengers flew across the Atlantic then travelled by sea.

5. Opened 17th November 1869

6. A spectacular event that marked their accession as Emperor and Empress of India

7. In the 1950’s, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor famously travelled to New York with 80-90 separate pieces of luggage. Cunard demurred and as a result the couple transferred their allegiances to the United States Line.