What class of Ship was it?

[Danno]

Having the records to show which vessel my Family had boarded (the LUSITANIA B 486 009) for the Journey to Australia in 1887, I became curious as to some of the details of the Ship, eg; what class of vessel, displacement, passenger & cargo capacity.
Just wondering where I could see an image of this vessel, painting or Drawing etc?

Cheers
Danno

[Peter_uk_can]

Hi. The Lusitania of which you speak was of course a predecessor of the RMS Lusitania that was sunk my a German U Boat during WW1.

Early searches have revealed just one photo, of what maybe your ship, moored in Freemantle. I will look into this ship a little further.

The Orient Line operated a Lusitania of a mere 3,800 tons but appear to have sold her prior to 1887.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg251/phlawford/1a.jpg

This Lusitania was making trips from the UK to Australia around the years that you are interested in.

It may be the same vessel that was photographed in Freemantle, I will compare them.

Here is a link to some interesting info on the ship at around that time.

www.
pocruises.com.au/html/carrying-royal-mail.cfm

[Danno]

Thanks Peter

Seeing the Vessel gives me a clearer insight to the lifestyle of my family past.
I like knowing the periphery details to the period, things don't seem so 'Black & White' :).

Cheers
Danno

ps; thanks for the link, I've bookmarked it for the moment, duty calls, must be going.

[ChristineR]

www.
slv.vic.gov.au/miscpics/0/0/2/doc/mp002671.shtml

wood engraving - 1877 - Lusitania in full sail.

"THE PACIFIC STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY'S STEAMSHIP LUSITANIA.
Description Shows side view of the ship in full sail; the ship is built by Messrs. Laird Bros., of Birkenhead, it carries canvas as well; it is the pioneer of a new line to trade between London and Melbourne and made the trip in record time. "

I got to it from the Picture Australia website - has about 10 images from various places in Australia. I had just the one funnel, it would be the same one in the Fremantle photo.
www.
pictureaustralia.org/

and this site says... (re postal services)
www.
pocruises.com.au/html/carrying-royal-mail.cfm

"In 1877 the Orient Steam Navigation Company (Orient Line,) entered the England to Australia service with the first direct steamship service with their 3,877-ton iron screw steamer LUSITANIA, which arrived in Sydney in August 1877 after an epic non-stop voyage from England via the Cape of Good Hope; this voyage inaugurated the first regular service by a steam ship on the long haul to Australia and proved once and for all that steamships could make the voyage without mechanical problems, or resorting to sails whilst engines were rested or repaired."..
...
"In 1877 the two firms jointly chartered four surplus steamships, LUSITANIA, CHIMBORAZO, CUZCO and GARONNE, from the Pacific Steam Navigation Company which operated from Liverpool to the Pacific Coast of South America. The first three of these made very successful full-powered return voyages to Australia, and in record time without the use of sail power. This prompted the companies to form the Orient Steam Navigation Company (Orient Line)"

oops - same link that Peter posted :D

ChristineR