S.S. Abyssinia, Guion Line

Ship Data

Type Built Burden Dimensions Line / Owner
S.S. 1870 at Glasgow by J. & G. Thomson & Co. 3,376 gross 363.5ft x 42.4ft Guion Line

Details: straight stem, 1 funnel, 3 masts (rigged for sail); iron construction, single screw propulsion, service speed 13 knots; accommodation for 120 passengers in 1st class, and 1068 passengers in the steerage. She could be transferred to a troopship taking 2 battalions of soldiers. There was a male and female hospital on the ship, distilling apparatus which could produce 2000 gallons of fresh water daily, and holds for 80000 cubic feet of cargo and 1200 tons of coal. The Abyssinia was the sister ship of the Algeria, they were the first Cunarders fitted with bathrooms. The bathrooms were situated so that there was one at the port side and one at the starboard side, for obvious reasons the bathhroom at the leevard side would be preferable when the wind was strong.

S/S Abyssinia
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Chronological History

Year Event
1870 Launched for the Cunard Line on March 3
1870 Maiden voyage May 24, Liverpool-Queenstown-New York
1871 Outmoded by White Star's Oceanic class
1880 18 Sept. last Cunard voyage Liverpool-Queenstown-New York
1880 Returned to the builders
1880 Purchased by the Guion Line
1881 Liverpool → New York May 27
1882 Liverpool Feb. 4 → New York Feb. 16
1882 Liverpool Mar. 25 → New York Apr. 5
1882 Fitted with compound engines
1882 Liverpool June 3 → New York June 16
1883 Liverpool → New York Apr. 25
1883 Liverpool May 19 → New York May 30
1885 Liverpool July 18 → New York July 28
1887 Operated by CPR on Vancouver-Hong Kong-Japan route
1891 Last CPR voyage Vancouver-Hong Kong-Japan route
1891 28 Nov. resumed Liverpool-Queenstown-New York service, arrived NY Dec. 11
1891 Dec. 13: departed New York for Liverpool, Capt. Murray
1891 Dec. 18: destroyed by fire in lat. 47 N., long. 44 W., passengers and crew rescued by the NDL steamer Spree

Other ships named "Abyssinia"

Ship Line / Owner
Abyssinia Cunard Line

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