Built by Laird Bros, Birkenhead in 1865 as the "Ottawa" for the British
Colonial Steamship Co. of London, she was a 1 810 gross ton ship, length
287 feet x beam 35.2 feet (87,47m x 10,73m), clipper stem, one funnel, three masts
(rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots.
There was accommodation for 25-1st plus steerage passengers. Launched on May 13th 1865, she sailed from London on her maiden voyage to Quebec
and Montreal on August 16th 1865. In November 1865 there was reported an outbreak of Cholera on the ship which was quarantined.
After one more voyage on the London - Quebec and Montreal route, she started single round voyage between London and New York on December 14th 1865, and in August 1866 started a single round voyage from Copenhagen to Gothenburg, Christiania (Christiansand?) and New York mastered by Capt. Archer.
The interests behind the 1866 Ottawa sailing, was "The American Emigrant Aid & Homestead Company". Several of the members in the direction of the company were Scandinavians in America. The company wanted to open a regular route between Scandinavian ports and America. On the first (and only) voyage the ship made for this company, she arrived in Christiania from Copenhagen and Gothenburg, with only 150 passengers. The ship was equipped to take 3 times as many, and in Christiania the agent had managed to sign on just 40 persons. To avoid great losses, the company decided to let people travel even if they could not afford to pay the fee for the passage. They issued contracts saying that the passengers could pay for the ticket after arriving in America. This did the trick, and soon 230 craftsmen signed up. The contracts said that they should pay the company back within a year, and that the company had the right to draw one third of their wages. If the passage was not paid within the year, the company would fine them for an other 100$. After the ship had departed roomers started to run in Norway, saying that the passengers had been branded on the ship deck. When the craftsmen came to America, they had difficulties getting jobs, and most of them ended up working on the Pacific railroad, earning less than expected. In the newspapers in Norway a debate started, and many claimed that the emigrants had been bought like slaves. Eventually this debate led to the enforcement of the (1867) 1869 act about transportation of passengers from Norway to foreign countries. Ottawa 1866
On March 24th 1867 she started her first voyage between Antwerp and New York under
charter to the US/Belgian company, Hiller & Strauss. She made her third and
last sailing on this service on June 24th 1867, and in 1868 was purchased by the
Allan Line.
She commenced sailing for this company on May 19th 1868 when she left Glasgow
for Quebec and Montreal. Her last voyage on this service commenced Sept. 27th 1871
and in 1872 she was rebuilt to 2 395 gross tons, lengthened to 338.8 feet
(103,25m), fitted with compound engines by the builders, and renamed
Manitoban. She resumed Glasgow - Quebec - Montreal sailings on June 23rd 1872
and on June 7th 1876 commenced a single round voyage between London, Quebec and
Montreal under charter to the Temperley Line of London. On March 15th 1879 she
started her first Glasgow - Boston sailing and on Nov. 21st 1884 her first from
Glasgow to Philadelphia. She made a sailing from Alta, Norway on February 4th 1898
for New York with Lapps and reindeer destined for Alaska and on December 3rd 1898
commenced her final voyage between Glasgow and Boston. She was scrapped in
1899.
