California

A four-masted steel barque built in 1890 by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, as hull no. 225. Dimensions: 392'3"×45'2"×26'7, tonnage: 3099 GRT and 2991 NRT.

1890 February 22: Launched at the shipyard of Harland and Wolff, Belfast.
1890 April 24: Delivered to North Western Shipping Co., but managed by Ismay, Imrie & Co., Liverpool.
1896: Sold to J.A. Ritson & J. Livesey, Liverpool.
1897-12-04: Sold to R.M. Sloman, Hamburg, and was renamed Alster. Assigned the German signal RHTG. The German measurements were 97,61×13,78×8,10 meters and 3076 GRT. In command of Captain M. Scharsich.
1898-02-04: Sold to Aktiengesellschaft "Alster", Hamburg.
1899: In command of Captain J.J.C. Kühlsen.
1899: Sailed from the Channel to Rio de Janeiro in 44 days.
1899: Sailed from Rio de Janeiro to Taltal in 56 days.
1899/1900: Sailed from Iquique to Lizard Point in 112 days.
1900-1906: In command of Captain J. Saelzer.
1906/1907: Sailed from Taltal to Lizard Point in 95 days.
1907-1911: In command of Captain H. Bettaque.
1907: Sailed from Pisagua to Newcastle. NSW, in 64 days.
1908: Sailed from Newcastle. NSW, to Iquique in 52 days.
1908: Sailed from Pisagua to Lizard Point in 104 days.
1909/1910: Sailed from Pisagua to Lizard Point in 108 days.
1912: In command of Captain A. Behnert.
1912-03-12: Sold to E.C. Schramm, Hamburg.
1913: Sold to F.A. Vinnen, Bremen, and renamed Christel Vinnen.
1926: Sold to M. Aste, Genova.
1927 April 15: Stranded at Old Providence Island en route Caleta Caloso - Norfolk, VA.

References:

Four- and five masted ships, general references.
Kresse, W.: Hamburger Seeschiffe 1889-1914.
Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, Hamburg, 1974.
Meyer, Jürgen: Hamburgs Segelschiffe 1795-1945.
Heinemann, Norderstedt, 1974.

Updated 2001-06-03 by Lars Bruzelius.

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