the
Atlantic Transport Line 1881 - 1934
the
Atlantic Transport Line 1881 - 1934
Home | ATL History | Ships | Background | Site Search
S.S.
Manchuria
Tonnage: 13,639, Length: 615.4', Beam: 65.3', Builder:
New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey, Launch Date: November
2, 1903, Maiden voyage: August 30, 1904, Destruction: Scrapped in Italy, 1952, Operated by A.T.L.: 1915 - 8 and
1919 - 23, AKA: President Johnson, Tagus, Santa Cruz , Notes:
Twin screw, two 4-cylinder quadruple expansion steam engines, 11,000 total n.h.p.
Four double-ended and 4 single-ended fire tube boilers, 215 p.s.i., originally
coal fired but converted to oil fired in 1919. Sisters: Mongolia,
Minneapolis, Minnehaha,
Minnetonka, Minnewaska,
Arabic.
The genesis of the Minne class ships lay in Bernard N. Baker's desire for new vessels with which to exploit the booming North Atlantic trade of the late 1890s. Placing the order for the British-built Minne class ships was one of the first things done by the Atlantic Transport Company of West Virginia after it was incorporated in 1898. The New York Times soon afterwards referred, rather prematurely, to five ships of exactly their description "now building in England" for the line and due for delivery early in 1899. Just the four ships needed to operate a balanced weekly transatlantic service were ordered. They were built by Harland & Wolff (who lent much of the money required to pay for them ) in Belfast in Northern Ireland, and the first was not delivered until the spring of 1900. These Minne class ships were — and remain — undoubtedly the best known of all the Atlantic Transport Liners. An A.T.L. brochure issued in 1923 boasted, "no ship ever had a more devoted following than these," and in 1947 they were described by the New York Times as "probably the most popular single-class ships in Atlantic shipping history." The Minne class ships were six hundred feet long, and carried comfortable accommodation for 250 first class passengers.
Two more Minnes (and four freighters) were later ordered from American yards despite much higher costs than Harland & Wolff would have charged because Baker was confident that the Shipping Subsidy Bill then working its way through Congress would result in a U.S. Government subsidy for their construction and operation. The orders were a special exception to the requirement for all International Mercantile Marine Company ships to be ordered from Harland & Wolff and they were paid for with a loan from J. P. Morgan & Company. The American-built Minne class ships were to cost the Atlantic Transport Line $1,846,800 (£380,000) a piece while their British-built sisters had each cost about $431,790 less. And without U.S. Government subsidy for their operation under American registration they would cost perhaps 50% more than their British-flagged sisters to run. When the Shipping Subsidy Bill failed in Congress the International Mercantile Marine Company sold this ship and her sister as quickly as possible. They changed hands while still under construction after their new owner had made what Frank Bowen described as "a very advantageous offer."
Laid down for the A.T.L. as the Minnekahda on September 9, 1902, she was completed as the Manchuria and was launched on November 2, 1903 sponsored by Miss Laura Wick. The launch was delayed some seventy minutes when the ship stuck on the slipways. Manchuria was delivered to her new owner, Edward H. Harriman, on May 25, 1904. Harriman was an extremely wealthy railroad tycoon. From 1897, when he became a director, "his word was law on the Union Pacific system" and in 1903 he became president of the company. From 1901 to 1909, Harriman was also the President of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He had many other related interests, and estimates of his fortune range from $200 million to $600 million. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was yet another of Harriman's businesses. Charles Russell noted the sale of this ship and her sister:
...they were sold to the Oregon Short Line, a possession of the Southern Pacific Railroad system.
That is to say, they were bought with the money of the Oregon Short Line. In point of fact (according to the sworn testimony of a high officer of the company), their purchase stood in the name of Mr. E. H. Harriman, by whom they were leased to the Pacific Mail, and who collected from the Pacific Mail their rental, which was $30,000 a month for each steamer.
In
other words, Mr. Harriman representing the Standard Oil interests, controlled
the Oregon Short Line, and also controlled the Pacific Mail. He used his control
of the Oregon Short Line to buy the steamers with the Oregon Short Line's money
(in his name), and then used his control of the Pacific Mail to lease the property
thus secured for his own benefit.
In 1911, two years after Harriman's death, Manchuria was sold to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. She and her sister were used on the on the trans-Pacific service (San Francisco, Hawaii, Hong Kong) from 1904 to 1915.
Passengers playing deck tennis and a game identified in the caption as "deck
golf" (but which appears to be shuffleboard), both from a Pacific Mail brochure
of c.1910-15. (Kinghorn). Click left image for larger view.
Two post World War I photos (both Navy
History and Heritage Command). Click images for larger views.
Two more photographs of the Manchuria
On July 8, 1905, Manchuria sailed from San Francisco on a goodwill tour of the Far East carrying a large U.S. Congressional delegation under the leadership of Secretary of War, William Howard Taft. The tour, set against the background of intense diplomatic activity aimed at ending the war between Russia and Japan, was scheduled to visit Japan, the Philippines, China, and Korea. The most newsworthy member of the party other than Taft himself was "Princess Alice," Alice Roosevelt, the outspoken 20-year old eldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, and the representative from Ohio, Nicholas Longworth, to whom she became engaged on their return. When Manchuria reached Manila the delegation was warmly welcomed and treated to a variety of entertainments, including native dances, sham battles, horse races and bullfights.
Manchuria arriving in Manila Bay in 1905 carrying Secretary Taft and his delegation.
The caption on this tinted photo postcard notes that "forty gaily decorated Coast
Guard Boats greeted him" and that "this photograph was made at the moment of the
arrival of Governor General Wright." Right: The postcard printed for passengers'
use on board. (Kinghorn). Click images for larger views.
In 1906 Manchuria ran aground at Waimanalo, Oahu and the inter-island ship Maui and Tug Fearless worked successfully to dislodge the ship from the reef. Once she was refloated Manchuria found herself in the charge of U.S. Marshal Hendry "under an attachment placed by the Pacific Commercial Cable Company for $300,000 for services of the cable company's steamer Restorer in salving the Manchuria." The libel alleged that Manchuria was worth $2,000,000 and that she had a cargo worth half a million. Manchuria was taken to San Francisco in convoy with USS Wisconsin for repairs in dry dock, but a strike there delayed her return to service for almost a year.
This wonderful photo postcard sold on eBay in 2006 was mailed by one of the passengers
on board
Manchuria when she ran aground off Oahu in 1906. It shows
the tugs trying to free the vessel. The second image of a steamer coaling in Nagasaki
c.1910 appears to depict either Mongolia, her sister Manchuria, or a remarkably
similar ship — click images for larger view (Kinghorn). Click
images for larger views.
In 1915, according to the New York Times, the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company complained of “cumulative Government oppression through legislation” and began selling its fleet “owing to inability to compete with Japanese steamship lines in the Pacific trade under the La Follette Seaman’s Law.” (This law required the crew and officers of a ship to speak the same language — these ships had Chinese crews and American officers.) In August the five largest steamers in the fleet (Manchuria, Mongolia, Korea, Siberia, and China) were sold to the IMM for $5,250,000 (although valued at $8,000,000) to replace wartime losses. $1,500,000 was paid for Manchuria.The IMM was in deep financial difficulty at the time, and a receiver had been appointed after it had defaulted on payments (as a result of which the directors found themselves facing a $10 million suit). The U.S. District Court gave permission for the purchase after accepting the argument that it was impossible for the A.T.L. to have new ships built because of the war and these five vessels were needed to help restore its earning capacity. This particular ship and her sister were sought because, having been ordered by the A.T.L., they were a good fit for its fleet. The demise of the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company left just one American flagged ship operating in the Pacific, the Minnesota, which left for the more lucrative Atlantic that November and was herself bought by the A.T.L. in January 1917.
Manchuria, indeed the entire Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company fleet was implicated in a huge "organized conspiracy" smuggling Chinese illegally into the United States. This was uncovered when customs officials, acting on a tip off, raided Mongolia on her arrival in San Francisco on October 27, 1915, her last voyage before the transfer of ownership to the A.T.L. became effective. On that occasion 86 Chinese stowaways were found, but it was clear than an astonishing number of immigrants were being regularly landed illegally from these ships with crew passes. The ships' officers were evidently well paid for their complicity. Although a series of trials was planned all charges were suddenly dropped for want of evidence and no convictions resulted.
Manchuria collided with the monitor U.S.S. Amphrite in New York harbor on June 13, 1917. She was taken over by the U.S. Navy in April 1918 (#SP 1633) and placed in commission on the 25th of that month with Commander Charles S. Freeman in command. During the rest of World War I she made five voyages to France, carrying American service personnel to the European war zone. Manchuria was assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force and sailed on her first mission from New York carrying the 18th Field Artillery and the 153d and 154th Infantry Battalions. She arrived at St. Nazaire on May 13 and steamed homeward on the 30th. After the November 1918 Armistice ended the fighting, Manchuria began bringing veterans home, making nine trips from France to the United States for this purpose and repatriating some 39,500 troops. The last of these voyages ended at New York in late August 1919. The ship was decommissioned there in September and returned to her owner.
Manchuria with freshly applied camouflage paintwork, July 8, 1918, and
at sea (both Navy
History and Heritage Command). Click images for larger views.
Two views onboard Manchuria during World War I, from a souvenir booklet
(Navy
History and Heritage Command). Click images for larger views.
The promenade deck and Manchuria's aft six-inch gun during World War
I, from a souvenir booklet (Navy
History and Heritage Command). Click images for larger views.
Two views of Manchuria hard at work in 1919 (both Navy
History and Heritage Command). Click images for larger views.
Remarks made by P.A.S. Franklin to the New York Times in September 1919 indicate that the IMM was keen to see the Shipping Board relinquish its control of the mercantile marine so it could resume its pre-war routes. Franklin said specifically that the IMM was ready to recreate the Atlantic Transport Line’s “first class only" London to New York service using Manchuria and Mongolia, “until the Minnekahda and the other steamship building at Belfast (Minnewaska) are ready to put into it.” But the U.S. Shipping Board did not stand down and Manchuria was instead assigned to the American Line, and worked the New York Hamburg route for it until 1923. She was then allocated to the Panama Pacific Line ("a new venture by the IMM to run an intercoastal service between New York and California") and began making trips between the U.S. East and West coasts. In 1929 she was sold to the Dollar Steamship Company for their celebrated round-the-World service, and renamed President Johnson. She was handed over when she arrived at pier 61 from California, and her new owners planned to “expend a large sum” refitting her, including moving her dining saloon “up to the promenade deck for voyaging in the tropical trade.” On October 26, 1938 she was acquired by the Maritime Commission and in 1940 she passed to the Tagus Navigation Company of Panama and was renamed Tagus.
Manchuria in Panama Pacific Line colors and painted tropical white during
her later years with the line (Newson, Kinghorn) Click images for
larger views
In November 1941 the ship became a transport again, this time as a War Shipping Administration vessel under the control of the U.S. Army. She steamed out of San Francisco on December 5 heading for the Philippines but turned for home after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor two days later. Eight voyages shipping troops to Honolulu followed and in November 1942 she moved to the South Pacific, where for the next two years she supported amphibious operations. She made one post-war voyage to and from the Philippines during late 1945 and early 1946. Returned to civilian control after that trip, in 1947 she was sold to the Tronsmar Navigation Company of Portugal and placed under Panamanian registry renamed Santa Cruz. She spent the next several years under charter to the Societa Saicen of Savona, Italy carrying Italian emigrants to South America. After a long and gallant career she was eventually scrapped in Italy in 1952.
Towards the end of a venerable career: President Johnson in harbor during World
War II (Navy
History and Heritage Command) Click image for larger view
Sources:
The
Ships List
Passenger Ships of the World Past and Present, Eugene
W. Smith, Massachusetts, 1977
Dictionary
of American Fighting Ships
www.history.navy.mil
Merchant Fleets in Profile 2; the Ships of the Cunard, American, Red
Star, Inman, Leyland, Dominion, Atlantic Transport and White Star Lines,
Duncan Haws, 1979
The Red Star Line and the International Mercantile Marine
Company, Vernon E.W. Finch, Antwerp, 1988
"The Scandalous Ship Mongolia,"
Robert Barde, Steamboat Bill, Spring 2004
Transpacific Steam:
The Story of Steam Navigation from the Pacific Coast, E. Mowbray Tate, 1986
A Century of Atlantic Travel: 1830-1930, Frank Charles Bowen, 1930
Stories of the Great Railroads, Charles Edward Russell, 1912, p.278
www.coltoncompany.com
The New York Times, June 30, 1898: September 23, 1906; August 14, 1915;
October 21, 1928
Home | ATL History | Ships | Background | Site Search
© 2009, Jonathan Kinghorn, all rights reserved