RED CROSS & TRUE NORTH: R.M.S. NERISSA

 

The Nerissa should do, cannot fail to do, much to bring both tourists and sportsmen to our shores. She is 'a thing of beauty' and though no ship will be  'a joy for ever,' there is every reason for confidence that for a generation to come the good ship Nerissa will be a joy and a pride to the travelling public of the Atlantic seaboard, and a builder-up of the fame and fortune of the maritime provinces, and before all of those of our own Island, which forms the basis on which is built the greatest Empire that is, and that has been.

Newfoundland Quarterly,  July 1926

Infamous in fate, forgotten in fortune,  Nerissa was the only transport carrying Canadian troops to be lost in the Second World War and her 207 casualties rank as the third largest loss of life for a ship sunk by U-Boats in the Western Approaches. What was also lost in April 1941 was a fine, well-found vessel, the last commissioned by Bowring Bros. for their Red Cross Line between New York and Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and built in record time.  She, together with an entire generation of Newfoundland liners of the mid 1920s, were all casualties of the war in tragic circumstances.  If built specifically for that trade, later under Furness Line ownership, Nerissa went on to be as associated with St. John's, Antigua, as she was with St. John's, Newfoundland.  This is the forgotten story of a ship that steadfastly served the North American Dominions and the West Indies during a varied 15-year career...

R.M.S. NERISSA, 1926-1941

R.M.S. Nerissa at her true homeport, St. John's, Newfoundland.  With a mostly Newfoundler crew and the largest and finest ship ever built for Red Cross Line, she was a veritible flagship for the Dominion on her introduction in 1926. Credit: Memorial University of Newfoundland Libraries, Archives and Special Collections.

Cover of Red Cross Line brochure, c. 1912. Credit: Memorial University of Newfoundland Libraries, Archives and Special Collections.

In any work of a historical or biographical character dealing with the business and industrial activities of Newfoundland it would be void of much that was interesting were the well known popular firm of Bowring Brothers to be omitted. It surely is no haphazard assertion to make that no business corporation in the Dominion is so large, has such widespread connections or does such a great volume of business as this old, stable and wealthy corporation, and were it to cease functioning to-morrow, the blow to the industrial life of Newfoundland would be a severe one indeed.

The Fisheries and Resources of Newfoundland, "The Mine of the Sea," Michael E. Condon, 1925

The veritable national flag of Newfoundland for 150 years, the red  saltire of the House of Bowring. Credit: Royal Museums of Greenwich.  

That the British Empire was first and foremost the creation of commerce and sustained by maritime mercantile enterprise is reflected in the presence in most of its possessions  of a dominate family business from the Solomons in St. Helena to the Jardines and Swires of Hong Kong and the Bowrings of Newfoundland, who lived by the credo of the Merchant Adventurers of the Elizabethan Age and welded the trade of their colonies into the imperial chain of commerce, plied by merchantmen flying the Red Ensign and plying the ocean highways on "their lawful occasions" protected by the greatest navy the world has ever seen.   It was the first and to date, the longest enduring global economy. 

Few colonial business dynasties were as dominant as the Bowrings of Newfoundland, the original family came from Devon, England to settle in the oldest overseas colony (1583) of the Empire in 1811. That Benjamin Bowring (1778-1846), a clockmaker by profession, set up a shop in that trade in St. John's, and his wife, Charlotte, established a dry goods store in Water Street, showed commerce ran though the family and quickly diversified with succeeding generations  to encompass everything from exporting fish, lumber, iron ore, seal hunting, shipping, insurance and in doing so, came to dominate if not originate much of the colony's commerce and overseas exports. 

A conjectural drawing of Benjamin Bowring (1778-1846) c. 1811. Credit: www.biographi.ca 

Discovered and developed by maritime prowess starting a millenium ago by the Vikings, Newfoundland is situated in one of the richest fishing grounds in the world and her sailors renown for their seamanship in some of the most demanding waters in the world, the "spindrift swirl and tempest roar" that its anthem reveres.  So it was of no surprise that the Bowrings  were soon also engaged in shipping. In 1823, Bowring bought first of three schooners, the 44-ton Charlotte and a wharf in St. John's. Their cargoes were varied but early on the lucrative seal trade, centered on the annual late March seal hunt, predominated as did cod and codfish oil, and iron ore as well as imports of sugar from the West Indies and all manner of manufactured goods from Britain. 

Geography and governance, as they usually do, influenced Newfoundland's trade.  St. John's, its principal port and capital, on the far southeastern tip of the island is 1,933 miles from Liverpool and 1,600 miles from Montreal yet 550 miles distant from Halifax and 1,286 miles from New York.  Not originally part of the Canadian Confederation in 1867, Newfoundland remained a separate colony and created a Dominion in 1907, not joining Canada until 1949.  Hence her overseas links were centered on Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia,  Liverpool and New York and her shipping routes were developed independently from the principal ones into the St. Lawrence. 

Charles Trick Bowring (1808-1885).

Success in British America was sufficient to encourage it in England and leaving the St. John's business to their son Charles Tricks (then aged 26), Benjamin and Charlotte Bowring resettled in Liverpool  in 1834 and set up a business the following year  to facilitate the ready transfer of goods between there and St. John's, establishing the Mersey port as the entrepot for Newfoundland's trade it would enjoy for some 130 years. The Newfoundland business was named Bowring Bros. and then in July 1841, the Liverpool office in King Street was incorporated as C.T. Bowring & Co., shipowners, general merchants, insurance brokers and underwriters, named after the son following Benjamin's retirement. So it was that there were Bowring enterprises on both sides of the Atlantic although the shipping side of the family's business was to be centered on the great Mersey port.  Adding to the family pursuits, C.T. Bowring was a member of the Liverpool Town Council from 1857 to 1881.

Bowring's Cordelia (1867/598 grt) looking very smart indeed and an unidentified company steamer alongside Bowring's quay at St. John's. Credit:  Memorial University of Newfoundland Libraries, Archives and Special Collections.

The first sailing listing for C.T. Bowrings appeared in the Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser on 31 August 1841 for the loading and dispatch of Albion, 83 tons, Capt. Nichols, for St. John's, Newfoundland, "British America."

After purchasing their first steam sealer in 1865, the Bowrings began operating passenger sailing ships on various trans-Atlantic routes. Nor was an ever increasing trade by any means confined to the North Atlantic: 

Judging by Charles Tricks’ diary for 1873 Bowrings had a fair share of this prosperity. To take a typical entry, we find that in the first few weeks of the year Imogene is at Pernambuco, and Eagle at Halifax. Romeo, a fast wool clipper on the Australia run, has just completed a voyage. Bianca is at Hamburg, and Harriet has arrived at St John’s. The steamers Hawk and Eagle then clear for the seal hunt in the spring, and about the same time Oberon is at Calcutta loading for New York. 

The Bowring Story, David Kerr

In 1876, the company was awarded the Newfoundland mail contract for two routes from St. Johns, one to the Northern outports such as Bonavista, Fogo and Nipper's Harbor, and the other to the western coast such as Placentia Bay and then across to Sydney, Nova Scotia.  For this, the screw steamers Curlew and Plover (1877/473 grt) were built, "They were stout little steamers, and being of reasonable draught they were able to run well up most of the creeks in order to discharge and load directly at the small local wooden piers or, where these did not exist, by tender, in order to protect them from the ice during winter months, they had extra sheathings of greenheart and iron,"  (The Bowring Story).  Already Bowrings were building vessels specifically designed for the Newfoundland trade.  Sailings commenced in January 1877 by which time the fleet numbered 59 steam and sailing vessels. 

C.T. Bowring, who died in 1885, lived long enough to see his company maintaining a regular steamship services under the name English & American Shipping Co. Ltd  between the Tyne and New York and building its first steamers, Titania and Juliet, establishing the Bowring tradition of naming their ships after famous characters in Shakespeare plays (making one muse what a different age and character of men running shipping lines was back then compared to today).

First advertisement for the New York, Newfoundland and Halifax S.S. Co. and maiden sailing from Halifax to New York of Miranda. Credit: Morning Herald, 28 August 1884

It was perhaps inevitable that the Bowrings would turn next to creating a permanent link between their Newfoundland business and trading empire and its largest potential market, New York and the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. In 1884 the Bowring Bros. Ltd. formed the New York, Newfoundland and Halifax Steamship Co.   

First of the Red Cross Line steamers, Miranda, at St. John's, Newfoundland, before the funnels were banded in the white and red house flag insignia of the line. Credit: www.shippingtandy.com

The new steamship Miranda, of the New York, Newfoundland and Halifax Steamship Company, arrived [at St. John's] on Sunday morning from Liverpool. This is her first voyage and we learn she behaved admirably during some very rough weather experienced on her way. She brought four passengers. 

The Newfoundlander, 26 August 1884

For the new company, the little 1,158-grt, 60-First Class, 40-steerage passenger Miranda and Portia were built on the Tyne by Messrs. Wigham Richardson & Co..  Miranda ran her trials on 22 July 1884 after which, "highest praises were bestowed both upon the appearance and convenience of the vessel" which recorded in excess of 12 knots. She sailed from Liverpool for St. John's, Sydney and arrived at Halifax on 1 September. Portia soon followed, making her first voyage to New York from Halifax on the 29th where she docked at Pier 17, East River, on 5 September.  The Brooklyn Union describing her as a "model ship in every way, and is fitted out with all the latest improvement." whilst the New York Tribune huffed "the only thing wrong about her is her flag." She made her first northbound sailing on on the 9th.

The New York, Newfoundland, and Halifax Steamship Company Limited being rather a mouthful, the company was first referred to as "The Red Cross Line" by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in May 1885 after the distinctive Bowring houseflag and the name stuck and the company's Red Cross on a broad white band soon adorned their ships' funnels. 

Route map of the Red Cross Line from New York to Halifax (570 miles) and on to St. John's, 550 miles distant. The dotted line from St. John's around the west coast of Newfoundland is the route of Bowring Bros. "Royal Mail Coastal Service."  Note also that Red Cross used the Long Island Sound route in and out New York and their ships among the largest to do so. 

The Bowrings traded in hazardous waters and those off Newfoundland, Cape Race and northern Nova Scotia, were beset by seasonal perils of ice bergs and floes and dense fogs and perennial ones of poorly charted and lighted rocky shoals and shores.  Red Cross Line figured frequently in the marine casualty lists as a consequence, the victim of weather, seas, errant seamanship and capricious fate.  Moreover, their ships traded frequently off their established run as trade dictated and it was not uncommon for them to be used in the annual seal hunting season in March as well. Another trade was carrying iron ore from Pelley's Island  to New York and and a southbound call there was often featured in addition to St. John's. They were even chartered for the occasional "cruise."

Silvia (1893-1908) (top) and Rosalind (1902-1912), bought "used," ironically put in more years for the company than their newbuildings as indeed did their post-World War One namesakes. Credit: eBay auction photos. 

It was on such a charter by a group of scientists and naturalists from New York to Greenland that  Miranda was lost off Sukkertoppen, Greenland on 3 August 1894, and Portia went aground on approach to Haifax on 11 July 1899 and declared a constructive total loss. Silvia, ex-Bayahdah, iron,  1,704 tons, 255 ft x 35 ft. purchased in November 1893, proved the jack of all trades for the line until she, too, was wrecked off Martha's Vineyard in 1908.  Another acquired steamer, Woermann's  2,568-grt Admiral, was  added to the fleet in 1902 as Rosalind and she became the first of the company ships to actually be sold for further trading in 1912 after a very successful decade service. One of her more obscure claims to fame is that two of her passengers, James and Clara Russell,  decided to name their daughter after the ship; Rosalind Russell (1907-1976) who kept a postcard of the vessel in her dressing room during her film career.

The Bowring fleet at St. John's c. 1899. Credit: The Early History of the Bowring Brothers. 

In 1899, the firm of C.T. Bowring & Co. was converted into a limited liability company under the same name, with Sir William Bowring as its first chairman.

The handsome Portia, first of two sisters for the Newfoundland coastal mail routes, on trials in August 1904. Credit: Newfoundland Quarterly. 

Bowrings had lost the Newfoundland  coastal mail contract in 1888 to Harvey & Co.  but was again awarded it in February 1904. This had very specific requirements (including steel hulls strengthened for ice) resulting in two of the finest and certainly best looking of Bowring ships: Portia and Prospero. Built by Murdock & Murray, Glasgow, Portia was launched on 2 July and Prospero on 13 August, each of 978 grt, 204 ft. x 31 ft, and powered by a triple-expansion engine.  Portia was completed in the extraordinary time of five months from date of contract, making her trials(12.5 knots)  on 24 August and Prospero. Each accommodated 60 First and 90 Second Class. Portia reached St. John's from Glasgow on 6 September after a 10-day run and Prospero on 18 October. Their lines and beautiful fittings elicited the highest praise. 

Florizel, first passenger ship with an icebreaker bow and uniquely built for passenger service and for Newfoundland annual spring seal hunting season. Credit: Admiralty House and Communication Museum.

The Florizel is a still more ambitious departure; she is a ship of 2,000 tons, with passenger accommodation for 100 saloon and as many steerage passengers, and intended to run as a tourist craft between St. John's, Halifax and New York, when not employed in the seal fishery. She is fitted with wireless telegraphy, and for the first time on record the Newfoundlanders hope to be appraised this year of the daily movements of the sealing fleet.

The Sun, 11 April 1909

Of the astonishing output of British passenger liners during the Edwardian Age, among the most forgotten are Bowring's Florizel  (1909) and Stephano (1911).  They were surely the first and only "dual purpose" liners designed to cater to American tourists and also engage in the annual seal hunting trade and among the first passenger ships incorporate icebreaker bows and construction to enable navigation in ice.

The Florizel presents somewhat the appearance of a trans-Atlantic liner. Her smoking-room is on the upper deck and it is particularly comfortable, being upholstered in leather. Her dining saloons and lounging room, and staterooms are all the acme of comfort, the dining and lounging rooms in particular, being well lighted by skylights above. The finish throughout is quartered oak.

Evening mail

Named after the character in Shakespeare's The Winter Tale, not King Edward VII's favourite race horse of the same name, Florizel was designed by Messrs. A. Goodwin-Hamilton & Adamson, Ltd., Liverpool, and built by Charles  Connell & Co., Scotstoun.  Measuring 3,081 gross tons, 305 ft. by 43 ft., Florizel was powered by a  triple-expansion engine with a single screw and accommodated 150 First and 50 Second Class. After making 12.5 knots on trials, she sailed on 19 January 1909 for New York and fitted out there before sailing for St. John's for sealing season during which she tallied 31,000 seals on arrival back at St. John's on 10 April. Entering the passenger trade, Florizel left St. John's on the 20th for Halifax and New York and made her maiden sailing from New York on 22 May. 

Looking quite splendid indeed, Stephano of 1911 brought Red Cross Line to their Edwardian Age Apogee. Credit: wikimedia commons. 

Following on the success of Florizel, the Bowrings followed her up with Stephano (3,449 grt, 326 ft. x 46 ft.), also built by Charles Connell and launched on 2 May 1911, right in time for the Coronation. Even more impressive than her near sister, she boasted a splendid funnel, and her accommodation for 180 First and 60 Second Class was the best yet seen on the route, "the dining saloon extends the full breadth of the vessel. It is tastefully panelled in oak and tapestry, and the roof is finished in ornamental Tynecastle canvas," said the Evening Mail of Halifax.   Stephano sailed direct from Glasgow to New York where she arrived on 23 June and departed on her maiden voyage on 1 July for Halifax and St. John's.  

By then, Red Cross Line had established themselves in the lucrative American tourist market for which Newfoundland's scenery was compared to that of Norway, offering a close by "Foreign America" as well as superb hunting and fishing for the sportsman and the roundtrip voyage sold as a 12-day cruise with stay aboard privileges during the turnaround at St. John's. 

Credit: Gazette, 3 January 1912.

Stephano introduced a new dimension to Red Cross when she left New York on 27 January 1912 on the line's first West Indies cruise, 19 days to Nassau, Kingston and Colon (including an excursion to see the construction of the Panama Canal). Following this, she departed New York on 17 February for St. John's and in a complete change of climate and duty, she was one of 17 steamers, including Florizel and W&S Job  & Co.'s  new Nascopie (destined to be the True North's most famous ship), departing on 9 March on the annual seal hunting expedition north.

Brochure cover for Stephano's 1913 cruises. Credit: eBay auction photo.

For winter 1913, Stephano offered two 21-day cruises from New York, 11 January and 4 February, to Bermuda, Port Antonio, Kingston,  Colon and Havana. Once again joining the annual seal hunt, Stephano returned to St. John's on 30 March 1913 with a record catch of 36,000, with Florizel's total being 22,000. 

Stephano on her annual sealing voyage, that for 1914 resulted in tragedy. 

Winter 1914 was one of the starkest of contrasts with Stephano starting the year with two 21-day West Indies from New York on 10 January and 3 February. Upon return to St. John's, she again joined that season's sealing expedition, commanded by Capt. Abram Kean, who son was captain of another of the sealing ships, Newfoundland.  The two had an agreement to share sightings of packs of seals despite being employed by rival companies.  On 31 March when Newfoundland was stuck in ice, Capt. Westbury Kean ordered his crew to travel over the ice to Stephano where on arrival, they were welcome aboard and fed. But when Capt. Abram Kean moved Stephano towards a sighting of seals, he ordered Newfoundland's crew over the side.  When a sudden storm ensued and they were unable to rejoin Newfoundland, 77 of them perished by exposure to the element. It was one of the greatest tragedies in seal hunting.  A government commission of inquiry found both captains guilty of errors in judgement.

Striking artwork graced the cover of Red Cross Line's 1914 summer brochure. Credit: eBay auction photo.

Florizel sailing from St. John's October 1914 with the first contingent of the Newfoundland Regiment. Credit: www.heritage.nf.ca/

Men of Company D, Newfoundland Regiment, sailing from St. John's on 20 March 1915 in Stephano for Halifax and thence to England in Orduna. Credit:  www.heritage.nf.ca/

Few colonies contributed more per capita to the British war effort as Newfoundland… her seamen, among best in the world, volunteered in the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, and the First Newfoundland Regiment, raised almost immediately, wrote a new chapter in service and sacrifice throughout the war. Perhaps fittingly, Red Cross Line figured in their story, Florizel transporting the first 540 men, Companies A and B of "Blue Puttees," the nickname of the Regiment, sailing from St. John's amid stirring scenes on 4 October 1914 to Plymouth. Stephano would transport D Company from St. John's on 20 March 1915 to Halifax where it transhipped to Orduna for England. 

Credit: Brooklyn Times Union, 1 May 1915.

Red Cross did a good wartime business from neutral America in the first few years of the war… their advertising stressing "No Europe this year… Visit Foreign America…"  The passenger trade offset a dismal sealing season in 1915 owing to "an impenetrable barrier of ice" (The Bowring Story) and Florizel returned to St. John's with only 2,592 pelts.  

It was on a routine voyage from St. John's to New York that Stephano was one of five vessels sunk by U-53 on 8 October 1916, two and a half miles off Nantucket. The surfaced submarine fire two warning shots and all 97 passengers, including 30 Americans, and 67 crew were safely put off in six of her eight lifeboats.  After her people were off and U-53 returned after sinking a nearby freighter, and after putting 30 rounds into Stephano which did little harm and  after four hours, the staunch liner was sent her to the bottom with one torpedo. She sank in seven minutes and her survivors were rescued by American destroyed and landed at Nantucket. 

A far worse tragedy was to come, the worse in Newfoundland maritime history. Florizel (Capt. Martin) with 78 passengers and 60 crew, encountered near blizzard conditions shortly after she cleared St. John's the evening of 23 February 1918, bound for Halifax. Without taking soundings owing to the weather and with no lighthouses visible in the blinding snow, Capt. Martin relied on his engine rpms to gauge distance and  thinking he had safely passed Cape Race, he made the customary turn west.  In fact, Florizel had made only 45 miles since departure and was well north of Cape Race and the turn, made at full speed, put her hard ashore on the rocks of Horn Head Point.  

Photo showing the rescue of the remaining survivors from Florizel on 25 February 1918, almost a day and half after she went onto the rocks 20 miles from Cape Race. Credit: Evening Public Ledger. 

What followed was an unimaginable horror for those aboard as the vessel was battered and eventually broken apart by the crashing waves amid freezing temperatures and many were washed overboard or smashed into the wreckage so that by the following evening when rescue ships could finally even get close to Florizel, only 44 survivors were eventually rescued thanks to great bravery by the crews including those of the Red Cross coastal liner Prospero. Among those lost  was John Shannon Munn, managing director Bowring Bros. and his three-year-old daughter. Only three women were saved and none of the children aboard survived the ordeal.  Six bodies were never recovered and in all 92 of the 147 aboard perished.  

After unsuccessfully trying to charter Nascopie from Hudson Bay Co. as an emergency replacement, the Red Cross Line, except for occasional chartered cargo only tonnage, lapsed until well after the war. Nor did an announced replacement service using Quebec Shipping Co.'s Cascapedia beginning in July 1918 materialise. 

Reeling from the losses of Florizel and Stephano, the Bowrings, once able to consider resumption of the New York passenger service, did not return to constructing new tonnage and instead opted to purchase two existing and quite different vessels which would take the names of the very successful Rosalind and Silvia and exceed them in longevity. 

It was not until 28 May 1919 that Red Cross Line announced they would be resuming regular passenger service between New York, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. At the time, it was stated that "a fornightly service will be maintained with the Lady Gwendolen until a new steamship can be built, when weekly sailing will be resumed."  The ship Bowrings purchased was the eight-year-old Lady Gwendoline, (2,163 grt, 300 ft. x 39.7 ft.) which already had a varied history having been originally built by Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering (launched 13 May 1911), for the British & Irish Steam Packet Co., Ltd, Dublin  (owned by Lord Guiness and named after his daughter) and after service for Russian Government as Ludmila, she was bought by the Dundee, Perth and London Shipping Co., Dundee, in July 1918. 

The little Rosalind paled in comparison to the pre-war Florizel and Stephano but she was far luckier, successful and longlived. 

Renamed Rosalind (II) on 10 July 1919, she sailed from Dundee on the 16th under Capt. Mitchell, and after a rough passage and with but two passengers aboard, she reached St. John's on the 24th after a 7½-day run. Rosalind left St. John's, fully booked (and quite a few could not be accommodated) along with the Furness liner Digby, for Halifax on the 27th and arrived at New York, the first Red Cross liner to do so in 18 months. 

Rosalind had accommodation for  for 68 First Class and 70 in Second and powered by single-screw triple-expansion engine, was good for 13 knots.  "The Rosalind is splendidly fitted up for passenger accommodation, having staterooms on deck and below, and a beautifully finished saloon with smoking room on the upper deck. All modern conveniences are provided, and the rooms are splendidly appointed." (Evening Advocate, 25 July 1919). 

Rosalind aground off Stamford, Connecticut where her shipwreck survivors enjoyed the hospitality of the Stamford Yacht Club after being taken off by tender. Credit: Star Phoenix, 11 October 1919. 

There seemed no end of Red Cross' starcrossed period.  Rosalind, inbound from Halifax,  went aground on a reef in fog in Long Island Sound off Shippan Point, Stamford, Connecticut on 25 September 1919. Her bow was holed and no. 1 hold flooded but there were no injuries to her 143 passengers who were tendered ashore and after refreshments at the Stamford Yacht Club, were conveyed to New York by train. Once pulled off the reef after a few days, Rosalind was repaired at New York, the occasion being made to fit her with a shelter deck and convert her to oiling burning and she resumed service in late November. 

There was to be no "new steamer" which Bowrings wisely demurred from ordering when shipyard prices, caught in the vortex of post-war inflation, labour issues and steel shortages, reached dizzying heights in 1919-22.  The little Rosalind remained on her own and never lacked for passengers on account of it and a Prohibition era embracing of "wet" foreign ships although it should be noted that Nova Scotia and Newfoundland themselves were as "dry" as the United States into the mid 'twenties. 

Orel, one of the five sisters built at Danzig in 1909 for the Russian Volunteer Fleet's Far Eastern service. Credit: modelshipworld.com

HIRMS Orel as an auxiliary cruiser of the Imperial Russian Navy. Credit: modelshipworld.com

On 11 June 1921 it was announced that Red Cross Line had purchased the former Russian Volunteer Fleet liner Orel (1909), 3,585 grt, 336 ft. x 45 ft., one of five sisters, the others being Riazen, Poltava, Penza and Simbirsk, built by F. Schichau, Danzig, for the Tsuruga (Japan)-Vladivostok service, providing weekly sailings in connection with the Siberian Railway offering a 12-day through service from Berlin and other European capitals to Japan. Similar to Florizel and Stephano, she and her sisters had framing and plating about 60 per cent heavier than ordinary ships, for navigating in ice, and with excellent accommodation for 390 passengers, were among the most notable of Russian passenger liners of the period. At the beginning of the Great War, Orel became an auxiliary cruiser attached to the Siberian Military Flotilla in October 1914, armed with eight deck guns, and had a splendid and active career, patrolling from Hawaii to Bombay.  After the Russian Revolution, she was eventually seized by the British in Hong Kong. 

The rakish Silvia (II), the only two-funnelled Bowring ship. Credit: Mariners' Museum.

On arrival at Halifax from New York on 27 June 1921, C.W. Bowring aboard Rosalind said the new ship was "expected to be on the route in October and will be the most elegantly fitted up steamer yet placed on the route by the Red Cross Line."  Beset by labour problems, the refit of Orel into Silvia (II) Messrs. Wm. Hamilton & Co., Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, would take far longer to accomplish. It was not quite a year later that many of Rosalind's officers, including Capt. Mitchell, and crew, upon arrival at New York the first week of June 1922, proceeded to Scotland to bring Silvia over on her delivery trip after she made 15 knots on her post refit trials, converted oil firing, off Greenock in early June. 

Silvia's maiden arrival at Halifax on 9 July 1922. Credit: Evening Mail, 10 July 1922. 

As had Rosalind, Silvia's delivery trip was done under charter to Furness Line, sailing from Glasgow on 24 June 1922 and offering "cabin passenger accommodation at moderate rates." "After a very stormy trip across, head winds being encountered all the way," Silvia arrived at St. John's on 2 July from Glasgow, "a large gathering of citizens were present and all were pleased with her graceful lines and fine appearance." (Evening Advocate).  Accommodating 180 First Class and 50 Second Class, the First Class dining saloon was described as "handsomely fitted, the furniture being of mahogany, upholstered in blue plush, while it has accommodation for 80 persons. Above the saloon is the music room which elaborately fitted. The smoking room is further aft, and is nicely upholstered in red morocco, with light oak panelling. " Silvia arrived at Halifax on the 9th.

Red Cross Line brochure, 1920s. Credit: eBay auction photo.

Tourism to Newfoundland burgeoned, going from 5,000 in 1925 to 8,347 by 1930 and most, of course, came via Red Cross Line.  A typical roundtrip itinerary showed just how appealing the route was for those making the full cruise:

Saturday, 1st day sail New York

Sunday, 2nd day at sea

Monday, 3rd day arrive Halifax

Tuesday, 4th day leave Halifax

Wednesday, 5th day at sea

Thursday, 6th day arrive St. John's

Friday, 7th day at St. John's

Saturday, 8th day leave St. John's

Sunday, 9th day  at sea

Monday, 10th day arrive Halifax

Tuesday, 11th day leave Halifax

Wednesday, 12th day at sea

Thursday, 13th day arrive New York

From the beginning, Red Cross Line were well regarded for their quite lavish and indulgent cuisine and the extensive wine and bar list was of special appeal during Prohibition. Here, it should be noted that Prohibition was in force in Newfoundland from 1917-1924 as well as in Nova Scotia making the time on ship that much more appealing to some. "It is interesting to note that the Red Cross Line is the oldest steamship line in the Newfoundland service, and is manned by Newfoundlanders. This is in itself is a guarantee that the comfort and safety of passengers will be well looked after." (The Newfoundland Weekly, 10 December 1927). So whilst the ships were comparitively small and the voyages short, the experience in First Class was exemplary from all accounts. 

Sir Frederick Charles Bowring (1857-1936), Chairman of Bowring during the inter-war period.

Business was good, good enough during the "Roaring Twenties" in both Canada and the United States to warrent consideration of a new and larger ship, indeed the first contemplation of a newbuilding by the Bowrings after the tragic fates of Florizel and Stephano.   Any such musings were done as discreetly as any shipping line in history with nary a word, rumour or hint in the press before the actual announcement of an order.  The project was doubtless a special one for Sir Frederick Charles Bowring who had been Chairman during the inter-war years and capped his restoration of Red Cross Line's passenger service with a ship that would eclipse in size and appointments all her predecessors and be more than a worthy replacement for the pre-war pair. 

Artist rendering of the new Red Cross liner. Credit: Newfoundland Quarterly, October 1927.

Shipbuilding in Port-Glasgow during the present week has taken a decided turn for the better, and almost immediately a large number of men will be required. It is gratifying to record that Messrs Wm. Hamilton and Co., Ltd. have received the contract for a passenger steamer for Messrs C. T. Bowling and Co., Liverpool. The vessel will be a single screw steamer, and there was keen competition all over the country to secure the contract.

Port-Glasgow Express, 4 November 1925

November 1925 marked a high point of the Bowring family enterprise with Frederick Charles Bowring sworn in as Lord Mayor of Liverpool on the 9th, preceeded by the order on the 3rd for a new ship for the Red Cross Line.  This was placed with Messrs. Wm. Hamilton & Co., Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, which had undertaken the rebuilding of Orel into Silvia in 1922. From the onset, the new ship was called Nerissa, named after the lady-in-waiting to Portia in Shakespeare's  Merchant of Venice.

Also released very early were the preliminary statistics and details of the new steamer: 370 ft. x 54 ft., 24.5 ft. draft., 206 First , 9 cabins with private bath, 100 Second, oil burning, 16.5 knots, 150,000 cu ft. cargo and her lines would emulated that of Stephano and Florizel with a hull strengthened for ice. 

In order that the vessel may be ready for the opening of the summer season in June, Messrs. Hamilton, who secured the erder in the face of the strongest competition, are running a race against time which has been followed with great interest by the shipping world.

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 25 March 1926

Delivery was scheduled for May 1926 and on route by June, an extraordinarily short timeframe. Indeed, the expeditious and efficient pace reflected the entire design and construction of the vessel and would be a hallmark of Nerissa from the onset.  Determined to have the ship in service in time for the 1926 summer season, the terms of the contract specified completion within seven months.  This was an extraordinary schedule for the era when double the time was customary and the immediate post-war British-built liners for Cunard and Anchor had taken the best part of two years to complete amidst labour troubles and inflation in shipbuilding costs.  

So it was that Nerissa was built in breathakingly fast fashion.  The contract inked on 3 November 1925 and seven days later, the keel of Yard No. 395 was laid down at the Glen Yard of Wm. Hamilton, Port Glasgow, on the 10th. Fifty-seven days later, she was fully framed and 112 days after construction began, she was fully plated, all this accomplished during poor winter weather.

At every stage in construction previous records were broken, in spite of adverse weather conditions and special difficulties arising out of the design. The vessel has an ice-breaker bow, and reinforced stern, and elaborately finished accommodation for 160 First Class and 60 Second Class passenger. She is being specially built for her owners' winter run, and she combines the strengthened construction of a ship designed for forcing her way through ice floes with the sumptuous comfort of the most modern of ocean liner… She represents a marked development on the part of the Red Cross Line, as she is considerably larger than either the Rosalind or the Silvia, whivh are at present on their service, and she is expected to be ready in June for the summer season.

Glasgow Herald, 24 March 1926

Nerissa's launch party: (left to right): the Lady Mayoress of Liverpool (Mrs. Hope) who performed the naming ceremony; the Lord Mayor of Liverpool (Mr. F.C. Bowring), and Sir James Lithgow. Credit: Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 15 April 1926. 

It was announced on 24 March 1926 that the ship would be launched on the 31st, just 148 days after the contract was signed. She was christened by the Lady Mayoress of Liverpool, accompanied by the Lord Mayor F.C. Bowring and the High Commissioner of Newfoundland, Capt. Victor Gordon, was a guest of honour for the ceremony. Nerissa, her hull fully painted in the line's livery, went quickly down the ways at noon on the 31st before guests that included Mr. E. R. Bowring, junior, Dr. E. W. and Miss Hope, Mr. Andrew Hamilton, C.B.E.. and Mrs. Hamilton, Sir James and Lady Lithgow, and Mr. Henry Lithgow of the builders.

Nerissa "taking the water" at the Glen Shipbuilding Yard. Credit: Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 15 April 1926.

"He [F.C. Bowring] congratulated the Lady Mayoress on the successful way in which she performed the christening ceremony. He never saw a ship move off the slips more gracefully than the Nerissa had done that day.

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 1 April 1926

Nerissa being taken in charge by tugs after launching, showing how complete she was with masts erected and rigged and superstructure completed, all done 148 days after contract signing. Credit: Glasgow Herald, 1 April 1926.

At the subsequent luncheon, Sir James Lithgow presided and proposed "success to the Nerissa." The ordinary man in the street, he said. imagined America was the place for hustle, and that we on this side muddled along, that our equipment was not good. and that our manufacturers spent their time arguing points of wages with the men instead of getting on with the work. They never opened a paper but what they were advised to copy American methods and spend money on plant. It seemed to him so far that the Nerissa was rather a contradiction of that idea. Practically five months ago they were entrusted with the building of the ship on the promise that they would do their very best to deliver her within 7 months. The programme meant launching in five months and  so far that programme had been carried out. It was interesting to note that although they had in Port-Glasgow as well-equipped yards as any in the world, they elected rather to build the ship in an old-fashioned yard. Although they bad selected the old fashioned yard, yet they had succeeded in doing the work they promised to (Applause).

Lord Mayor of Liverpool (Alderman Bowring), said that this was not the first time his firm had had steamers built in Scotland and on the Clyde. They had steamers under their control which were noted, and which were built by Scots builders. To-day they were the owners of the Terra Nova, built at Dundee over 40 years ago. and as staunch in her timbers to-day as when she was built. She took the late Captain Scott twice to the Antartic regions, came hack alright, and was in their service to-day in their Newfoundland branch, in which the new steamer would also take up work. He congratulated the builders on the short time they had taken to complete the job up to its present stage. They had undertaken to deliver the boat in less than seven months. and this was a feat which had never occurred in their experience as shipowners. It said a tremendous lot in favour of the builders. (Applause.) The Lord Mayor concluded by proposing. "Messrs William Hamilton and Company." Mr. Henry Lithgow. who replied, presented the Lady Mayoress with a silver salver as a souvenir of the launch. 

Port Glasgow Express, 2 April 1926

Even the ensuing General Strike in Britain did not deter the fitting out of Nerissa whose completion took on even more symbolic proof of the capability of British shipbuilding.  In that, she was one of the most publicised newbuildings in years, attracting far more coverage than during anytime during her career. 

By 27 May 1926 (or four days in advance of schedule), Nerissa was complete and undertook her preliminary trials, afterwhich she took on her full crew and proceeded to Glasgow to begin loading for her delivery voyage. 

Nerissa on trials. Credit: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, 10 June 1926.

HIGH-SPEED SHIPBUILDING. TRIALS OF THE NERISSA. Since laying the keel of the steamer on November 3rd last, Messrs. William Hamilton and Co., Ltd., Port Glasgow, have been engaged in a race against time. It is now gratifying to know that the builders have succeeded in their task, and the construction of the vessel has been completed within the contract time, notwithstanding the great difficulties occasioned by the general strike and the dislocation of industry caused by the coal dispute. The ship runs her trials to-day. In several respects the Nerissa is an interesting vessel. She will be employed by her owners, the New York, Newfoundland and Halifax Steamship Co., on their winter service, and combines the specially strengthened construction necessary for navigation among ice floes with the comfort ef the most modern liner. 

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 5 June 1926

PUTTING THEIR BACKS INTO IT. Scottish Shipbuilding Feat. The remarkable feat of building a 5500-ton steamship in seven months was recently performed in the shipbuilding yards of William Hamilton & of Port Glasgow. The normal time for completing such a vessel would be from 10 months to year, but so well did the men work that the contract was put through in seven months without much overtime being necessary. The keel was laid on November 10, and the launch took place 148 days afterwards, and the vessel—the Nerissa—is now on her maiden voyage to New York. An official of the firm said that the rapid completion of the work was the result of an appeal by the foreman to the men to put their backs into it. The order was received on November 3, and it was stipulated that the vessel should be completed on May 31. The men are highly pleased with themselves, and are quite willing and eager to repeat this wonderful performance. 

Dundee Evening Telegraph, 9 June 1926

A real credit to Scottish shipbuilding, Nerissa on her trials, seven months after she was ordered.  Credit: The Shipping World, 16 June 1926.

Prior to sailing, Nerissa underwent final trials on  morning of 5 June 1926 in a fully loaded condition and with a full crew. Aboard were F.C. Bowring and his wife,   Sir Edgar Bowring, Mr. L. B. Stoddart, Sir Junes and Lady Lithgow, Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Bowring, Junr., Messsrs. Henry Lithgow, Andrew Hamilton (superintending engineer), Alexander Chisholm, William Tod and Allan Stevenson (of Messers. David Rowan and Co. (Glasgow), Mr. Nicholson (manager of the builders'  firm), and Mr. J. B. Crawford (naval architect).  She was credited with a speed of 15.5 knots or half a knot over contract.  

During a luncheon aboard,  Sir James Lithgow of the builders presided, and in proposing " Success to the Nerissa and the Owners of the Red Cross Line," said he did not want to enlarge on the speed with which they had built the vessel, but he believed the owners appreciated what they had done. He thought that Sir Edgar Bowring and himself were the only ones who were confident that the Nerissa would be delivered on May 31. They talked the matter over in London, and they put their minds to it and it had been done. He did not suggest that Sir Edgar or himself were responsible for this, but they had done their part. Their staff had taken a keen interest throughout in the building of the vessel, and he would like to take that opportunity of letting the company know that it was due to their efforts that they had got the vessel up to time. Their contract was to have the Nerissa finished by May 31, and it was ready for the loading berth two days ahead of that. On the trials that day it had on board part cargo." 

"Alderman Bowring, in responding to the toast, said that that was the second time most of them had visited the ship. They came about six weeks ago, and formed a very favourable impression of the vessel, and that day they had their best ideas of the ship authenticated. They were quite sure they had had delivered to them a very fine ship, and they had to thank Messrs. Win.' Hamilton and Co. for what they had done for them. He congratulated them on a very notable feat. It was only seven months and two days since he had the pleasure of signing the contract. The builders had carried out their part, and he hoped the company would carry out theirs."

R.M.S. Nerissa, largest and last of the Red Cross Line ships. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com, Qu1ckn1ck

Bowring said in speech afterwards 'that several persons had to be congratulated on the construction of the ship. In the first place he might refer to their friend Mr. Hamilton who drew up a plan which did not think could be possibly be excelled for the class of steamers which the owners had to build. She was a small boat and not tremendously fast. She would carry a great number of passengers for a small ship, about 200, and he thought she was everything they could desire.'

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 1 April 1926

Long vanished now, the steamship lines  that bound the world together before the Jet Age with vessels, great and small, renowned and forgotten, were largely defined by the ships, new or  acquired, that maintained their share of the Ocean Highways.  Literally the last word in Red Cross liners, Nerissa capped a small but distinctive contribution by the Bowrings to the inter-war passenger liner. A vessel if remembered today more for her tragic end, that deserves appreciation in her own right more than eight decades after her demise. 

Well proportioned and purposeful looking, Nerissa presented a pleasing profile indeed. Credit: Memorial University of Newfoundland. 

The last of the select group of ships actually designed and built for Red Cross Line, Nerissa was their best looking, her pleasing, balanced profile was typical of her era, and unknown in today's ships, and rendered distinctive by her icebreaker bow and stern and her classic upright, cowled funnel that was a Red Cross trademark along with the red St. Patrick's Cross blazoned on it. 

That the last Red Cross liner would be designed by Messrs. A. Goodwin-Hamilton & Adamson, Ltd., Liverpool, Andrew Hamilton (superintending engineer) and Mr. J. B. Crawford (naval architect), was entirely fitting.  The same firm had been responsible for Stephano, Florizel, Portia and Prospero for C.T. Bowring, Caribou for Newfoundland Government Railway for Sydney NS run and Nascopie for Job. Bros./Hudson Bay Co. and indeed, seldom has one firm so specialised in a particular region or service and they practically defined the "True North" passenger ship.  Staunch in build, conventional and reliable in machinery and as seaworthy as any afloat, their workaday features and business-like qualities ensure them being all but overlooked amid their much larger and more pretentious contemporaries on other routes.  

An original builder's model of Nerissa which had been updated with the Furness funnel livery. 

As small and select a share of the world's passenger-cargo markets as any, Newfoundland enjoyed two "Golden Ages" of ships built for its exacting requirements, that right before the First World War with Red Cross' Stephano and Florizel, Furness' Digby and the legendary Nascopie and in the mid 1920s with Nerissa, Furness' Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Railway's Caribou. 

Another photo of the builder's model showing her icebreaker bow. 

The Nerissa represents a new departure on the part of the Red Cross Line, as she is considerably larger and more modern than either the Rosalind or the Silvia, which are at present on the service. 

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 25 March 1926

Nerissa's principal dimensions were 349 ft. 6 inches (length b.p.) and 54 ft. (beam) and 5,583 tons (gross) and 3,116 (nett) with a deadweight tonnage of 3,110 with a draught of 20 ft. 8 inches.  She had seven watertight bulkheads, four holds and had two continuous decks and an additional one in the holds.

In terms of size and capacity, Nerissa reflected existing trade requirements arising from "boom times" of the mid 1920s and was easily the largest ship built for Red Cross and indeed for the New York-Nova Scotia/Newfoundland route, being considerably bigger than the last two ships constructed for the run, the 3,489-grt, 314 ft. x 45 ft. Fort Amherst and Fort Townshend of 1936.  Indeed, she was larger if a foot shorter than Digby (3,966 grt, 350.8 ft. x 50 ft.) which held down the Liverpool-Newfoundland/Nova Scotia run from 1913-1925. Nerissa proved "in excess of requirements" only when the unanticipated Depression and the repeal of Prohibition in the U.S. impacted the critical American tourist market, but her size and capacity made her ideal for a wholly unanticipated route as different from that intended as can be imagined, that to the West Indies. 

Plans for Nerissa. Credit: Lloyd's Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre. 

Midship section of Nerissa. Credit: Lloyd's Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre.

The Nerissa, which has been specially built for the company's winter run to the Northern ports, combines the specially strengthened construction of a boat. which will thrust Its way through the ice floes, with the sumptuous comfort of the most modern ocean liner. 

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 25 March 1926

Modelled after the revolutionary Stephano and Florizel, the first passenger liners specially designed for navigation in ice and with icebreaker type hulls and build, Nerissa was constructed well in excess of Lloyd's requirements.  Built for year-around service on the Newfoundland and Nova Scotia run, Nerissa had to be able to navigate through the ice floes and "growlers" that were a feature on the route, especially between St. John's and Halifax.  The bow was striking for a liner, with its icebreaker style tem which sharply sloped back to the keel from a point just at the waterline while the stern, too, was of unusual "spoon" shaped cruiser variety.  The scantlings and plating fore and aft, especially at the loadlines, were doubled in thickness to allow "crunching" through ice floes.  Nerissa was as tough and seaworthy as the Newfoundler seamen who manned her. 

This was region where the reliable reciprocating engine still predominated (indeed the post-war Newfoundland and Nova Scotia were the only turbine-powered ships built for the route) and Nerissa was powered by one four-cylinder triple expansion engine having cylinders of  27in, 45in, 54in, 54in diameter with 45in stroke, built by Messrs. David Rowan and Co., Ltd., Glasgow, (builder no. 833) and four single-ended, oil-fired, forced draught boilers 16 ft. diameter by 12 ft. 6 ins., working at 200 psi and with oil firing by the Wallsend Howden system. Service speed was 15 knots at 113 rpms and 4,500 ihp, and she did a half knot better on trials. 

Nerissa's cargo capacity, in four holds, two forward and two aft, totalled  197,430 cu. ft. including 7,290 cu. ft. of insulated space "on the Miller system and fitted up for the carrying of provisions for ship's use, in addition to a certain amount of refrigerated cargo" and "worked by eight steel derricks and eight steam winches, those in the neighboorhood of the passenger accommodation being of the silent type."

Life saving equipment comprised six 27-ft lifeboats and two 22-ft cutters at radial davits. 

R.M.S.  NERISSA

Deck Plan, c. 1931

(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)

Boat Deck.

"A" (Promenade) Deck.

"A" Deck (poop deckhouse)

"B" Deck. 

"C" Deck.

Expressions of pleasure were general and everyone was favorably impressed with the accommodations, luxurious furnishings and distinctive decorations.

Evening Telegram, 15 June 1926

Reflecting Red Cross Line's increasing reliance on the American tourist trade, buoyed by Prohibition, and a general coming of age of the short pleasure cruise market overall, Nerissa's passenger facilities were described as "bordering on the luxurious" and indeed, comparable to that of the newly built Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Nerissa had berths for 163 First Class and 66 Second Class passengers, compared to the 160 First Class and 50 Second Class that the 3,585-grt Silvia accommodated.

In all, Nerissa had four decks devoted to passenger accommodation.

Boat deck had officers' accommodation in a separate house forward and below the bridge, the First Class entrance and two outside cabins in another separate house and right aft, the First Class veranda café.  Open deck space and three lifeboats on either side occupied the rest of the deck

Promenade ("A") Deck had the large First Class Lounge or Music Room forward, following by the First Class entrance and main staircase and First Class accommodation, including two de luxe suites with bath and 10 twin-bedded cabins, all outside with casement windows and right aft, the smoking room.  A broad covered (and glass enclosed forward) promenade deck encircled these rooms.  

"B" Deck was devoted to First Class accommodation with two de luxe cabins, two cabins with private bath, two "bibby" pattern outside cabins with bath, 18 outside cabins,  five "bibby" cabins and six inside cabins.  In addition, the bureau was situated forward of the main entrance and staircase and the barber shop aft. 

Nerissa was one of the last ships to incorporate a feature that originated before the First World War that provided natural light and ventilation in inside cabins by way of a small clerestory window/vent just above deck level on the promenade deck immediately above.  This was provided for ten inside cabins on "B" Deck.

"C" had the First Class dining saloon, seating 144 passengers, forward, accessed by the main staircase and naturally lit by large portholes. The galley and some crew accommodation was amidships. Just aft were the remaining First Class cabins, 10 outside cabins and six inside ones.

The Second Class was situated aft with the smoking room and six 3-4 berth cabins in the poop "B" deckhouse and on "C" Deck below the remaining cabins, all outside, and accommodating 4-6 persons, with washbasin.  The dining saloon with three long tables and one table for four, was on the portside.  

The decoration of the First Class public rooms was of an exceptionally high standard although actual photographs of them seem elusive, nor was who or which firm was responsible. However, the descriptions and the style of the few published renderings suggest it may have been the well-established London firm of Messrs. Hamptons and Sons, Ltd., of Pall Mall East, which had just created the interiors for the new Furness liners Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and redecorated Digby into Dominica. 

The lounge is a tastefully arranged compartment panelled in mahogany, from which doors lead to the enclosed deck promenade and to the music saloon. The music saloon is a large, airy compartment, lit by large, rectangular windows. The walls are in polished quartered mahogany, and the room is upholstered in blue silk brocade. Here there are couches, easy chairs, occasional tables, and a grand piano.

The smoke room, which is lit by means of large square windows and a large skylight overhead, is arranged at the after end of the bridge deck, and is framed in walnut with leather panels. It is furnished with cowhide tub chairs and couches. 

The veranda café is arranged at the after end of the boat deck, is framed in oak with composite panels. The curtains, seats and cushions are of brilliant colours. The furniture comprises tables, settees, and chairs, of brilliant orange and black colour erten cane. The electric fittings are black iron lanterns distributed in suitable positions throughout. The ceiling is einiched with oak beams and raised design border. A feature of this room is the arrangement of alcoves. divided with glass partitions, the eat end being of quaint design. 

The dining saloon is a spacious compartment panelled through, the walls being in enamelled grey, the roof enamelled white with enrichment forming panels. A handsome sideboard at the forward end constructed through of finely-figured Cuba mahogany. The saloon is arranged to dine 144 persons in parties of 2, 3, 4, etc. The chairs are all elbow arm chairs reproduced from a model of the 18th century in the style of Hepplewhite and are constructed in cuba mahogany with upholstered panel in the back and seat covered in rose Utrecht velvet.

A special feature of this room is the is the introduction of loose covers to fit over these chairs they are cretonne of Old English design. Curtains and pelmets are of grey Utretcht velvet, bordered with braid introducing the colouring of the chairs. The floor is laid with rose and grey Ruboleum tiles with borderings.

The main staircases are all of solid mahogany, and the balustrading of period design. The staircase to the upper landing on the boat deck is enriched by the introduction of a large oil painting depicting the first landing at the discovery of Newfoundland. A special feature of these staircases is the easy rise and tread, together with a solid broad handrail.

In the lower entrance hall there is a shop with large display cabinets and an up-to-date barber's shop.

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 15 April 1926

Handsomely fitted and furnished and as fine an example of Scottish shipbuilding as any of her day, Nerissa was literally the last word in Red Cross liners and whilst unique designed and built for the specialised requirements of the Newfoundland trade, she would prove remarkably successful in trades and climes wholly unanticipated when she was built.  Her advent would be both a heyday and finale to Bowring's passenger services. 

Credit: Newfoundland Quarterly, July 1927.

Also speaking was Mr. Eric Bowring, Managing Director of Bowring Bros. Ltd., who 'spoke of the importance to the Colony of having such modern and splendid ships as the Furness liners Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and the Red Cross boats Nerissa and Silvia added to the transportation service..'

Evening Telegram, 15 June 1926

Newfoundland enjoyed a veritable ocean liner heyday in 1925-26 with the commissioning of the new 2,200-grt Caribou for Newfoundland Railways' Port aux Basques-Sydney, NS run and the first of pair of new combination passenger-cargo liners, the 6,791-grt Newfoundland, for Furness Withy's Liverpool-St. John's-Halifax-Boston service followed the following summer by her sister ship, Nova Scotia. Indeed, Nova Scotia and Nerissa made their maiden arrivals at St. John's almost simultaneously.  

First advertisement listing the new Nerissa in the North American press. Credit: Evening Mail, 30 April 1926.

 

Nerissa's delivery voyage listed in the Furness Withy schedule under charter to them. Credit: Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 18 May 1926.

After Nova Scotia experienced some engine troubles during her trials in May 1926, her maiden voyage schedule was altered so that instead of loading cargo first at Glasgow before proceeding to Liverpool, she would now depart straight from the Mersey to Canada.  Consequently, Furness announced on the 29th that her cargo would instead be carried out in Nerissa and her delivery voyage would be made under charter to the firm as had previous Red Cross liners.  She loaded cargo at Prince's Dock, Glasgow, approximately 700 tons each for St. John's and Halifax and made her final trials in a loaded condition.

In what was a busy end to a bustling build, Nerissa managed to run trials midday, host all those VIPs for lunch, and sailed, commanded by Capt. Hiram C. Mitchell, from Glasgow, Prince's Dock, at 7:00 p.m. 5 June 1926 on her delivery voyage.   Later describing the crossing to The Evening Mail (Halifax), Capt. Mitchell said "On Tuesday and Wednesday  they ran into a northwesterly gale, in which the ship proved herself a grand seagoing boat beyond all expectations. While they encountered 40 hours of fog before arriving at St. John's, the steamer completed the trip across the Atlantic in 6½ days and made an average speed of 12 knots."

Nerissa at St. John's, undated but seemingly deserted, quite possibly on her maiden arrival at the port, carrying but two passengers on her delivery voyage. Credit: shipnostalgia.com, Brent Chambers.

Nerissa's arrival at St. John's on the morning of 12 June 1926 was described by the Evening Telegram:

The new Red Cross Liner Nerissa on her maiden voyage from Glasgow arrived in port at 9.39 a.m. and docked at the Furness Withy Pier. The ship left the other side last Saturday evening and experienced fairly good weather although at times it was rough enough to test her seagoing qualities. According to Capt. Mitchell, the ship behaved splendidly and showed no inclination whatever to roll although light in freight.  Only two passengers, Messrs. Thomas Elliot and C. Robert Steward, came out by the ship. The Nerissa has about 700 tons of cargo which is being discharged at the Furness Withy Pier. 

Credit: Evening Telegram, 12 June 1926.

The following day, the ship hosted the first of a series of luncheons and inspections as reported by the Evening Telegram of 14 June 1926:

Several young business gentlemen of the city were entertained to lunch on SS Nerissa by Capt. Mitchell and Mr. R.C. Harvey today. A tour of inspection occupied several hours and the party on leaving expressed their hearty good wished to Capt. Mitchell and good luck to the new and sumptuously appointed addition to the Red Cross Line.

On 14 June 1926, the brand new Furness liner Nova Scotia arrived at St. John's from Halifax and Boston on the return portion of her maiden voyage and joining the equally newly minted Nerissa at the Furness pier, symbolised indeed a heyday of Newfoundland shipping.  In honour of the occasion, Nerissa hosted a gala luncheon for city, government and shipping officials: 

An excellent menu was served, and the promptness of the service fully testified to the efficiency of the staff and the up-to-date arrangements of the stewards' department. On all sides were heard expressions of the high approval, and particularly appreciated were the artistic decorations of the tables, and the splendidly ventilated saloon with every convenience and comfort that the traveller could desire. 

Capt. Mitchel presided, and after he had proposed the Health of the King at the conclusion of the luncheon, Hon. Tasker Cook, the Mayor of the City, proposed a toast to the Red Cross Line. He congratulated the Owners and Agents upon their enterprise in adding such an excellent ship as the Nerissa to the service, and in pointing out the interest which Newfoundland had in the Red Cross Line, he briefly trace the history of the service since it was  first instituted in the early Eighties.

Evening Telegram, 15 June 1926

Capping a busy day, the Red Cross flagship was made available to the general public, holding tickets, for a visit: "...from three to five, the SS Nerissa was open for inspection and a large number of people availed of the opportunity to visit the ship. Expressions of pleasure were general and everyone was favorably impressed with the accommodations, luxurious furnishings and distinctive decorations." (Evening Telegram 15 June 1926).

Meeting up with her running mate, Silvia, the same day, Nerissa sailed from St. Johns on 16 June 1926 with 20 First and 3 Second Class for Halifax and 13 First and 7 Second Class for New York including A. Munroe, son of the Prime Minister of Newfoundland, and among those landing at Halifax were Col. Stanton, Director of the Clarke Steamship Company.

Presenting a very fine appearance with her fresh coat of paint, the new Red Cross steamer Nerissa in command of Captain Hiram C. Mitchell, arrived early this morning from St. John's, Nfld, completing the trip from the latter port in 37½ hours.

The Evening Mail, 18 June 1926.

Nerissa arrived at Halifax at daylight 18 June 1926, after a smart 37-hour 30-minute passage from St. John's.  She did so still under charter to Furness Withy, but on arrival was handled by G.S. Campbell for Red Cross and docked at Pier 25. She had 730 tons of cargo to discharge. 

Rather extraordinarily, especially for a brand new ship on a well-established route, Nerissa's succeeding movements and arrival at New York seem to have been "blacked out" by newspapers.  The only mention being made in the Nautical Gazette, 3 July 1926: "Bowring & Co., agents for Red Cross Line, were hosts on Tuesday (29 June 1926) to hundreds of interested New Yorkers all eager to see the new wonder ship of the Red Cross fleet, the Nerissa, which sails today with tourists for Halifax, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland."

Credit: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 4 July 1926.

Departing New York with a full list of 222 passengers on 3 July 1926, Nerissa came into Halifax at 9:30 a.m. on the 5th, landing  69 landing there, and 45 making the round trip. Among those destined for St. John's was W.J. Crosgrove, general manager of the Red Cross Line, who told the Evening Mail that "He is greatly pleased with the new ship in every way and with the success attending her first sailing from New York as to the large number of passengers booked and cargo offering."  Also interviewed,  Capt. Mitchell reported "he brought his ship on the outside route on account of the thick fog prevailing at the hour of her departure. The fog was dense and lasted for some time after the Nerissa was out to sea, otherwise the new liner would have been here much earlier this morning. Until she got clear of the fog, the speed of the Nerissa had to be reduced." (Evening Mail, 5 July 1926).

Official line issue postcard of Nerissa. Credit: eBay auction photo. 

On her southbound voyage from St. John's, Nerissa had 118 aboard when she arrived at Halifax on 12 July 1926 with 43 to land there and 75 for New York. Capt. Mitchell reported a fine run up until noon the previous day but then fog set in, requiring the ship to proceed at reduced speed.  Returning to New York from St. John's was W.J. Cosgrove, Red Cross Line general manager. 

When Nerissa docked at Halifax from New York on 19 July 1926, she had 70 passengers disembarking there and other 125 for St. John's including 85 American tourists making the round trip. They did not have very good weather, however, and except for half the distance down Long Island Sound, there was dense fog for the entire passage. 

During their overnight call at Halifax on 26 July 1926, Capt. H.C. Mitchell hosted an evening of dancing for his passengers aboard Nerissa and those of Silvia, also in port, "music was furnished by Warren Puresci and his orchestra."

Evening Mail, 2 August 1926.

Nerissa arrived at Halifax on 2 August 1926 with 211 total and 66 for Halifax, after having. "met with considerable fog on the passage," and left the following day for St. John's including 93 making the roundtrip. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 10 August 1926.

Not since the Nerissa has been on the route was she able to test her sea going qualities until this trip. Saturday's night storm, while not reaching as the Newfoundland coast, created heavy head seas and these the Nerissa met before she was many hours out of St. John's. All day Sunday, the ship nosed her way along under conditions which proved that the new Red Cross boat could be depended upon in stormy weather as well as in moderate weather. She came along as steady as a clock through thick fog, rain and threatening seas.

The Evening Mail, 10 August 1926.

Nerissa, having enjoyed a benign introduction to the weather vageries of her route, even in summer, was finally given "a taste" that August.  Delayed in departure from St. John's on the 7th, at midnight, she did not arrive at Halfax until the 10th at 5:00 p.m. with 189 passengers, 53 disembarking there, 62 from St. John's in transit for New York and 74 roundtrippers who had left New York 31 July. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 20 September 1926.

As if in anticipation of worse weather to come with winter, it was announced, rather prematurely as it proved, on 20 September 1926 that Silvia and Rosalind would sail out of Halifax this winter, but Nerissa would make southern cruises from New York December through March, each of 15 days duration,  to Bermuda, West Indies and Havana, the first such programme by Red Cross since 1914.

Nerissa arrived Halifax at 10:00 a.m. on 27 September 1926 from New York, slightly delayed after encountering "adverse weather conditions, heavy head seas and fog, coupled with the fact she was an hour late leaving New York." (Evening Mail).  She had 111 passengers aboard, 31 for Halifax, 64 for St. John's and 16 roundtrippers. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 29 November 1926.

"Experiencing heavy weather all the way from St. John's, contending with head seas the entire passage with ice forming on the ship forward while crossing Cabot Strait," Nerissa arrived at Halifax at 11:00 a.m. on 29 November 1926 with 14 passengers for the port and 48 in transit for New York. She loaded a large cargo of potatoes for New York, sailing the next day. 

Hopes, certainly entertained by her crew, that Nerissa would be spared more of winter seas were dashed when Rosalind was chartered to Munson Line for the winter to ply between Miami and Nassau and will depart New York 5 December and she would, instead, partner with Silvia on the Newfoundland/Nova Scotia run for the season. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 28 December 1926

Both Siliva (Capt. William James) and Nerissa docked at Halifax the morning of 28 December 1926. Silvia arrived from St. John's with a large cargo and more to load for New York and had a rough passage whilst Nerissa had fine weather up from New York with seven passengers landing and 18 for St. John's.

Nerissa at St. John's. Credit: eBay auction photo. 

1927

Three successive days of dense fog in New York played havoc with the comings and goings of ships with Nerissa delayed arriving on 21 January 1927 and departing on the 23rd. More fog on 18 February again delayed her coming in.. Twenty-four hours late by more bad weather, Nerissa reached Halifax on the 22th with 11 passengers landing there and 12 for St. John's.  Yet, when he brought Nerissa into Halifax on 21 March, Capt. Mitchell told reporters that New York had experienced the warmest weather for 46 years in the past seven or eight days: "I've never saw it so warm in March during all the years I have been sailing in and out of New York." She had almost no passengers this trip with but four landing at Halifax and eight bound for St. John's.

Credit: Gazette, 13 April 1927. 

When Nerissa docked at Halifax on 11 April 1927, the Gazette (Montreal) reported:

Passengers on the Red Cross Nerissa, which called here today on her regular voyage from St. John's to New York, were privileged to witness a display of seal hunting as carried out on every year off the coast of Newfoundland. While the liner was slowly breaking a way through a heavy ice field sixty  miles west of Cape Canso yesterday morning, a herd of seal was observed on the floes. A number of the crew scrambled out on the ice and killed 22 seals, averaging 50 pounds each. The pelts were brought here this morning. The Nerissa was forced to break ice for many miles, averaging speed at times of less than two miles an hour.

It was reported on 23 April 1927 that on arrival on her present trip, Nerissa would go into drydock and replaced by Rosalind which would stay on run until 12 May when she arrived  at St. John's and laid up. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 23 May 1927.

With warmer weather, passenger traffic picked up and on 23 May 1927, there were 124 aboard Nerissa when she docked at Halifax from St. John's with 31 landing at the port and 93 in transit for New York. But with the season, came fog and Capt. Mitchell reported plenty of  it en route. On her next arrival at the port, Nerissa came into Halifax from New York on the 30th with the officers and crew of the seized steamer Sydney (which was being held by U.S. prohibition agents at Philadelphia) and a party of six New York yachtsman planning to sail six German-built 10-metre yachts to New York from there. In all, she landed 68 passengers at Halifax and had another 62 for St. John's and three making the roundtrip.

Credit: Evening Mail, 6 June 1927

Icebergs and fog, classic conditions on the Newfoundland route in early summer were much in evidence as reported by Capt. H.C. Mitchell after he brought Nerissa alongside at Halifax on 6 June 1927 from St. John's.  When the dense fog experienced almost through the passage lifted passing Cape Race, "one mammoth iceberg, also numerous smaller bergs and growlers" were sighted.  Twenty-eight passengers disembarked there with another 29 bound for New York. 

Credit: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 5 June 1927. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 18 July 1927.

Literally a banner day for Red Cross Line and the Port of Halifax, both Nerissa (from St. John's) and Silvia (from New York) docked together on 18 July 1927. Both were dressed overall on the occasion of Charles Bowring, Mrs. Bowring, Miss Millicent and Master Douglas, being passengers aboard Silvia bound for a salmon fishing holiday in Newfoundland.  Also aboard Nerissa was the Hon. A.C. Morine, KC, minister without portfolio for Newfoundland, who was taken seriously ill during the voyage and travelled onwards to hospital in Toronto for treatment. At the height of the season, both ships were well booked with 175 aboard Silvia, 60 for Halifax and the others bound for St. John's or making the roundtrip whilst Nerissa had 164 fares, 53 for Halifax and among the others for New York, 78 were full cruise passengers. 

With 161 passengers aboard, 43 of whom were landing there, and another 138 in transit for New York including 80 roundtrippers, Nerissa came into Halifax on 1 August 1927.  When she departed the following day, it was at the later revised time of 2:30 p.m. which would be maintained for the summer season to give roundtrip passengers more time in port.  Ships bound for St. John's would now depart at 3:00 p.m. instead of noon. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 8 August 1927.

Two of Nova Scotia's newest liners, Newfoundland of Furness, from Liverpool via St. John's  and Nerissa,from New York, came into Halifax together the morning of 8 August 1927.  Nerissa brought in a near capacity load of 225, including 63 for Halifax and the rest for St. John's and 116 roundtrippers, the largest number yet carried that season.   The ship reported no fog until she passed Cape Sable and then met it in abundance. 

Nerissa came into St. John's on 25 August 1927 amidst a late summer hurricane with the winds blowing at 85 mph and although anchored, the ship's engine were kept at work to prevent her from dragging her anchors. Now delayed, she did not sail until 5:00 p.m. on the 27th and reached Halifax at 8:00 a.m. two days later, with 244 aboard, 42 disembarking and the rest for New York including another large crowd of roundtrippers, 106 in all.

Nerissa at New York. Credit: Mariners' Museum.

Among the 24 passengers landing at Halifax from Nerissa on 19 September 1927 was Munson Line's Capt. Leander Porter and his wife, who were en route to his former home, Port Wade, Annapolis, NS. He was on leave from his command of Southern Cross on Munson's River Plate run. Nerissa also had 52 in transit for St. John's.

This was the heyday of the trans-Atlantic flight and even after Charles Lindbergh epic solo crossing that May, there were other attempts. One of the tragically unsuccessful was that of the Fokker F.VII Old Glory from Maine to Rome, Italy. This commenced on 6 September 1927, but after the plane sent out distress calls the following very early morning, it was never seen or heard of again nor its two pilots,  except for a 34-foot section of wing which was located 700 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland. This was brought to St. John's by the steamer Kyle from Bay Roberts and then loaded aboard Nerissa which departed for New York on the 25th along with representatives of William Randolph Hearst who had sponsored the flight.  It was revealed that souvenir hunters had gotten at the recovered wreckage as soon as Kyle docked and all that was left was a mass of tangled wire, a wheel from the landing gear and three battered gas tanks and the 34-ft. wing section. 

Salvaged piece of wing from the crashed trans-Atlantic plane Old Glory being transferred from Kyle to Nerissa at St. John's. Credit: Daily News, 8 April 1929.

Nerissa and Silvia, up from New York, docked together at Halifax on 26 September 1927, both ships reporting "pleasant voyages" and making good time. Nerissa had 47 to land there and 92 for New York plus 16 roundtrippers.  She sailed for New York the following afternoon and the ship that had hitherto escaped attention from the local press, was thronged by newsreel men and reporters when she came in on the 29th, docking at her usual Brooklyn pier at the foot of Java Street.

A crate containing salvages pieces from Old Glory being unloaded from Nerissa at her Brooklyn pier. Credit: Daily News, 30 September 1927.

A piece of the left wing and other parts of the trans-Atlantic airline Old Glory, which fell into the sea 600 miles off the Newfoundland coast while flying towards Paris, was brought to New York to-day by the Red Cross Line steamship Nerissa, which docked at the foot of Java Street.

The parts recovered were enclosed in a plain pine book approximately ten feet long, eight feet wide and four feet deep. The box was the first piece of cargo removed from the ship. It was lifted from hold no. 2 by a crane and set upon the dock to await arrival of a truck which will remove it to a warehouse on West Sixty-eighth street. 

The Brooklyn Citizen, 29 September 1929

Arriving together at Halifax on 10 October 1927, Nerissa, from St. John's after a 38-hour 30-minute run, had 18 landing passengers and 73 in transit for New York and seven roundtrippers with 20 landing from the northbound Silvia and 54 en route to St. John's and three roundtrippers, the lighter numbers occasioning The Evening Mail to note "A falling off in the passenger lists of the liners was noted due to the slack period following a heavy tourist season; principally in the south bound traffic. To offset this, the freight offering for the two liners has been considerably increased, a prominent feature bring the fall movement of fish. " The off season departure time of noon was re-established by both vessels the following day.  

Upon arrival back at New York on 27 October, Nerissa skipped a roundtrip for her annual drydocking. She resumed service with her sailing on 5 November and met a ferocious wind storm upon approach to St. John's on the 10th which only increased in intensity as the day progressed so she had to anchor off most of the day and was not able to get alongside until 6:00 p.m. that evening

Among those landing at Halifax from St. John's from Nerissa on 28 November 1927 were 13 transhipping to the Gothenberg-bound Drottingholm.  Also on aboard were Joseph P. Ragland, American Vice-Consul, bound for New York.  

Credit: Evening Mail, 5 December 1927.

"Nosing their way through a blinding snow storm the Red Cross liners Silvia, Captain James, from St. John's, and the Nerissa, Captain Mitchell, from New York, crept into the harbour this morning and docked at Campbell's wharf shortly after 11 o'clock, about four hours late on their scheduled. Both ships encountered rough weather. " So the Evening Mail of 5 December 1927 reported the arrivals of Silvia and Nerissa, the later with 54 passengers for St. John's. 

Nerissa at a snowy St. John's. Credit: eBay auction photo. 

1928

With the onset of winter, even the routine passage from New York to Halifax was impacted and Nerissa arrived on 2 January 1928 after a "rough voyage." But she made a fine run of just 39 hours  30 mins. To St. John's. But far worse weather would come later in the month as reported by the Evening Mail on 24 January upon the arrival of the much delayed and storm tossed Nerissa:

Following the arrival during the last few days of transatlantic liners and smaller craft all reporting tremendous seas, and gales reaching to hurricane intensity raging on the Atlantic, the Red Cross Line coastal passenger steamer Nerissa, Captain Mitchell, arrived in port at seven o'clock this morning from St. John's, taking 62½ hours to make the run, which is ordinarily made in 42 hours, her skipper, reporting the longest passage from the Newfoundland port in nine years. The Red Cross Rosalind, which left St. John's on Friday afternoon bound for New York was reported off Halifax at eight o'clock last night, nearly 80 hours out from Newfoundland. 

Several Haligonians, including Clyde Hayes and William S. McDonald were aboard the Nerissa. Mountainous head seas and westerly gales were met with during the entire voyage. Captain Mitchell said, adding that the Nerissa proved herself to be a staunch sea boat and stood the test very well. 'It was my longest trip in nine years,' he continued, and one of the worst crossings experienced in nearly 20 years spent in these waters.'

The Nerissa is regularly employed on the New York-Halifax-St. John's route and makes the voyage from St. John's to Halifax once every two weeks alternating with the Silvia is a weekly service. This is first time in nine years that the Nerissa, or any other of the Line's craft under his command failed to show up at Halifax on the run from St. John's on a Monday morning, the captain concluded. 

When the steamer failed to arrive on Monday, some surprise was evidenced along the waterfront, but as the liner is known to be a staunch ship no fears were felt for her safety.

On 17 March 1928 Nerissa arrived at St. John's from Halifax "after a summer passage" of just 39 hours with 36 passengers.

When Nerissa docked at St. John's on 12 July 1928 it was made known that the previous day she had collided with and sunk the French barquentine La Frileuse off St. Pierre-Miquelon,  and abandoned by her captain and crew of 35 who were taken aboard the Red Cross liner. Captains Mitchell and Delephine refused to discuss the incident with reporters on arrival.  The collision occurred in dense fog at 4:00 p.m. and it was learned that Capt. Delephine had set his mortally damaged vessel afire with gasoline so that it would not be a menace to navigation.  

According to the Gazette (13 July), there were many passengers on the deck of Nerissa at time of the accident, but only a little shock was felt and no panic occurred: 

Proceeding under full sail, the La Frileuse suddenly loomed ahead of the Nerissa as the latter vessel was making her way through the fog towards this port yesterday. The quick action of Captain Mitchell in changing his course probably saved many lives , as the French craft would otherwise have been cut in two. Forty feet of Nerissa's guard rail on the starboard side and the bowsprit  were torn away, a couple of plates dented and the bow smashed in glancing collision. The steamer immediately hove to and launched a boat when it was seen that the crew of the La Frileuse, which bore away a quarter of a mile, were making preparations to abandon their vessel. There were sufficient dories aboard, however, to accommodate the French mariners, and after hastily gathering their belongings, they rowed to the Nerissa without mishap. Captain Delephine set the La Frileuse afire before her left, and the vessel was burning fiercely at eight-thirty when the Nerissa continued her trip.

La Frieleuse had left St. Serven on 20 March 1928 for the Grand Banks and had 2,500 quintals of fish aboard at the time of the collision. 

The owners of La Frileuse sued Red Cross Line for $100,000 in Admirality Court on 17 July 1928.  In giving evidence, Henry Magrese, a crewman aboard, stated that he was blowing the fog alarm before the collision and heard Nerissa doing the same. At the time, he reckoned the liner was making 13-14 knots when she was sighted 400 metres away while his ship was making 4 knots and luffed to port before the collision but that the liner did not alter her course.

More legal trouble ensued upon Nerissa's return to New York on 19 July 1928 when customs agents seized an enormous contraband cargo of pre-war rye whisky estimated to be worth $1 mn. that was secreted in kegs of pickled herring. An agent was checking a barrel and found a 10-gallon keg of the whisky at the bottom of the barrel of herring and an ensuring inspection found a similar keg at the bottom of all 501 barrels of fish. 

A wonderful photo of Nerissa at her Greenpoint pier when her enormous cache of liquor was discovered on board. Credit: Daily News, 21 July 1928.

For example, a schooner from Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, arrived at St. Pierre and loaded 500 small barrels of whisky. The fishing vessel brought with it a cargo of herring. The kegs of whisky were fitted into the larger herring barrels and the schooner cleared for a port on the east coast of Newfoundland, loading pickled herring to completely conceal the whisky. Next stop was St. John’s where the 'herring' was discharged for furtherance to New York aboard the Nerissa of the Red Cross Line. All went smoothly and the cargo left St. John’s without suspicion having been aroused. Unfortunately, when the Nerissa was being discharged at New York, careless handling saw a ‘'herring' barrel fall from a sling and crash to the ground. The scheme was discovered and the entire ship- ment confiscated.

Prohibition and St. Pierre, Andrieux, Jean-Pierre

The case quickly went to trial in St. Johns when it was discovered the kegs had been loaded aboard the schooner Norma L. Conrad at Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, and taken to St. John's where a cargo of 500 kegs of whisky from St. Pierre was secreted in the fish barres by a local cooper during the voyage. The cargo was then transhipped to Nerissa.  Edward Seeward was found guilty in St. John's court on 29 July 1928 and fined $1,200 and Eric Chafe, local St. John's merchant also charged on three counts and later sentenced to a $6,400 fine or one year in prison. 

Beyond fish from Newfoundland, with or without elicit whisky included, a major cargo for Nerissa were potatoes from Nova Scotia in autumn.  The first seasonal shipment… no fewer than 15 carloads… was loaded aboard the ship at Halifax on 11 September 1928 which were destined for New York and transhippment there to Cuba.

Credit: Evening Mail, 5 December 1928.

Although the voyage over was accomplished in fair weather, a blizzard in St. John's delayed Nerissa's departure and she arrived considerably late at Halifax on 5 December 1928 after what officers called a "terrific blizzard." To make up time, she was off for New York that same evening.  

Nerissa at St. John's, Newfoundland, in Furness livery; under new owners, she would be just as home at St. John's, Antigua.  Credit: www.maritimequest.com

… there were some astute enough to take advantage of the Jones Act. Frederick Lewis-- who had engineered the ousting of the Furness family from Furness, Withy in 1919 by a series of skilfully planned acquistions and mergers, was able to continue to exploit the American market despite these obstructions. He established the Furness Bermuda Line, enhanced the Prince Line round-the world service (run jointly with Silver Line), the New York-Rio de la Plata service which was augmented by the withdrawal of the Lamport & Holt's ships…, and the purchase of C.T. Bowring's Red Cross Line, which ran between the Eastern Seaboard and Newfoundland. 

Fiddler's Green, Volume Five, A History of the British Merchant Navy, Richard Woodman. 

If Nerissa represented a heyday for Red Cross Line, it was surely fleeting and her arrival soon prompted the interest of a company with which she had already been acquianted with: Furness Withy.  No other British shipping line managed such a presence in New York, not on the well-trod trans-Atlantic run, but along the Eastern Seaboard to Canada, Newfoundland, Bermuda, the West Indies and South America.  Nor had any single company so profited from American prohibition which almost overnight burgeoned passenger traffic on the company's ideally suited Bermuda and West Indies run.  Now, the Canadian run to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, almost as popular with tourists as it was with bootleggers, attracted the interest of the voracious Furness conglomorate, broadening their horizions as well as those of Nerissa. 

1929

As first reported by the Evening Mail on 5 January 1929, negotiations were well underway between Furness Withy and the Bowring Bros. re. acquisition of Red Cross Line. This was made known on the 12th when it was reported "negotiations have been carried through whereby the directors of the New York, Newfoundland and Halifax Steamship Company have sold the steamers Silvia, Nerissa and Rosalind, (known as the Red Cross Line) to the Bermuda and West Indies Steamship Company, (operated by Furness Withy and Company) subject to ratification by the shareholders of the Newfoundland company to be held in London." said Col. A. Montgomerie, manager of the Furness Withy office in Halifax. 

Furness Withy, of course, had maintained connections with Canada and Newfoundland since the 1880s and had added in 1925-26 the new steamers Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to their Liverpool service and the company had a history of buying out well established lines operating specific routes compatible to their existing ones.  It also permitted the considerable exchange of tonnage between the group, recently evidenced by the transfer of Digby from the Liverpool-Newfoundland/Nova Scotia run to the Bermuda & West Indies Co.'s New York-West Indies route as Dominica.  This pattern would only be enlarged upon with the acquisition of Red Cross Line.

Col. Montgomerie, on return to Halifax from meetings in New York, stated: "Immediately after the sale is ratified, the transfer will be made" and that Furness would act as agents for the former Red Cross Line services in New York and Halifax replacing Bowring Bros., and that Messrs. Marvey & Co. would continue as agents in St. John's.  The service would continue to be run under the name Red Cross Line.

The recent purchase of the Red Cross Line by the Furness Withy interests is another instance of the steady increase of the influence in world shipping of British marine interests in general and the great Furness organization in particular.

The Province, 27 February 1929.

On 6 February 1929 the shareholders of the New York, Halifax and Newfoundland Steamship Co. ratified the sale in London and Furness immediately took possession of Nerissa, Rosalind and Silvia, with the later making the first sailing from New York under the ownership on the 10th.  Nerissa and Silvia would continue to maintain the New York to Halifax and St. John's service but Rosalind would be used in the summer on a new service from St. John's to Montreal via Charlottetown.  Furness also announced a major promotional programme to increase tourism to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland from the U.S. market.  Capt. C.A. Armstrong, Passenger Traffic Manager for Furness, said that "his company is confident that the service can be developed into a very important passenger and cargo line." In all, Furness Withy now controlled 14 companies and owned collectively 117 vessels.

In addition, with the first sailing of Silvia for Furness, Red Cross' New York terminus would be moved from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to the much more convenient Furness Manhattan pier 74, North River. The service would be operated henceforth as "The Furness Red Cross Line." Silvia made first sailing on 9 February 1929 under Furness flag from Pier 46 foot of West 34th Street.

A rare photo of Silvia in Furness livery, the first Red Cross ship to be so attired and sail under the new colours and ownership. Credit: Mariners' Museum.

As an unwelcome holdover of the old Red Cross days, on 26 February 1929 Chief Justice Horwood in Admiralty court in St. John's gave judgement in favour of the French in the case involving the collision between Nerissa and the barquetine La Frailleuse the previous July.  Judge Horwood held that "Nerissa had violated the statutory regulations by proceeding at greater than moderate speed in foggy weather."  The claim of $100,000 was referred for adjudication.

Furness lost little time in making the most of their suddenly expanded fleet and henceforth Nerissa, Silvia and Rosalind would, as all other units of the combined fleet, be switched about on all of the group's passenger services from New York based on seasonal requirements and with bewildering frequency.

Freshly repainted in Furness livery and with her funnel cap removed, Nerissa sails from New York. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com

So it was that Nerissa, which arrived at New York from Halifax on 31 January 1929 for the last time under the historic Red Cross colours, went into Morse Dry Dock for her annual refit (following Rosalind) during which she lost the trademark Red Cross Admiralty cap to her funnel which was repainted in Furness funnel livery and she was registered in Hamilton, Bermuda, under the Bermuda & West Indies Steamship Co.

Immediately following the First World War, Furness Withy undertook a significant expansion of their New York based routes to encompass Bermuda and the West Indies. This began with the acquisition of the Quebec Steamship Co. dating from 1867 for which Furness had long been their New York agents and who maintained a regular service to Bermuda under mail contract since 1874 as well as a non subsidised route to the Windward and Leeward Islands, Venezuela, Demerera and Trinidad. In 1913 Canada Steamship Line gained control of the line whose operations were badly disrupted by the outbreak of war the following year.  Furness acquired the company in 1919 and the following year added the Trinidad Shipping and Trading Co. Ltd. with their three-ship fleet and, more importantly, significant trading interests in the islands including hotels, cold storage facilities, quarries and ship repair facilities.  As such, Trinidad would form the linchpin of Furness' West Indies operations going forward.  

In 1921 Furness' West Indies and Bermuda operations were consolidated into the newly formed Bermuda and West Indies Steamship Co. Although the New York-Bermuda run assumed primacy amid a tourist boom there occasioned by American prohibition catered to by a rapid development of Furness owned hotels and golf courses on the island, the West Indies passenger run, too, had obvious tourist potential offering a 28-day roundtrip from New York to St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Kitts, Monserrat, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia and Barbados to which Furness added Trinidad as the new terminus.  

Route map and distance chart for the Furness West Indies service, c. 1930. 

When Nerissa made her first voyage for Furness from New York on 14 February 1929, it was not on her familar Red Cross route to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, but to the West Indies on Furness Bermuda's "Trinidad Line."  So that almost immediately on adopting Furness livery, the ultimate Red Cross Newfoundland liner would find herself maintaining a tropical route of some 4,200 miles roundtrip and have as her running mate another Newfoundland stalwart, the 1913-built Digby, now plying the route as Dominica. 

Nerissa would make three roundtrips to the West Indies, joining Nova Scotia on the service during the peak winter season.   Sailing from Trinidad on 2 March, Nerissa returned to New York on the 9th. Her second cruise commenced on the 14th. Returned to New York on 4 April. Sailed 11th for St. Thomas and left St. Croix northbound on the 28th. Delayed at Antigua and did not reach St. Croix until the 29th

"In keeping with its policy, Furness plans are to develop  its latest addition with the view of making it as popular as its Furness-Bermuda and West Indies service which need no introduction to the traveling public," so Furness reminded that the Red Cross Newfoundland and Nova Scotia route would not neglected by the new owners. 

On 2 March 1929 Furness, announced that in May, Fort St. George, normally on the Bermuda service, would join Nerissa on the New York-Nova Scotia-Newfoundland run in summer with a sailing every Saturday northbound and from St. John's southbound, calling at Halifax. Silvia would replace Nerissa on the West Indies run whilst Rosalind would start a new service from Montreal to St. John's via Charlottetown, leaving every other Saturday.

The trim little Rosalind in Furness livery, sailing from New York.  She would inaugurate a new service between St. John's and the St. Lawrence in May 1929. Credit: eBay auction photo.

Nerissa's icebreaker bow and heavier scantlings and plating fore and aft for navigating in ice had little utility in the Caribbean nor they provide much protection against the coral reefs that were a feature of many an approach to and from West Indian ports.  On the homeward leg of her third and final Caribbean voyage that season, she grounded on a coral reef off Sandy Island on approach to St. John's, Antigua, on 28 April 1929. She came off unaided and was able to continue to New York where she arrived on 4 May, but had suffered hull damage.

On 8 May 1929 it was announced that Nerissa's planned sailing for Halifax on the 11th would be taken by Fort St. George to allow Nerissa to be drydocked to repair damage caused by her "striking a coral reef on her way up from the West Indies."   She was off the run for three weeks and there was no sailing from New York on 18 May and Silvia would make an additional trip on the departing 25 May before joining the West Indies service. 

The new combined Furness and Furness Red Cross schedule for early summer 1929. Credit: Newfoundland Weekly, 29 May 1929.

Putting Fort St. George on the Red Cross run for the summer, starting in June, had already been announced as part of Furness' considerable efforts to expand and develop the tourist aspects of the route.  New that season, too, would be putting up round voyagers in the Newfoundland Hotel during the layover in St. John's to break the journey and escape the noise and dust of the quayside.  That, too, was improved and Harvey's wharf was enlarged and the jetty at the at the western end of Pier 1 was built out in line with the eastern portion to greatly increased the wharfage for landing cargo. That summer, the New York to Nova Scotia/Newfoundland service was weekly and the new Montreal-Charlottetown-St. John's route fortnightly.

Silvia arrived at Halifax from St. John's on 3 June 1929 and left for New York the following day o her final voyage on the route for the summer season and, in another Furness "shuffle" would take up the West Indies run, and in turn, be replaced by the repaired Nerissa making her first voyage to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland  in Furness colours from New York on the 8th.

Commanded by Capt. William L. James, formerly master of Silvia, Nerissa returned to Halifax on 10 June 1929 after a six-month absence, with 132 passengers, 39 of whom disembarked there. Capt. James reported "a delightful run down from New York, there being a smooth sea and no fog." Not only did Furness swap ships but captains and Capt. H.C. Mitchell of Nerissa was now skipper of Silvia on the West Indies run.  Other officers serving aboard Nerissa included Chief Officer Charles Pope,  Second Officer P. Jackson, Third Officer B. Powell, Chief Engineer J.T. Lumsden, Second Engineer W. Davie, Third Engineer A. Pope, Chief Electrician C. Samuelson, Chief Steward Donald Robertson, Purser Ray Pushie and Assistant Purser J. Howley.  

Postcard showing Nerissa in the Narrows, St. John's. Credit: eBay auction photo. 

Nerissa came into Halifax with her seasonal running mate, Fort St. George, and the two also sailed together the following day, Fort St. George bound for New York and Nerissa for St. John's with 93 through passengers and a number of embarks from Halifax.  The two rendezoused at the port again on 25 June 1929 with Nerissa bound for St. John's with Capt. James W. Harrison, Marine Superintendent for Eastern Canada of Furness Withy; Sir Wilfred and Lady Grenfell, Lady Cashin and her son, M.P. Cashin and Sir Joseph Outerbridge among those aboard. 

Business was brisk that summer and when Nerissa docked at St. John's on 10 July 1929, she had 69 passengers from New York and another 45 from Halifax, 11,000 barrels of general cargo and 16 new motorcars for various local dealers. 

Credit: Evening Mail, 6 August 1929.

When Nerissa sailed from Halifax  on 6 August 1929 for St. John's she had aboard Col. A. Montgomerie, Eastern Canada Manager of Furness, and Mrs. Montgomerie, and Henry C. Blackiston, Resident Director of Furness in United States, and Mrs. Blackiston, who had embarked in New York, for an inspection trip to Newfoundland.   

Part of the new promotional advertising under the new Furness ownership. Credit: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 4 August 1929. 

One innovation late in the season, as announced in early August, was the provision of a cruise director aboard Fort St. George and Nerissa to enhance the experience of those making the full roundtrip as a cruise. 

Credit: Newfoundland Quarterly, October 1929.

On her final arrival for the season, Nerissa came into Halifax from New York on 28 October 1929.  On her return trip, Halifax's first real snow of the season, found the liner fighting her way through the storm and was many hours overdue, coming in on 19 November at noon. If the snow was not enough, Capt. A.L. James, on arrival at New York on the 22nd, told reporters the ship had experienced "two minutes of severe earthquake shocks Monday [18th] afternoon, 13 miles off the Nova Scotia coast, Captain James said, and it was not until the reached Halifax that he knew what had happened. He was in his cabin, he said, and his first impression was that the ship had gone full speed astern to avoid a collision. He rushed to the bridge, but the first officer also was bewildered. The ship was examined and the holds tested, but nothing was wrong. The sea was calm, Captain James said, and the only explanation he could see, until he reached Halifax, was that there had been a land swell and the ship's propeller had been racing." (Winnipeg Tribune, 22 November 1929).  Capt. James added that the tide on arrival at Halifax was the highest he had ever seen. 

On 14 November 1929 it was announced that Silvia would resume the New York-Halifax-St. John's run, replacing Fort St. George which would revert to the Bermuda service and would pair with Nerissa in maintaining a weekly service from New York until 5 December when Rosalind would replace Nerissa which, in turn, would go on the West Indies Service.  

1930

On her first voyage back on the West Indies run, Nerissa left New York on 12 December 1929, arriving at St. Croix on the 17th.

When Nerissa called at Frederiksted, St. Croix on 14 January 1930, the St. Croix Avis reported that "a large number of tourists who are travelling for the winter season visited Christiansted and were delighted with the splendid climate."

On their return trip from South on the S/s Nerissa Captain Waldo E Evans, U. S. N.. Governor of the Virgin Islands of the United States of America and the St. Thomas Naval Band landed here while the "Nerissa" was in port on the morning of Friday, the 21st instant. Whilst ashore Governor Evans was the guest His Honour the Administrator and the Band played a few selctions in "Peebles Park" to a fairly large crowd of people who undoubtedly appreciated the music. At the conclusion of the British and American National Anthems three hearty cheers were given for Band master Adam and his men. 

Dominica Tribune, 29 March 1930

Credit: Newfoundland Weekly, 30 May 1930.

At the end of March, Furness finalised their summer schedule for their Newfoundland services. Nerissa would relieve Rosalind on the New York run on 3 May 1930 on which date the latter would resume her St. John's to Montreal via Prince Edward Island sailing and on 5 June, Fort St. George would join Nerissa from New York until 4 October. This would give two calls at week at St. John's, one each from New York and Montreal.

On her final voyage for that winter-spring season, Nerissa sailed from St. Croix at 4:00 p.m. on 18 April, carrying a large cargo of sugar.

Making her first call of the season, Nerissa docked at Halifax on 19 May 1930 from New York as did Silvia from St. John's, both reporting delightful weather on their respective passages.  She was now commanded by Capt. L.F. Banyard.  Weather conditions were not nearly so favourable and when Nerissa came into Halifax from New York on 2 June she reported battling a heavy southwest gale all the way up. The same storm delayed the arrival of Silvia from St. John's until 3:30 p.m. Nerissa landed 19 at Halifax and had 57 for St. John's.  

Credit: National Post, 12 June 1930.

Among those sailing from St. John's in Nerissa on 28 June 1930 were 32 Newfoundlanders bound for New York to join Fort St. George as crew members in time for her 5 July departure for Halifax.  There would also be a change of commanders with Capt. Banyard leaving Nerissa for Fort St. George and replaced by Capt. W.L. James.

TELEGRAM FROM MESSRS. FURNESS WITHY & Co. LTD.. 19th September, 1930. "We are inauguarating fast service New York, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Barbados, Trinidad and returning same parts beginning Fort St. George sailing New York November Ist and every three weeks thereafter. Nerissa November 8th and every three weeks thereafter return sailings from Barbados November 12th, November, 19th. Trinidad Line Steamers will call islands St. Kitts to St. Lucia thence regular schedue Grenada to Demerara notify all concerned".

Furness' acquisition of Red Cross Line, even if done during the still flush Roaring Twenties and before the "Crash" and subsequent Depression, was well timed to take advantage of a sudden void in the New York to West Indies services.  In the wake of the shocking foundering of their Vestris in November 1928 off Cape Hatteras en route from New York to the River Plate, Lamport & Holt were compelled by bad publicity to abandon the run entirely by September 1930 which also served Barbados and Trinidad. Now, Furness could tap that traffic all on their own and increased their sailings on the route with Nerissa and Dominica offering a fortnightly frequency of 21-day round voyages from New York calling at St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Kitts, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados and Trinidad.

Nerissa's final voyage to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland for the season left New York on 18 October 1930. At Halifax, there was another transfer of captains when Capt. Bayard left Fort St. George to rejoin Nerissa and Capt. James took Fort St. George to New York.

Instead of departing on 6 November 1930 for the West Indies, Nerissa (Capt. Andrew Y. Drysdale) left New York on the 15th and arrived at St. Croix on the 20th and the following day at St. Thomas.  She came in with 88 passengers, 82 in transit, 959 tons of cargo and 24 bags of mail and discharged 36 tons before heading south at noon. On another typical southbound  arrival at St. Thomas, Nerissa  had 173 passengers (168 in transit and five landing there) and 640 tons of cargo when she docked on 11 December  and dropped off 15 tons of cargo and 25 bags of mail before she sailed later that day for St. Croix, Barbados and Trinidad. Northbound, for example, Nerissa came into St. Thomas from Trinidad and Barbados on 29 November with 300 tons of cargo and 48 passengers, landing two tons of cargo and eight mail bags there before sailing for St. Croix and New York.

Credit: Philadelphia Inquirer, 4 January 1931.

Nerissa sailing from New York in 1931. Credit: tugster, a water blog.

1931

Now commanded by Capt. Leslie F. Banyard, Nerissa docked at St. Thomas on 22 January 1931 with a heavy cargo for the islands of 1,084 tons and 102 passengers, 95 in transit.

Cover to the 1931 Furness West Indies schedule. Credit: eBay auction photo.

With her third captain for the season (Capt. Stanley F. Burns) and on her final departure for her West Indies season, Nerissa left New York on 8 April 1931.  When she arrived at St. Thomas on the 13th, she had 109 passengers, 105 in transit and  four to land there, 503 tons of cargo of which 45 tons were discharged there before continuing south.  Northbound, Nerissa called at St. Thomas on the 24 from St. Croix and the south with 160 passengers, 146 in transit, 1,084 tons of cargo and 18 bags of mail, the latter all for that port.  She returned to New York on 29th.

Credit: Evening Telegram, 4 May 1931.

For the 1931 summer season, Fort St. George and Nerissa were back on the New York-Halifax-St. John's run, and Silvia joined Rosalind (which had been refitted with a new lounge and smoking room) on the Montreal-St. John's via Charlottetown service which was available to New York passengers via a connection at St. John's.

Nerissa sailed from New York on 2 May 1931 for Halifax and St. John's, arriving Halifax on the 4th with Rosalind, from St. John's.  One of  those landing from Nerissa was Capt. J.T. Carmichael, formerly in command of Dominica and other Furness liners, en route to Pictou. Nerissa came into St. John's on the 7th with 16,000 barrels of cargo including 29 new motorcars and 63 passengers. She sailed for Halifax on the 9th.

Credit: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 5 July 1931.

With the largest compliment of passengers so far that season, Nerissa docked at Halifax on 29 June 1931 with 148 aboard, 35 to land there. In August, Furness could report record bookings for most of their services, almost unique for the time as the Depression began to really bite and their shorter, more local services, finding new favour.   There were 155 passengers aboard Nerissa including 86 making the roundtrip when arrived at St. John's on 23 July and 156 aboard for her 20 August arrival with 101 roundtrippers, including Mrs. Clarence Chamberlin, wife of the famous aviator.

A steward aboard Nerissa was taken into custody by U.S. Federal authorities when customs officials seized 5,000 books of tickets for the Army and Navy Veterans Sweepstakes hidden in a linen closet.  The steward had tried to sell a ticket to an undercover custom's agent when the ship arrived at New York on 10 September 1931 which led to the revealing of the cache. 

Making her final trip from Canada and Newfoundland that season, Nerissa left St. John's on 31 October 1931 at 3:00 p.m. for Halifax and New York. Upon arrival there on 5 November, she would be laid up until her first sailing for the West Indies on 12 December.  She sailed from Brooklyn, foot of Sedgwick St., at noon, just avoiding the worst of a heavy blanket of fog which had earlier enveloped the Port of New York and delayed the incoming New York and City of Chattanooga.

Cover for Furness' 1932 West Indies schedule. Credit: eBay auction photo.

1932

Nerissa's, commanded by Capt. L.B. Banyard that season, passenger carryings that winter dipped from that of the previous year as the Depression began to bite.  She had 101 passengers, 93 in transit and 605 tons of cargo when she arrived at St. Thomas from New York on 14 January 1932. Northbound, she came into port on the 27th with  59 passengers and 46 in transit.  

For the 1932 winter season, Furness Bermuda moved their New York terminal for "The Trinidad Line" from Sedgeick Street Brooklyn to Pier 74 North River effective 3 February so that henceforth all of their New York operations were concentrated at the same pier. 

Credit: Pittsburgh Press, 29 May 1932.

Ending a very uneventual West Indies season, Nerissa arrived at New York on 23 April 1932.  After a week "off" to dismantle her wood and canvas swimming pool and take down her sun awnings, the Trindidad Line mainstay resumed her original Red Cross Line duties, departing on the 30th for  Halifax and St. John's.

Credit: Montreal Star, 3 May 1932

It would be an eventful return north for on 3 May 1932 Nerissa, with 122 passengers, outbound for St. John's, went around on George's island, Halifax, in heavy fog after midnight.  She was refloated by tugs at high tide at 7:05 a.m.  after seven hours, undamaged, sailed at noon after an inspection.

Nerissa had a good list of 159 passengers aboard when she cleared Halifax at 9:00 a.m. on 13 June 1932 and called, for the first time en route, at St. Pierre, before arriving at St. John's on the 16th. 

Depression era price cutting even over Labor Day. Credit: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 14 August 1932

Labor Day 1932 saw a busy weekend for Furness with 700 sailing from New York on 3 September for Bermuda in Monarch of Bermuda and 150 aboard Nerissa for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.   But reflective of hard times, Furness slashed the fares for the 27 August sailing of Fort St. George and that for Nerissa from $100 min to $75 in mid August to fill unsold berths. 

Concluding her Canadian season, Nerissa arrived at New York Pier 74 from Halifax and St. John's on 15 September 1932. 

Nerissa ( Capt. Andrew Y. Drysdale) sailed from New York on 21 September  1932 for the West Indies and arrived at St. Thomas on the 26th, having diverted southwest of the island to escape the worst of a fierce tropical storm which lashed the island with 90 mph winds. 

Credit: Wilkes Barre Times Leader, 7 February 1933.

1933

Making her first arrival in the West Indies in the New Year, Nerissa arrived at St. Thomas on 23 January 1933 with a good list of 144 passengers (four landing there) and 610 of southbound cargo. 

Credit: Daily News, 5 February 1933.

Among those sailing in Nerissa for the West Indies on 15 February 1933 was an expedition party "to obtain material in isolated and unexplored parts of South America parts for a new series of Fitzpatrick Traveltalks. Territory to be covered includes the Boschnagel country on the Brazilian border, rumored to be a stronghold of headhunters." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 16 February 1933). 

Business on the West Indies run was indeed better than that on the Canadian run and when Nerissa docked at St. Thomas on 20 March 1933 from New York, she had 139 passengers and 734 tons of cargo, landing 12 passengers and a small amount of cargo and one mail bag before proceeding south. 

Credit: Gazette, 6 April 1933

Confidence in the prospects of passenger transportation between Montreal, St. John's, Nfld., Halifax and New York have induced Furness, Withy and Company, Limited, to place the S.S. Fort St. George and Nerissa on the St. Lawrence route this season.

Gazette, 6 April 1933

In a major expansion of their Canadian presence for the coming season, Furness programmed Nerissa and Fort St. George to extend their summer voyages into the St. Lawrence with Nerissa to make her maiden Montreal arrival on 29 June 1933 and sailing two days later for Charlottetown, PEI, St. Pierre, St. John's, Halifax and New York followed by Fort St. George on 13 July.  Nerissa would make four sailings in all on the route with additional Montreal departures on 1, 29 July, 26 August and 23 September. Furness' Manager J.W. Nicoll, told reporters that "Considerable interest in short summer cruises has been shown on both sides of the Atlantic, and large number of steamer are now engaged in this form of transportation in response to a definite demand. "

Route map and schedule for the expanded Canadian programme for mid summer 1933 for Nerissa and Fort St. George. Credit: eBay auction photo.

Credit: National Post, 10 June 1933.

Nerissa's West Indies season was her longest yet and she sailed from New York on 14 June 1933, arriving at St. Thomas on the 19th along with Silvia up from the south, and Haiti. Among the passengers landing there were two resident students attending Howard University, Washington, DC, returning for summer vacation.  Nerissa left Barbados on 30 June for New York on last voyage of season and reported very heavy weather catching the tail end of a hurricane which lashed Jamaica when  she and the Dutch liner Van Rensselaer arrived at Port of Spain. 

Credit: Brooklyn Eagle, 2 July 1933.

Nerissa arrived for the last time that season from St. Croix on 3 July 1933 and the service was left in the hands of Silvia.

 

On 15 July 1933, Nerissa ((Capt. W.L. James, normally in command of Rosalind) was finally off on her first voyage for the summer season which called  at Halifax (18), St. Johns (20-22), Montreal (29), Charlottetown (31), St. John's (3 August) and back to New York via Halifax. The 22nd of July was a banner and busy day for St. John's and Furness Withy with three of their steamers in port that day: Newfoundland, en route from Boston to Liverpool, Nerissa, bound from New York to Montreal, and Fort St. George, going from Montreal to New York.   Of Nerissa's 128 passengers, 36 transferred to Fort St. George to return to New York and 18 transferred from Fort St. George to Nerissa. 

If things were not busy enough, there was time for a race between the lifeboat crews of the visiting British cruiser HMS Norfolk and Nerissa's all conquering crew.  Her mostly "Newfie" crew were superb oarsmen and had already beaten the teams from Fort St. George, Silvia and the Newfoundland Hotel the previous year and beat Norfolk as well.

By late June with Nerissa and Fort  St. George replacing Dominica and Rosalind on the New York-Montreal run in the peak season, Halifax would see one in port each week.  It was a boom period for the port as shorter cruises from New York to the St. Lawrence, Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland flourished. Over Labor Day alone, Aquitania, Transylvania, Caledonia and Milwaukee called at the Nova Scotian port. 

Making her maiden arrival at port, Nerissa came into Montreal on 27 July 1933 with 99 passengers, many making the roundtrip 26-day cruise, returning via the same ports.  Among those disembarking at the port were A.W. Snell, assistant manager of Furness, Withy & Co., accompanied by his family.

Another busy day for St. John's and another rendezvous of Nerissa and Fort St. George ensued on 5 August 1933 with the arrival and departure of the two ships, Nerissa for Halifax and New York at 3:00 p.m. and Fort St. George for Charlottetown, Quebec and Montreal at 3:38 p.m.

Furness Red Cross schedule for late summer 1933 showing Nerissa's planned 9 September sailing that was cancelled at the last minute. Credit: Daily News, 19 August 1933. 

Nerissa sailed from New York on 12 August 1933 on her second extended Canadian and Newfoundland voyage and arrived at St. John's on the 17th via Halifax and St. Pierre with just 13 from New York, 16 from Halifax, one from St. Pierre and 27 cruise passengers. She arrived at Montreal on the 25th. In the last such encounter, Nerissa, from Montreal; Fort St. George from New York and Halifax; and Nova Scotia shared the port of St. John's on 2 September 1933. Nerissa and Fort St. George having arrived the previous day and Nova Scotia coming in from Halifax on that day. But Nerissa's passenger loads for the return trip were not much better with 22 full cruise passengers and 15 landing at St. John's and embarking 21 for New York, six for Halifax and one for St. Pierre upon at 3:30 p.m. that day. She docked at  New York, Pier 74 on the 7th. 

In a surprise announcement on 8 September 1933, Furness cancelled Nerissa's planned last scheduled sailing from New York for the next day for Canada and that for Fort St. George.  Both would be replaced by the smaller Rosalind and Dominica and this was clearly due to poor post Labor Day bookings.  The Depression had finally come to Furness Withy's U.S. operations and the company which had so thrived on Prohibition was doubtless effected by its repeal earlier that year as well and there was considerably more competition in the summer cruise trade to Canada and with larger, more luxurious ships. 

There was less competition on the West Indies route especially with the withdrawal of the calls by Lamport & Holt en route to the River Plate from New York, a service which Furness, too, effectively replaced with their four new "Four Compasses" quartet of motorships introduced in 1929. So it was that Neressa, specifically built for the Newfoundland/Nova Scotia trade would now spend the rest of her commercial career running to the West Indies.  Despite not being designed for the trade and her lack of a modern forced-draught ventilation system did not endear her during the summer months, Nerissa proved a popular and familiar friend in Windward and Leeward Islands, both with local travel (including deck passenger on short inter-island segments) and full cruise passengers.  Furness saturated the American and Canadian newspaper market with advertising and in particular, planted "articles" extolling "the West Indies in all their unspoiled beauty" on a roundtrip of 4,000 miles and calling at as many as 14 ports for a min. price of $135.

Credit: Wilkes-Barre Leader, 13 October 1933. 

Nerissa (Capt. Andrew Y. Drysdale) sailed on 11 October 1933 for St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Kitts, Antigua, Monserrat, Point-a-Pitre, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad, Georgetown, Grenada and St. Vincent.  Arrived at St. Croix on the 16th, prompting the St. Croix Avis to observe: "The S.S. Nerissa from New York arrived at Frederiksted yesterday afternoon. Tourists from the States motored around the country and visited Christiansted. 'It would be fine to have these pleasure seekers taking in during their visits well laid parks with attractive scenes all around,' whispered a prominent citizen." She had 16 tons of cargo and 14 passengers to land at St. Thomas on her call there the following day. 

Among Nerissa's southbound passengers in November 1933 were 25 Nebraska mules, bound for Georgetown British Guiana, and here enjoying a spot of lunch during the call in Guadaloupe. Credit: Estus H. Magoon Collection, University of Miami Libraries. 

1934

Nerissa, now a fulltime West Indies ship going forward, started the New Year by sailing from New York on 3 January 1934 for the islands.  One of her passengers for the overnight run from St. Thomas to St. Croix (arriving 8th) was Lt. Governor L.W. Cramer. 

Back when "going abroad" got your picture in the local paper. Miss Caroline Moffitt off to the West Indies in Nerissa.  Credit: Harrisburg Telegraph, 4 January 1934.

Furness had a large market in Pennsylvania, including these Reading residents off on Nerissa for the full cruise. Credit: Reading Times, 2 February 1934. 

Typical of the era, the comings and goings of mailships brought more than just passengers, cargo and the post but personal perspectives of other places. On 18 July 1934, the St. Croix Avis wrote: "A number of people left St. Croix for the States on the last trip [11 June] of the Nerissa. Some persons have gone in quest of their health while others say they have in search of jobs. As far as we have heard from some people recently from the States, all is not well yet up there in the line of work for there is yet a number of people walking the streets hunting jobs. President Roosevelt is still working hard for better times in the United States and possessions. The small Virgin Islands have been remembered."

Sailing list for summer 1934 showing Nerissa joined by Dominica, briefly back in the fleet. Credit: Dominica Tribune, 7 July 1934. 

Intended to hold down the West Indies service on her own that summer, Nerissa got an unexpected but familiar running mate when Dominica, having been sold to Turkish owners who defaulted on payment, was suddenly back in the fleet and joined Nerissa to undertake sailings from New York on 6 and 19 July, 2, 15 and 30 August 1934.

Nerissa's most famous passenger in 1934 was a rare six-foot-long bushmaster snake from British Guiana bound for the Bronx Zoo. Credit: Pittsburgh Press, 7 September 1934. 

Among those sailing in Nerissa from New York on 16 August 1934 was Dr. Raymond L. Ditmars, curator of the New York Zoological Gardens, Bronx, bound for British Guiana "to resume his thus far futile search for the Bushmaster, rare South American reptile, in the wilds of the Mazaruni River." (Daily News, 13 August 1934).  This time he was successful and captured one of the poisonous snakes (among the most deadly in the world) on the Cruze oil plantation in Trinidad and sailed home in Nerissa from Port of Spain on 5 September with the 6 ft long reptile together with twenty cases of reptiles, turtles, scorpions, frogs, land crabs and fertile ants.  The Calgary Herald reported that "the entire party was overjoyed at the capture of the bushmaster, and passengers on the Nerissa were constantly crowding around the box containing the reptile, which was kept in the forward hold of the ship." They were all safely landed at Pier 74 on the 10th. 

She would not be a West Indies mailboat without northbound cargoes of rum. On 5 November 1934, Nerissa was dispatched from St. Thomas with 500 cases of "Old St. Croix" brand rum from the local A.H. Ruse distillery. Lt. Governor and Mrs. Cramer of St. Thomas were among those disembarking there from New York aboard Nerissa on 8 December after home leave stateside. 

Furness Withy's agents in St. John's, Harvey & Co., announced on 21 December 1934 that the company had ordered the construction of two ships for the Furness Red Cross service.  With the redeployment of Nerissa to the West Indies permanently, the service was being maintained in the off season by Dominica only with Fort St. George and Rosalind on the route in summer.  

The now decidely elderly Silvia left New York on 19 December 1934 on her final voyage to the West Indies and Fort St. George would be partnered with Nerissa for the 1935 winter season.

Winter 1935 sailing list showing Fort St. George joining, for the last time, Nerissa on the West Indies service that season. Credit: Dominica Tribune, 25 January 1935.

1935

Heavy fog enveloped the Port of New York on 26 February 1935 delaying the arrival of Santa Paula, Santa Lucia, Caracas, Oriente and Nerissa with visibility down to a few hundred feet. 

Credit: Daily Times, 21 March 1935. 

As reported by the Afro American on 12 January 1935, Miss Marion Wedderburn, New York, filed a $50,000 suit against Furness Withy claiming that she had been nearly drowned when ship's officers covered the vessel's swimming with canvas whilst she was using it during a call at St. Croix on 9 July 1934.  Embarking at Barbados for New York, "Mrs. Wedderburn contends she purchased a second class ticket at Barbados which entitled her to the privilege of the swimming pool. She claimed that she was virtually imprisoned in the pool by the canvas cover and only saved herself from drowning by her knowledge of swimming."

Credit: Daily Argus, 28 May 1935.

The 1909-built Silvia was withdrawn that year  and the sale of Fort St. George was announced on 20 July and made her final from St. John's on 17 August to New York.  There would be no dividend paid that year as announced in the Annual Meeting in August and Furness were trimming their sails as well as finally investing in new tonnage for the Red Cross Line although with a view to employing one of the new sisters on the West Indies trade in winter and partner with Nerissa, soon to be the last of the original Red Cross ships still in service. 

Even in late summer, the West Indies run did reasonably well traffic-wise.  There were 190 aboard when Nerissa cleared St. Thomas for New York on 16 August 1935 and 259 barrels of Virgin Island Bay Rum aboard and 135 fares when she returned to the island, southbound, on the 27th.  Many were students returning to the States at the beginning of term. St. Thomas tourist shops did a roaring trade on 11 September  when Rotterdam, on a cruise for National Tours, called at the island with 623 passengers as did Nerissa with 150 aboard. Under the command of Capt. John F. Dunnett. Nerissa arrived at St. Thomas on the 24th with 143 passengers, of whom 18 landed there before proceeding to St. Croix and the Windward Islands. 

Photo postcard of Nerissa. Credit: eBay auction photo. 

The Ditmars were aboard Nerissa again for another rare animal safari in Trinidad and returned in the ship on 14 October 1935 with four leaf-nosed bats among seven other rare species. 

Congressman Arthur Mitchell (D-IL), then the only Negro member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was among those landing at St. Thomas from Nerissa on 22 October 1935, on a vacation visit to the island, as guest of Governor Lawrence Cramer. He sailed back in Nerissa on 23 November. 

Winter 1936 schedule showing Nova Scotia back on the West Indies run for the winter season with the sale of Fort St. George. Credit: Dominica Tribune, 14 December 1935. 

On 19 December 1935 Furness announced their winter 1936 schedule for Nerissa and Nova Scotia, the latter making her first seasonable appearance on the West Indies run in some years.  Nerissa's departures from New York would be 18 January, 12 February and 7 March and Nova Scotia on 8 January, 1 and 26 February.  Nova Scotia would fill-in for Dominica which had been recently sold to United Baltic Corp. after 23 years with Furness and also the retired Fort St. George. 

The regular callers to St. Thomas, Nerissa and Scanpenn, were joined there on Christmas Eve by Statendam and Kungsholm on cruises with some 1,400 passengers between them. 

White dress uniforms and sun awnings... the captain and his officers of the West Indian mailship Nerissa pose for a photo, date unknown.  With the loss of Bermuda and the sale of Dominica, Nerissa was the last of the Bermuda & West Indies ships registered in Hamilton, Bermuda by 1936. Credit: www.maritimequest.com

1936

Today is as usual the big sailing day of the week, with 16 ships leaving for European, West Indies and South American ports.

One of the most attractive sounding voyages of the day is the departure od the Nerissa, of the Furness line, for the Windward and Leeward Islands. Just where they are we don't know, but being somewhat nautically minded after spending so much time along the waterfront we think they sound like just the place for a ship news man to visit.

A Line on Liners, Tim Gullette, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 18 January 1936

Nerissa sailed 18 January 1936 at noon for St. Thomas (23), St. Croix (23), St. Maarten and St. Kitts (24), Antigua and Dominica (25), Martinique and St. Lucia (26), Barbados (27), Trinidad (28), Grenada and St. Vincent (30). 

After her 1 February 1936 sailing from New York to Halifax and St. John's, Rosalind was withdrawn from service and replaced by the first of the new sisters, Fort Amherst, which arrived at Halifax from the builders on the 10th. 

On 17 February 1936, Nerissa arrived at St. Thomas with a heavy list of 179 passengers, landing nine there and proceeding to St. Croix later that day. One traveller, Lawrence Hogan, 25, was without ticket and the stowaway was taken into custody and would be returned to New York aboard Nova Scotia on her next trip north.

Credit: Virgin Island Daily News, 26 March 1936.

Nerissa's call at St. Thomas on 25 March 1936 was considerably enlivened by a freak accident on the quayside:

The accident happened when Richard Blyden, operator of the truck, parked it a few feet away from a coal heap, and left to seek some information from Sergeant Turner. On his way to the policeman he asked [Alfredo] Moses to start the motor. Moses turned over the motor not knowing the car to be in gear, and a thrill of his life. The truck broke loose, and headed at high speed in the direction of the ship and sea, sweeping all before it. It soon collided with the steamer, making a noticeable dent in the ship's hull, and as there was room between the ship and the wharf, dived headlong into the deep water. Luckily no one was carried overboard.

Truck No. 243 of 150 Garage plunged into the side of the passenger liner Nerissa and into the sea yesterday, 12:30 p.m., at W.I. Co. Dock when one Alfredo Moses cranked the machine. All baggages and other articles were carried along. One Clarita Dalmyda received injuries which were treated at the hospital and goods of tradesman Joseph Samuel were carried away. 

Divers went down and brought up articles that had sunk to the bottom. Trunks and other baggages that floated were gathered but not before the contents were drenched. The baggages belonging to the Ponds and some other people who boarded the ship to go to New York, and talking fluently of collecting for damages to valuables contained in their personal baggages.

Virgin Islands Daily News, 26 March 1936

Among those sailing from New York to the West Indies in Nerissa from New York in early April was Miss Gloria Hollister of the New York Zoological Society bound for Britsh Guiana "seeking hitherto unknown wildlife." Credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 6 April 1936.

The Antiguan Cricket Team, captained by Edgar Edwards, arrived at St. Thomas aboard Nerissa on 22 April 1936 to play a series of matches against local players. They sailed for home aboard Nerissa on 5 May.

A "combination cruise" was organised by Canadian National Steamships and Furness from Boston to Bermuda and the West Indies.  This started on 9 May 1936 aboard the CN liner Lady Drake and transferring in the BWI to Nerissa and returning to New York on the 25th via Martinique, the BWI and the USVI.  

Credit: Daily Argus, 27 May 1936.

With four ships calling at St. Thomas on 17 June 1936, Nerissa had to anchor in the roadstead and land her passengers by tender. Part of her outbound cargo for New York including several hundreds of cases of liquor from the local A.H. Riise Distillery. 

Credit: Daily Argus, 30 June 1936.

One of Nerissa's passengers sailing from New York in 6 October 1936 was American playwright Thornton Wilder (1897-1975) who relished ocean travel and credited the round voyage with starting him on four new projects. 

On arrival at Trinidad on 21 October 1936, Nerissa's officers told reporters of a tragic incident that occurred at distance when their radio officer received an urgent call for medical advice from J. Dodds, the radio officer of the northbound Roper & Co. cargo ship Stagpool (4,560 grt), for Montreal, who had taken seriously ill. Nerissa's doctor replied but on receiving the message, the radioman collapsed and died with his headphones on.  Dodds was buried at sea off St. Lucia.

The Furness Line's Nerissa was specially constucted for traffic through these waters. A trim craft, in tonnage and draft it was built to tread through these islands into ports that are legend in the early history of the Americas. There are wide decks for sports, dancing, excellent service and cuisine.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 28 June 1936

Shuffleboard game aboard Nerissa. 

There are several such cozy little ships and several lines that make this Lesser Antilles paradise, but for the mo¬ ment our recollection reverts to our trips aboard the tiny Nerissa of which we can speak in terms of seasickness and of lazy indifference, of endearment and of petulance, of eulogy and of censure, just as though she were an intimate member of our family, so well do we know her vices and virtues. We have called her an unholy roller in a high sea, and again an angelic cradle as we dozed for days in our deck chair, half rousing to watch a school of porpoises describing graceful movements in and out of the sea, or countless flying fish disporting themselves for the most part like skipping stones over the water’s surface. One night we blew out a cylinder head; immediately the ship’s doctor got out his fishing tackle, causing some passengers to suspect that he was at the bottom of the mishap just to furnish a fisherman’s holiday. A lady passenger in the next cabin, who had risen in alarm when she found the ship had stopped, went back to slumber in peace when told by a smarty that we were ahead of our schedule and had paused for an hour or two to get back on it again. Meanwhile, most of us spent part of the night on deck in our pajamas while the engine was being repaired, smoking, chatting and yarning. That’s the sort of houseboat she is and the kind of people she generally carries.

White Elephants in the Caribbean, Henry Albert Phillips, 1936

Nerissa alongside at St. Thomas, USVI. Credit: Danish Maritime Museum. 

1937

Nerissa began the New Year on the second day of 1937 by departing New York for the West Indies. But the big news on the route that year was the maiden voyage on it by the new Fort Townshend on 14 January, the first of three trips she would make during the peak winter season.  

Sailing schedule for winter 1937 showing the maiden voyages of the new Fort Townshend on the West Indies run during the peak season. Credit: Dominica Tribune, 2 January 1937.

The second of two new sisters built in 1936 for the Furness Red Cross service, Fort Townshend partnered with Nerissa on the West Indies route in winter 1937 and 1938. Credit: shipsnostalgia.

The Virgin Island Daily News of 26 August 1937 was in a lyrical mood describing Nerissa's call at St. Thomas that day:

When the Nerissa Gets In

Taxicabs do a Ben Hur act-- only with more noise. The dock looks like something from 'Dead End' and 'Stevedore', hashed. A fat black woman in blue, with a red beret, climbs the narrow gangplank sandwiched between two cargomen. The gang boss claps a few men on the shoulders, hips-- anywhere-- and prepares to clap the fat woman but she leaps over the rail with elephantine grace.

'This way, moddom,'-- 'Yes, sir', 'no sir,' and so forth. The stewards and stewardesses in the passageways. The Immigration and the Customs, the Agent and his clerks. 'Twenty-five cent' 'OK, yes, sir'. Trunks and valises; grips, little bags.

George Conrad on the upper deck with a nice, quiet little number. A sedate nun and some giggling girls. The British Consul, clerk peering and busy. Ask Miss Enid Baa who is the gentleman. Kleban looking for his family. Everybody looking for something. The runner for Bluebeards Castle getting boarders.

Taxi to town-- the Nerissa leaves at 1:30 p.m. today.

Nerissa, just in from Trinidad, shares the North River piers with Anchor Line's Caledonia (left) and Queen of Bermuda on 12 October 1937.  Credit: Mariners' Museum. 

A strike by 470 crew members on 10 November 1937 cancelled the planned sailing of Queen of Bermuda for Boston and Nerissa, scheduled to depart at 3:00 p.m. with 171 passengers for the West Indies, did not get away until 8:00 a.m. the following morning. 

The New York Age of 4 December 1937 reported a complaint lodged against Furness Withy by 14 benevolent societies of the City to the British Consul in New York citing "six specific instances of malpractice toward Negro passengers" who had recently sailed in Nerissa.  The complaint cited poor food, crowding six passengers in a small room 8x10, no sitting facilities in the cabins, reserving actual Second Class cabins for the crew and passengers given inferior accommodation." The consul cited local labour regulations sailing in West Indian waters and insufficient accommodation for both crew and second class. In response, a boycott was called against Furness and many Negro passengers preferred to travel to Boston to board the Lady ships of the Canadian National. 

The case was prompted by the experience on an April sailing by S.R. Juliet, a Spanish American War and World War One veteran, sailing from New York to St. Lucia being "ushered into a small, dark and musty aired room which crowded by three double-deck berths to share it with five other passengers. There wasn't even a bench to sit on. Only two could dress at a time and they had to sit on others in the lower rung of berths, he said, and all for approximately $10.80 a day."

Winter 1937-38 sailing list showing Fort Townshend again joining Nerissa on the West Indies that winter. Credit: Dominica Tribune. 

1938

Efforts to improve Nerissa's Second Class by West Indian benevolent associations for Negro travellers finally paid off. On 26 March 1938 the New York Age reported that 11 months of lobbying, which included six Congressmen and two Senators from New York and the United States Maritime Commission had resulted in Furness agreeing to improve the accommodation, food and service. 

When Nerissa arrived at St. Thomas on 14 July 1938, one of her crew, John Mill of Portsmouth, England, was landed ill and taken to hospital.  He passed away on 6  August and buried on the island the following day, "the coffin was covered with the British flag and many floral tributes." (Virgin Islands Daily News) with the British Consul and Furness Withy agent and staff attending. 

Dr. Raymond L. Ditmare, of the Bronx Zoo, was off again in Nerissa for Trinidad in August 1938 to collect a colony of parasol ants for an exhibit at the zoo.  

Heavy seas and winds delayed the arrival at St. Thomas of Nerissa from New York and she did not docked until 5:30 a.m. 27 September 1938, one day late.

A tugboat strike in New York on 15 October 1938 had the incoming Nieuw Amsterdam, New York and Excambion all dock unaided whilst Vulcania, Georgic and Santa Paula sailed without assistance. Nerissa was able to get away as well.

R.M.S. Nerissa.  Credit: www.merchant-navy.net, James Burrows

A wonderful collection of brochures and on board material from voyage to the West Indies aboard Nerissa in June 1939. Credit: eBay auction photos. 

1939

Other than docking, along with Scythia two hours late at New York on 14 February 1939, owing to a  ferocious wind and rain storm amid record high (62 deg.) temperature for the date, the year proved as uneventful and routine as any in Nerissa's career until, course, late that summer.

Nerissa sailed from New York on 16 August 1939 for St. Thomas (25), Barbados (26), Grenada (28), Dominica (30), Martinique (30), Antigua (31) and war was declared en route to New York where she arrived on 6 September. 

A unqiue accounting of being aboard Nerissa on a routine voyage to the West Indies when war broke out was published as a major feature in The Birmingham News, 1 October 1939. 

Mitchell Havemeyer, a recent Yale graduate and commercial artist and keen photographer, was aboard for Nerissa's round trip which spanned peace and war as well as 5,000 miles and his experiences were reported in a special feature by Willa Gray Martin in The Birmingham News, 1 October 1939, featuring some of his photos which had been developed during a six-day layover in Martinique ashore he arranged, but when war broke out, when forbidden to take film out of the colony, he concealed them in the lining of his hat.

On the quay I pushed through the jabbering natives, found a rowboat. It felt mighty good to see the Nerissa, which had sailed away six days before. And it felt a lot better to hear the windlass weigh anchor and dash to my stateroom and remove those precious films from the hat.

But there was a new tenseness in the air, and that night after hearing talk of Germany invading Poland, we were exposed to out first blackout.  

Throughout the ship bulbs had been removed and those that remain were covered with crepe paper hats of ironically cay colors. Curtains were fastened across the portholes.  No smoking was allowed on deck and when a small party tried singing to cheer themselves up they were told to be quiet.

Blackout notice posted aboard signed by the captain. 

On deck there wasn't a gleam of light anywhere. The lifeboats, now only silhouettes, loomed up sturdy and comforting. If we saw a deck chair and wondered who it was, we had to get up close to the person like a doctor looking down a patient's throat. In the dim and unbearably hot smoking room people huddled about the radio.

On Friday we reached St. Thomas. It was a brilliant day and most of the passengers voted for a swim. As we walked over the hill to the beach, I looked back at the red and black funnel and the white sides  of the ship gleaming under tropical sunlight. She looked so much at home there with the natives clustered about her, diving for pennies.

Less than two hours later our party pulled back over the hill and came in sight of the ship. But only her position and shape told us she was the Nerissa. The red funnel was now black and the white superstructure which glistened a short while ago was now black and gray. Even the glass over the portholes was being painted black on both sides. She looked like a wretched old lady in dusty shoes and a shawl.

Sandbags being hoisted aboard during the call at St. Thomas.

It was still a day and a half before war was to be declared. But early next morning I noticed a bustle of activity on the forward deck. Sailors had arrange a pully  system from the forward hatch up to the bridge. They were hoisting heavy bags of sugar and flour-- or at least that's how they were labelled. But I soon found out that the captain had been shopping the day before and had bought himself a few hundred nice fat sandbags. In a couple of hours they were neatly stacked about the bridge, the steering mechanism, and the radio transmitter. 

Nerissa's bridge protected by sandbags during the voyage back to New York.

 

Things again looked more serious when, instead of heading for New York, we set a course for Ireland. That afternoon we suddenly made a sharp V and changed our course again.

Boat and fire drills became something which nobody laughed at and nobody tried to avoid. Solemnly we would go to our boat stations, while the crew tested the hoses and swung the boats overside. These lifeboats, which usually have covers to protect them from rain and sun, were left uncovered, ready for instant use.

But now Chamberlain had issued his ultimatum. War was just a matter of hours.

Then sitting in the smoking room we heard a noble speech, the words of a tired old man, the British statesman who said it was his duty to declare that a state of war existed with Germany. England and France-- for the second time in the life of most of us-- were at war with Germany.

And we were on the ship of a nation at war.

That night we heard of the sinking of the Athenia. In the darkness the news flew from person to person. Everybody knew the German denial meant nothing. What did count was that the Athenia was an unarmed merchant ship. We now realized that Germany was to torpedo every British ship-- armed or otherwise.

We began to keep a sharper lookout, there was always a man in the crow's nest, another on the stern and a double watch on the bridge. The Admiralty in London had sent an order for the British merchant marine to make herself hard to find.

On board we gathered at the rails watching the seamen painting awy with diabolical haste, and wondered what lay ahead. That night the portholes were screwed down tightly. Since our ship was built as an icebreakers and no ventilation system, you can imagine how terribly hot and stuffy we got. Passengers who couldn't bribe their stewards to loosen the porthole an inch went up on deck and slept on steamer chairs and life rafts.

The next day we begin zig-zagging in earnest. Sometime we steamed due north, sometimes due west.

About 8 o'clock on Wednesday, Sep. 6, we saw the sun peeping over the New York skyline. 

Before the passengers were off the ship, scaffolds were swung out and the funnel, temporarily painted black, was being done over in battleship grey. 

I've had my first taste of war and it's enough for me.

But our good ship was just beginning. Three days later I watched the Nerissa set sail-- without passengers-- for an unknown destination.

Nerissa's next destination was not "unknown" and indeed her initial wartime routine was no different from peacetime.  She left New York 9 September 1939 for St. Thomas (14), St. Kitts (15), Monserrat (15)  Antigua (16), Martinique (17),  Barbados (18), Trinidad (19), St. Vincent (22) and home via the same ports, to return to New York 1 October. 

With a bulletin board warning that even matches may not be lit on deck at night, the Furness liner Nerissa sailed from W. 55th Street last night with eighty passengers for Bermuda.

Daily News, 7 October 1939

On 6 October 1939 Nerissa left New York for Bermuda with 80 passengers, "observing all the precautionary measures belligerent countries are demanding of their ships, including camouflage blackouts and sandbag barriers." (The Evening Sun, 7 October 1939).  Fort Amherst arrived same day from Halifax with 53 passengers.   When Queen of Bermuda and Monarch of Bermuda were requisitioned for war service, the essential link between New York and Bermuda still had to be maintained in some fashion. So it was arranged that it would added, outbound at least, to Nerrisa's itinerary.  Nerissa  called at Hamilton, Bermuda on the 10th, thence to St. Thomas (13th) and then her usual ports and arrived back at New York on the 30th. Nerissa made two more similar voyages 2-24 November 1939 and 1-24 December.

This episode is of special interest from two points of view. This is believed to be the first occasion, either in this war or the last, when Canadian soldiers have lost their lives by enemy action at sea while in transit to this country, although the number of troops transported must now approach 500,000. Moreover, the loss of the Nerissa occasioned the largest loss of life sustained by the Canadian Army in any single incident of this war to the present time…

The Loss of the S.S. Nerissa, Report Issued by Canadian Military Headquarters, London, 31 May 1941.

1940

Although there was no "Phony War" at sea, the inert quality of the Western Front from October 1939-April 1940 precluded additional requisitioning of merchantmen for war service and many routes continued along more or less pre-war lines, particularly those trading from still neutral counties.  So it was that Nerissa continued on her habitual New York-West Indies run well into the New Year, altered only by the outward call at Bermuda.

Nerissa undertook roundtrips from New York to Bermuda and the West Indies 1-23 January 1940, 27 January-19 February and 23 February-19 March, but her days in the warmth of the West Indies were numbered.

With the invasion of Denmark and Anglo-French landings in Norway in April 1940, the pace and scope of the war in West stepped up and with it the need for additional transports. When Furness' Newfoundland and Nova Scotia were requisitioned in spring 1940, there remained a need to maintain their Liverpool-Newfoundland/Nova Scotia service for essential mail, cargo and passengers. Consequently, two once familiar vessels to the Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland, the 1913-vintage former Furness liner Digby/Dominica, now trading as Baltrover of United Baltic Co., and Nerissa, would both renew their associations with the region when they were assigned to the route as replacements for Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and under Furness Warren Line management. 

But first, Nerissa would undertake two classic Red Cross Line voyages to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland from New York. Finally, pointing her icebreaker bow again to True North, she sailed from New York on 25 April 1940 and returned to Halifax on 27-28th and St. John's on the 29th before proceeding to Corner Brook (5 May), Halifax (6) and returning to New York  the 9th. This was followed by another round voyage from New York on 11 May, calling at Halifax (13-14), St. John's (15-16), Halifax (22) and back to New York on the 24th. 

On a voyage that would be her first to the country of her build since completion, Nerissa left New York on 8 June 1940, calling at Boston (9-10) and arriving at St. John's on the 12-13th where she loaded a cargo of fish and the proceeded to Halifax, reached on the 16th.  The Nova Scotian port was one of the great convoy assembly harbours and there Nerissa joined Convoy HX-52 (29 merchantmen and seven escorts including the AMC HMS Aurania). Nerissa served as Commodore ship for Vice Admiral GW Campbell.  The convoy sailed on the 21st and arrived at Liverpool on  6 July.  

Owing to her excellent accommodation, Nerissa was often designated as Commodore Ship for these convoys, steaming at the head of the columns of ships, proudly flying her white swallow tailed burgeee with the blue cross which designated her as such and with a senior (in rank and often as not in age and experience) flag officer in command together with a staff including signalmen whose duty it was to coordinate and shepheard  the rest of the merchantmen and their naval escorts. 

At Liverpool,  Nerissa was modified as an auxiliary transport with accommodation for 250 passengers  and was fitted with a 4-inch Breech Loading MK VII naval gun aft and a Bofors gun, with gun crews drawn from the Maritime Regiment of the Royal Artillery.  Much of her original passenger accommodation remained intact as on her duties on the Nova Scotia/Newfoundland run she would carry civilian as well as military passengers.

Nerissa left Liverpool on 21 July 1940 with Convoy OB.187 (41 merchantmen and two escorts)  for which she was Commodore Ship for Vice Admiral H.H. Smith and upon the dispersal of the convoy on the 25th, outside the Western Approached,  sailed independently for St. John's (3-8 August), embarking 190 recruits there,  and proceeded to Halifax.  She sailed with Convoy HX.65 (51 merchantmen and nine escorts) on 12 August 1940.  This convoy included 16 ships which joined at Sydney, NS, and Convoy BHX.65 up from Bermuda and was attacked by five U-boats off the Western Approaches, sinking eight ships and damaging three. Nerissa and the remaining vessels reached the Mersey safely on the 27th.

On her next crossing, Nerissa cleared the Mersey on 8 September 1940 with Convoy OB.210 (29 merchantmen and four escorts), again acting as Commodore Ship for Rear Admiral A.J. Davies) and after the convoy dispersed, she proceeded independently to St. John's (16) and Halifax, where she arrived on the 20th. Among those landing there were 34 evacuated  British children under the Children's Overseas Reception Board, whose final destination was British Columbia.   They were among a lucky group of 28 children who had originally to have sailed in City of Benares but detained when one was suspected of having chicken pox. They were detained for 24 hours and rebooked on Nerissa.  Four days later, City of Benares was torpedoed with the loss of 255 passengers, including 84 children.  Nerissa continued to Boston where she called on 22-23 and then returned to St. John's (26-27) and Halifax, arriving on the 29th. There, she joined Convoy HX.78 (32 merchantmen and 12 escorts) for home, sailing 4 October as Commodore Ship for Cmdr. V.P. Alleyne and arriving at Liverpool on the 18th.

Whilst lying alongside at Liverpool on 31 October 1940, Nerissa was superficially damaged by shrapnel from near misses during a Luftwaffe raid on the city.

Credit: Boston Globe, 16 November 1940.

Forming up with Convoy OB.238, Nerissa, Commodore Ship for Rear Admiral Sir E. Manner,  was one of the 25 merchantmen escorted by five Royal Navy vessel departing Liverpool on 2 November 1940 and when the escorts pealed off on the 5th, she proceeded independently for St. John's (11-12) and Halifax (14) before arriving at Boston on the 16th. On arrival there, The Boston Globe reported: "Its hull bearing marks of German bombs, the Furness liner Nerissa carrying 110 passengers, who told of two narrow escape and severe storm in the Irish Sea, docked at Mystic Wharf, Charlestown, this morning." Homewards, Nerissa touched at St. John's (26-27) and arrived at Halifax on 1 December to await an eastbound convoy. This was HX.94 (21 merchantmen and nine escorts) for which Nerissa was again the Commodore Ship (Capt. T.E. Coombs) which left on the 6th and reached the Mersey on the 22nd.

One of the two photos taken of Nerissa from an RAF Hudson by Sgt. Deryck McCuster on 30 April 1941, 80-100 miles south of Rockall, just hours before she was torpedoed. Credit: ssnerissa.com

1941

For 1941, Nerissa would sail independently, her 14-knot speed considered adequate (her coal-fired running mate Baltrover being good for 9 knots, continued to sail in convoys).  She left Liverpool on 3 January and called at Halifax (17-19) and Boston (20-21).  Calling outbound at Halifax on the 23-27th, she appears to have been diverted from Liverpool to Glasgow en route on the 31st, possibly with engine troubles, and arrived at the Tail of the Bank on 6 February. 

After repairs on the Clyde, Nerissa resumed service upon her departure from Liverpool 1 April 1941 to Halifax (14-21), St. John's  (23-24) and then return to Liverpool.  Upon her departure from St. John's on the 24th, Nerissa had 291 souls aboard:  

105 Merchant Navy crew members

16 Royal Canadian Navy (4 officers and 12 Ordinary Telegraphists)

108 Canadian Army personnel from logistics, artillery, medical, infantry, armoured, signals, engineers and provost (RCMP) units

5 Royal Navy (Including 2 DEMS gunners for assisting the crew in manning the 4-inch Breech Loading MK VII naval gun)

12 Royal Air Force - A Wing Commander and staff of 11 were returning to the UK after serving as Officer Commanding Troops (O.C. Troops) in various troopships

7 British Army - An officer of the 11th Hussars and 6 Royal Artillery Maritime Regiment gunners for manning the Bofors 40-mm anti-aircraft gun

14 Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) American pilots

4 Norwegian Army Air Service personnel who had completed training at the "Little Norway" base on Toronto Island, and were being transferred to air force headquarters in London

20 civilians

Her  cargo included 1,872 tons general, 574 tons of aluminium, 352 tons of artillery shells and 251 tons of motor trucks.

The last photograph taken of Nerissa just hours before she was torpedoed off the Irish Coast. Credit: http://ssnerissa.com/ 

Although many accounts state that Nerissa was part of Convoy HX-121 and had "strayed," there is no listing of her in any eastbound convoy in 1941 and the official report states "Nerissa was making an independent unescorted sailing. The only escort which she received was that afforded by a Coastal Command plane on the last two days of the voyage. (29 and 30 April). "

Whilst 120 miles out from Lough Foyle, Ireland, on 30 April 1941, Nerissa was struck at about 2232 hrs. by the first three torpedoes fired by U-552 (Korvettenkapitän Erich Topp).  The lights immediately went out and the evacuation of the ship, starting with the civilian women and children, began at once.  Of the ship's six boats on Boat Deck, nos. 5 and 6 were wrecked by the force of the explosion and no. 1 was filled and lowered, and no. 3 was just about to be lowered when a second torpedo struck.  The boat was upended and threw its occupants into the sea or onto no. 1 boat still alongside.  Nerissa began to sink very rapidly when a few minutes later, she was struck by the third torpedo which sent the vessel healing and upended boat no. 1 in the water. 

Four minutes after the first torpedo hit, Nerissa went down stern first.  The sea around her foaming grave was thronged by survivors and those who could made for rafts and the boats which had either been lowered or floated off when she went down: no. 1 (overturned), no. 5 (overturned), No. 6 (afloat but awash), no. 7 afloat and two other overturned, four Carley floats and two larger rafts. 

An error in the ship's position given out in the one S.O.S. message received, a good 15 miles off, tragically caused a good three hour delay in locating the survivors, many of whom perished  by exposure in the cold water. Spotted by Coastal Command aircraft, the V-class destroyer HMS Veteran, dispatched immediately from Londonderry, was on the scene by 0800 hrs and rescued those remaining survivors.  In all, just 84 were taken aboard and they were transferred at 1830 grs to HMS Kingcup and taken to Londonderry.  

In all, the 207 dead made Nerissa's sinking the third worst loss of any single vessel sunk by U-boats in the Western Approaches.

66 British Merchant Navy

15 Canadian Merchant Navy

10 Royal Canadian Navy

73 Canadian Army

4 Royal Navy

8 Royal Air Force

3 Norwegian Army Air Service

11 Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) American ferry pilots

17 civilian passengers (9 Canadian, 7 British and 1 Australian).

Capt. Gilbert Ratcliffe Watson (1882-1941)

Among those who perished was Nerissa's Master, Capt. Gilbert Ratcliffe Watson:

As they watched from the water, the Nerissa's skipper, Capt. Gilbert Watson, a First World War vet who'd been 'fished' - sunk - several times before, stood on the bow. He fired three flares into the air and yelled 'Good luck boys' as he went down with his ship.

 

article by Jack Cockrell, Times Colonist, 8 August 2001

Thus passed R.M.S. Nerissa, her gallant Captain and a great many of her officers, crew and passengers in yet one of many sacrifices made in the Battle of the Atlantic at its grim height.  With her went the last of the original Bowring Red Cross liners still under the Red Ensign although Fort Townshend and Fort Amherst would survive the war and resume the historic New York-Halifax and St. John's run which they maintained until 1952.  

R.M.S. Nerissa (1926-1941) as she should be remembered... sailing from St. John's, Newfoundland, passing Fort Amherst, Halifax-bound. 

Credit: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dr. Harry Roberts Collection.

Built by  Messrs. Wm. Hamilton & Co., Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow. no. 395 

Gross tonnage       5,583

Length: (o.a.)        350 ft. 8 ins.

              (b.p.)         349 ft. 6 ins. 

Beam:                     54 ft.

Machinery:            one four-cylinder (27", 45", 54", 54" dia) triple-expansion engine, 4,500 ihp, single                                 screw                                

Speed:                    15 knots service

                                15.5 knots trials

Passengers            163 First Class

                                66 Second Class

Officers & Crew   108 

Fiddler's Green, Volume Five, A History of the British Merchant Navy, Richard Woodman, 2010 

Furness Withy, 1891-1991, David Burrell, 1992

Merchant Ships of the World in Color, 1910-1929, Laurence Dunn, 1973

The Bowring Story,  David Keir, 1962

The Early History of the Bowring Brothers, Bowring Park Foundation (on line publication, no date)

The Fisheries and Resources of Newfoundland, The Mine of the Sea, Michael E. Condon, 1925

The Newfoundland fish boxes : a chronicle of the fishery, Harry Roberts 1982

Prohibition and St. Pierre, Andrieux, Jean-Pierre, 1983

White Elephants in the Caribbean, Henry Albert Phillips, 1936

Nautical Gazette

Newfoundland Quarterly

Shipbuilding & Shipping Record

Shipping Today and Yesterday

Starshell Spring 2018: Nerissa - the Forgotten War Grave by Bill Dziadyk, LCdr, RCN, ret'd 

The Shipping World

Afro American

Brooklyn Citizen

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn Times Union

Calgary Herald

Daily Argus

Daily News (NY)

Daily News (St. John's)

Daily Times

Dominica Tribune

Dundee Evening Telegraph

Evening Mail

Evening Public Ledger

Evening Telegram

Gazette

Glasgow Herald

Liverpool Journal of Commerce

Montreal Star

Morning Herald

National Post

The Newfoundlander

New York Age

Philadelphia Inquirer

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Pittsburgh Press

Port Glasgow Express

St. Croix Avis

Star Phoenix

The Sun

Wilkes Barre Times Leader

Virgin Island Daily News

www.biographi.ca

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/reports/military-headquarters-1940-1948/loss-of-the-ss-nerissa.html

https://www.cruiselinehistory.com/newfoundlands-red-cross-steamship-line/

http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/NERISSA-SS

https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/

www.heritage.nf.ca/

www.maritimequest.com

https://mayo.me/2022/06/25/world-war-2-victims-identified-in-mayo-after-81-years/

www.modelshipworld.com

http://ssnerissa.com/?q=location

www.shipsnostalgia.com

www.shippingtandy.com

Admiralty House and Communication Museum.

Danish Maritime Museum

Mariners Museum

Memorial University of Newfoundland Libraries and Special Collections

Royal Museums of Greenwich

University of Miami Libraries

Additions/Corrections/Contributions welcomed

contact the author at posted_at_sea@hotmail.com

© Peter C. Kohler