Queensland Steam Shipping Company

The Queensland Steam Shipping Company (QSS Co) was a shipping company of Australia from 1881 to 1887.[1]

History
House flag used by Queensland Steam Shipping Company

In 1881, the British India Steam Navigation Company was operating a regular mail steamer service from Brisbane to England via the Torres Strait and it wishes to provide coastal services to connect with the mail steamer. The Queensland Steam Shipping Company was formed by the British India Steam Navigation Company with Charles Parbury, James Burns and McIlwraith McEacharn & Company with headquarters in Brisbane. The company was registered in London in August 1881.[2][3]

Initially the company offers a service from Brisbane to Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, Port Douglas and Cooktown.[4] In September 1882, the company spent £25,000 to purchase the Tasmanian Wharf in Sydney to extend their services to Sydney.[5] Later the company extended their services to Normanton, Burketown, Thursday Island and New Guinea.

On 30 May 1884, two of the company's ships, the Archer and Taldora collided in Moreton Bay. Although it was a serious collision, fortunately there were no deaths or serious injuries.[6] The Marine Board inquiry censured Captain Lowries of the Archer for making in error of judgement in navigation.[7]

The shipping company was amalgamated with the Australasian Steam Navigation Company with their respective vessels in 1887 to form the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company.[8]

Ships

The company's first ship was the SS Gunga (189 tons net).[4][9]

Later ships were:

  • SS Corea (606 tons gross, 382 tons net, built 1883)[2][9]
  • SS Archer (694 tons gross, 440 tons net, built 1883)[2][9][10][11]
  • SS Polly (194 tons gross, 89 tons net, built 1883)[2][9]
  • SS Truganini (203 tons gross 130 tons net, built 1876)[2][9]
  • SS Gympie (126 tons net, purchased 1883)[9][12][13]
  • SS Warrego (1,552 tons gross, 857 tons net, built 1883)[2][9][14][15]
  • SS Maranoa (1,505 tons gross, 805 tons net, built 1883)[2][9][16][17]
  • SS Barcoo (1,505 tons gross, 745 tons net, built 1885)[2][9][18][19][20]
  • SS Taldora (232 tons gross, 126 tons net, built about 1881-1882)[9][21]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Queensland Steam Shipping Company.
  1. McKellar, N. L. (Norman Lang) (1977), From Derby round to Burketown : the A.U.S.N. story, University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-1244-4
  2. Australasian United Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. (1954). "The history of the A.U.S.N. Co. Ltd. and its predecessors" (PDF). Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: Royal Historical Society of Queensland. 5 (2): 969–1004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  3. "[OUR SPECIAL MESSAGE.] NEW STEAM COASTAL SERVICE". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 30 August 1881. p. 2. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  4. "Classified Advertising". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 17 January 1882. p. 1. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. "The Brisbane Courier". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 18 September 1882. p. 4. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  6. "ARCHER AND TALDORA COLLISION". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 31 May 1884. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  7. "THE ARCHER AND TALDORA COLLISION". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 17 June 1884. p. 2. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  8. "Australasian United Steam Navigation Company". Flotilla Australia. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  9. "THE AUSTRALASIAN STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 4 December 1886. p. 10. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  10. "QUEENSLAND NEWS". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 6 June 1883. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  11. "SUMMARY FOR EUROPE". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 16 July 1883. p. 2. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  12. "QUEENSLAND NEWS". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 11 September 1883. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  13. "The Brisbane Courier". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 30 October 1883. p. 4. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  14. "QUEENSLAND NEWS". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 25 October 1883. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  15. "THE Q.S.S. COMPANY'S NEW STEAMER WARREGO". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 31 October 1883. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  16. "INTERCOLONIAL". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 11 December 1883. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  17. "TRIAL TRIP OF THE [?] NEW STEAM[?]". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 22 December 1883. p. 5. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  18. "The Brisbane Courier". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 6 August 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  19. "The Brisbane Courier". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 24 September 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  20. "TRIP OF THE BARCOO". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 12 January 1886. p. 5. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  21. "Taldora SS (1881~1882) Taldora SS (+1932)". Wreck Site. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
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