Measured 1,788 tons and as dimensions 281’ x 36 x 10’ was she built in 1864 at the yard of Jones, Quiggin and Company, Liverpool England. Christened by the spouse of captain Tom Lockwood. Served in 1864-1865 as blockade runner including one successful voyage towards Wilmington but returned in England in the first half of 1865. Probably sold and in service as the Greek Bouboulina was she destroyed while loading ammunition at Liverpool, England in 1866 or 1867 according to www,history.navy while www.wowway claimed she was sold by Fraser, Trenholm and Company to the Brazilian government and exploded while loading explosives destined for Brazil in the night before her departure. Silverstone wrote that she was the largest ship build of steel in her time with a tonnage of 1,788 tons with as dimensions 279’6’ (between perpendiculars)-281’6” (over all) x 26’, 40’(over all) x 11’, d. 8’9”. She exploded while taken on board ammunition destined towards Greece at Liverpool on 17 November 1867.
In the magazine The Artizan dated 1 October 1864, page 237 was a small item published dealing with the Colonel Lamb: “A Fast Blockade Runner.—Messrs. Jones, Quiggin, and Co., of Liverpool, have lately completed the Colonel Lamb, a steel paddlewheel steamship, of 1,788 tons old measurement. She has been built and fitted with engine power with a view to great speed as a blockade runner. On Tuesday she went on her trial trip, and took the opportunity of having a two hours' race with the Isle of Man steamer Douglas, the fastest boat yet known on the Mersey. In 2 hours and 31 minutes the Colonel Lamb beat the Douglas by about 4 miles. Her engines were constructed by Messrs. James Jack and Co., of the Victoria Engine Works, Sandon Dock. They are a pair of oscillating engines, of 350 horse-power, and have the advantage of the application of surface condensers, while the paddlewheels, which are on the feathering principle, are of 26ft. diameter. The coal used was Welsh steam coal; the pressure of steam, 401b.; vacuum. 25; and the number of revolutions averaged 30 per minute. By log the ship ran 16} knots, or about 19 miles an hour.”
In the Annual register of November 1867 page 161-163 is an account of the disaster published.
P. 161: “29. Terrible Explosion In The Mersey. The Greek Government recently purchased two steamers built for and employed for a short time in running the American blockade. These vessels, christened by them the “Amphitrite,” late the “Penguin,” and the “Bubulina,” late the “Colonel Lamb,” were lying in the Mersey, opposite the extreme south end of Liverpool, outward bound for Piraeus, the port of Athens. This morning, shortly after four o'clock, Captain Sartorius, of the “Bubulina” gave orders to be ready to sail at half-past six. Steam was got up accordingly. All went well until a few minutes past six, when a terrible boiler explosion occurred, blowing the vessel completely asunder, and leaving bow and stern afloat, some hundreds of feet apart. There was at this time on board a crew of seventy-three, consisting of thirty-two fireman, chiefly English, seven or eight officers, and the rest Greek seamen; and also one passenger. The captain was in the house on deck; and he states that he felt a
P 162: concussion, and the next thing he knew was that he was in the water, being picked up by a boat. The chief engineer, Mr. Elliott, also had a narrow escape. In the stern of the ship were the chief officer, the second and third officers, and the passenger, who were all rescued. A number of the crew and firemen were in the forecastle, and they, too, were taken off. Many of them had received severe cuts and bruises. The centre part of the vessel appears to have sunk at once; and the whole of the persons in that part of her appear to have been lost, including the second and third engineers. Immediately after the explosion, the Rock Ferry steamer “Ant,” Captain Joseph Kay, arrived on the spot, and took off between twenty and thirty firemen and seamen, and the fourth engineer, Mr. O'Hara. Other boats put off from the “Amphitrite,” and also from Her Majesty’s ship “Donegal“ and the “Great Eastern,” and took off the officers and some of the crew. The stern part continued to float for about two hours, and then sank. The bow remained floating end up, with her forward funnel just above the level of the water. The captain of the "Ant" stated that he was just about to raise anchor, to commence running, when he was startled by hearing a heavy triple explosion, each report following close upon the other. The morning was just breaking, and he observed a heavy bank of steam rise some little distance up the river. At the same moment he heard piercing shrieks and cries coming from the same direction, and at once steered for the spot. On approaching, he found the two ends of the vessel floating some distance apart, each covered with men; and there were others in their boats. These he took on board, and the boats afterwards brought away the others who were on the bow. He would have gone alongside, but was warned not to do so, as the magazine was in the bow. The men he rescued were taken to Liverpool, and those among them who were injured were taken to the Northern Hospital. The “Ant” was the same boat which rescued the crew of the “Lotty Sleigh” some years ago.
The “Bubulina” was originally known as the “Ariel,” and then as the “Colonel Lamb,” her original destination being blockade running in the southern ports of America during the war. She was built of steel in 1864 by Messrs. Jones, Quiggin, and Co., of Liverpool, for Messrs. Fraser, Trenholme, and Co., her cost being about 50,000 pound.; no expense was spared, in order to make her one of the fleetest and strongest steamers afloat. Her tonnage was 689, the full register being 1132. She was 279 ft. long, 35ft. broad, and 15 ft. deep. Her engines were made by Messrs. James Jack and Son, of Liverpool, and were of 350 horse-power, and were designed on the most recent and most approved principles. She made but one voyage to and from America, when her speed frequently averaged 16£ knots. At the close of the war, the “Bubulina” was laid up in dock for a long period; but she was recently sold by Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Co., shipbrokers, to
P. 163: the Greek Government, the local agents for whom - Messrs. Giannacopulo and Co., Greek Consuls - placed her in the hands of Messrs. G. R. Clover and Co., of Birkenhead, by whom she was put in thorough repair at an expense of upwards of 5000/. The “Bubulina“ had on board about 350 tons of Powell’s Duffrvn steam coal, a large quantity of provisions, and a quantity of Whitworth guns, gunpowder, and other warlike materials. The hull of the vessel was insured for about 20,000 pound/. There was also an insurance upon the cargo.”
Sources
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-civil/civsh-c/col-lamb.htm
http://users.wowway.com/~jenkins/ironclads/famous.htm
Paul H. Silverstone. Civil war navies 1855-1883.
The Artizan, volume 22, Artizan Club, London.
Annual register, Volume 10, editor Edmund Burke.
