The following is a list of vessels notable in the history of the Canadian province of British Columbia, including Spanish, Russian, American and other military vessels and all commercial vessels on inland waters as well as on saltwater routes up to the end of World War II (1945).
A Ship Other names Captain(s) Type Tons Draft Registry (flag) Owner(s) Events/locations Dates in BC Demise CommentsActivo Activa Bodega y Quadra, Cosme Beltodano, Salvador Menéndez, Salvador Fidalgo, José María Narváez, others brigantine 200 ton, 16 guns, 2 masts (originally 195 ton displacement, carried twelve 3-pounders and two 3-pounder swivel guns) Spain Spanish Navy Dept. of San Blas Keel laid 9 December 1791; completed in 60 days; cost 29,854 pesos. Launched 29 February 1792. Remained in service of San Blas Naval Base until at least 1808. Built as a schooner specifically for Bodega's 1792 diplomatic voyage to Nootka Sound and named Activa. In 1793 or 1794 was reconfigured as a brigantine and renamed Activo. Abyssinia Steamship: passenger and freight liner 3651 tonsCPR (chartered from Cunard)1887, TransPacific record on inaugural CPR shipment from Orient to NY/UK 1887–1891 destroyed by fire First of CPR liners, pre-Empress series Horcasitas, Orcasitas, Orcacitas Robert Haswell sloop, merchant about 45 U.S., Spain Boston merchants, then Spanish Navy Dept. of San Blas First U.S. ship built in the Pacific, traded to Bodega y Quadra in 1792. 1792– Built at Clayoquot Sound over the winter of 1791-1792 by the crews of the Columbia Rediviva and Lady Washington. Some materials were brought from Boston but most were harvested at Adventure Cove, Clayoquot Sound. SS Alert Alexander (1796 ship) Asa Dodge, John Brown brigantine, converted to brig, converted to ship 134 68 feet in length Abiel Winship, Charles Winship; ten other Boston merchants Built in Pembroke, Massachusetts. 1789, 1800, 1803 Visited Nahwitti in northern Vancouver Island in 1800, opening a lasting trading relationship between Americans and the Kwakwaka'wakw.SS Alice Alpha steam launch Arrow Lakes and Columbia River during CPR construction Amelia formerly French EmilieShips on the Northwest Coast , John Robson Trotter brig United States Providence, Rhode Island merchants At Nootka Sound in May, 1793, then to Haida Gwaii in company with Jefferson. 1793, 1795, 1797 Ann James Hale, then Stephen Hersey Brig 204 tons US Bryant & Sturgis and Boardman & Pope Built 1816, Pembroke, MA. In 1819 arrived in Kaigani Haida territory and traded along the Northwest Coast. Sailed to Canton in late 1819, then to Boston. A second voyage left Boston in 1822 and spent two years in Hawaii, California, and probably the Northwest Coast. Sold to Russians at Bodega Bay in late 1823. 1819, 1823 Aranzazu Juan Bautista Matute, Jacinto Caamaño, John Kendrick Jr, others frigate Spain Spanish Navy Dept. of San Blas scientific/ethnographic survey circa 1789-1795 Also spelled AranzazúArgonaut Argonauta James Colnett Britain King George's Sound Company, then joint company with John Meares and partners Captured by Spain during Nootka Crisis After captured by Spain was briefly part of the Spanish Navy at San Blas and called a packet boat, Argonauta. It was to be part of the 1790 fleet sailing to Nootka Sound under Eliza, but the San Carlos was used instead.At the Far Reaches of Empire, p. 144 Astrolabe L'Astrolabe Fleuriot de Langle frigate 500 tons France French Navy La Pérouse Expedition. With Boussole, was 5th and 6th ships to visit Hawaii. late 1780s see also BoussoleAtahualpa Dixey Wildes (1st voyage), Oliver Porter, Adams (2nd voyage), William Sturgis (3rd voyage), John Suter (4th voyage) 210 tons U.S., Russia Theodore Lyman and associates.Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and China Goods, pp. 181, 299-310 Russian American Company. Made four voyages toe the Northwest Coast. Attacked in Milbanke Sound, 1805; Captain Porter and 8 men killed. Coordinated with Lydia (II) after attack. Sold to Russians and renamed Bering. 1801–1802, 1804-1805 1807, 1812-1813 Wrecked at Waimea Bay. Built in Kennebunk. Sister ship of the Guatimozin. With Lydia (II) (see that entry) sold to Russians for 20,000 sealskins.Atlinto gasoline-screw None Sold to John Noland in 1927. Operated on Atlin Lake. 1911–present On display at Atlin. Built in 1911. This boat is not to be confused with the sidewheeler Atlinto, built in 1904, and which became the Glengarry in 1906.Atrevida José de Bustamante corvette 120 foot length, 306 tons, 16 officers and 86 men Spain Spanish Navy Launched 1788, returned to Spain 1794 Twin of the Descubierta
B Ship Other names Captain(s) Type Tons Draft Registry (flag) Owner(s) Events/locations Dates in BC Demise CommentsRMS BC Express Joseph Bucey sternwheeler Gross 449 Registered 283 Barnard's Express Launched at Soda Creek June 1912 Retired in 1920 at South Fort George Beaver sidewheeler Britain HBC Maritime Fur Trade and military use from Columbia River to Alaska Panhandle 1836-1888 Wrecked at Prospect Point, Stanley Park Boulton and Watt beam enginesBelle Savage David Ockington Brig 183 tons US 1801, apparently was attacked by 150 Gwaʼsala under "Chief Wacosh" in Smith Inlet, vessel was captured but retaken. 1801 Built 1799 at Braintree, Massachusetts. Sometimes sailed in company of Atahualpa.Blair of Athol Steam-screw, one 6ʺ × 5½ʺ cyl. 11 Canada #111608 Joseph G. “Scottie” Morrison (1898-1902); Margaret Ward (1902-1904); Northern Lumber Co. (1904-1905) Operated on Atlin Lake. 1898-1905 Broken up in 1905. Built in 1900 by Morrison at New Westminster, B.C.Bordelais Camille de Roquefeuil Ship 200 tons, 8 guns, 34 crew France Balguerie Jr., Bordeaux, France Maritime Fur Trade 1817, 1818 1817, sailed from France to Chile, California, Nootka Sound.Boston John Salter "trading ship"At the Far Reaches of Empire, p. 237 US On 22 March 1803, was seized by Maquinna, all but two of the crew "murdered"; a "desperate attempt by Maquinna to regain his prestige.Quotes from At the Far Reaches of Empire, p. 237 1803 Only survivors John Thompson and John R. Jewitt, the latter's account of his captivity is a classic in Pacific Northwest early history. Both lived in captivity at Nootka Sound until rescued in July 1805 by Captain Samuel Hill of the Boston brig Lydia.Boussole La Pérouse frigate 500 tons France French Navy With Astrolabe, 5th and 6th ships to visit Hawaii. late 1780s Butterworth William Brown 400 tons Britain William Brown Maritime fur trading in 1790s Part of the "Butterworth squadron", including Jackall and Prince Lee Boo RMS B.X. Owen Forrester Browne sternwheeler Gross 513 Registered 283 16 inches Canada Barnard's Express Launched in Soda Creek May 13, 1910 Sank in August 1919, Salvaged and Retired October 1919
C Ship Other names Captain(s) Type Tons Draft Registry (flag) Owner(s) Events/locations Dates in BC Demise Comments Schooner, 4 guns, 12 men 71 Britain HBC carried J. Douglas from Ft. Nisqually to site of Ft. Victoria, 1842 Launched 1826 Sold (1846?) HBC ship used for the PNW coast trade Captain Cook Betsey (renamed Captain Cook in 1785) Henry Laurie (or Lawrie) brig 350 tons, crew of 61, including James Strange (1786 voyage) Britain James Strange and David Scott (future chairman of East India Company) Left John Mackay at Nootka Sound to collect furs until Strange returned, but he never did. Mackay was taken aboard the Imperial Eagle in 1787. Under direction of James Strange, explored and named Queen Charlotte Sound; continued north to Prince William Sound. Tried but failed to sail to Copper Island. Returned to Macau in December 1786. 1786 Sailed with the Experiment Archibald Jameison Archibald Jameison At 2 in the morning on August 2, 1861, the ship exploded as it was leaving Victoria harbour. 7 people died. Sunk August 2, 1861 Caroline (merchant ship) Charles Derby, William Sturgis 150 tons Thomas & James Lamb, Russell Sturgis, and Ebenezer Preble (1st voyage), J & T Lamb, Sturgis, and James & Thomas H. Perkins (2nd). Captain Derby died in 1802, First Mate Sturgis took command. 1801-1802, 1804-1805 Profittable 2nd voyage; acquired 4,900 sea otter pelts.Casca sternwheeler, two 16ʺ x 72ʺ cyl. 590 Canada #103919 Casca Trading & Transportation Co. (1898 to 1899 or 1900); Otto R. Bremmer (1899 or 1900 to 1903); Ironside, Rennie & Campbell Co. (1903-1904); White Pass & Yukon Route (1904-1911) Operated on the Stikine River in 1898 and 1899. 1898-1899 Broken up at Lower Laberge, Yukon in 1911. Built in 1898 by the Esquimalt Marine Ry. Co. at Victoria, B.C. Charlotte James D. Ingersoll 155 tons US Seventeen Boston owners. Built at Scituate, Massachusetts, 1800; in Haida territory in 1801; sold in 1802. 1801 Went to avenge the Haida attack on the Belle Savage. Five chiefs were lured on board then murdered. Later the Haida avenged this event with the murder of Bernard Magee of the Globe.MV Charlotte Owen Forrester Browne Frank Odin sternwheeler Gross 217 Registered 79 Canada North British Columbia Navigation Company Launched at Quesnel on August 3, 1896 Wrecked at Fort George Canyon, salvaged and abandoned at Quesnel 1910 Chernui Orel Russia Chichagoff Chichagov Russia MV Chilco Nechacco John Bonser in 1909-10 George Ritchie 1910-11 sternwheeler Gross 129 Registered 76 Canada Fort George Lumber and Navigation Company Launched at Quesnel May 25, 1909 Tore apart in ice jam at Cottonwood Canyon in April 1911. Nothing recovered First sternwheeler to navigate the Grand Canyon of the Fraser MV Chilcotin D.A. Foster sternwheeler Gross 435 Registered 274 Fort George Lumber and Navigation Company Launched at Soda Creek July 20, 1910 Retired 1914 City of Ainsworth Lean sternwheeler Canada Sank in storm on Kootenay Lake November 29, 1898, 9 lives lost Wreck is heritage siteColonel Moody Columbia Barque, 6 guns, 24 men 308 tons Britain HBC Launched 1835 Sold (1850?) HBC ship used for the PNW coast trade.Columbia US Columbia River and Kootenay Steam Navigation Company Arrow Lakes-Columbia River service destroyed by fire Columbia Rediviva Columbia Robert Gray, John Kendrick full-rigged shipColumbia Rediviva , Discovering Lewis and Clark Burthen: 213 tons. Length: 83′6″. Beam: 24′2″. Draft: 11'. Crew: 16-18 min, 30-31 max. U.S. First exploration of the Columbia River Built 1787 (or rebuilt, "rediviva" meaning "revived"), Plymouth, MA. Decommissioned 15 Oct 1806, salvaged. sometimes sailed with Lady Washington Concepción Francisco de Eliza, others depot-guardship, frigate, or corvette Spain Spanish Navy Dept. of San Blas Guarded Fort San Miguel in 1790 and 1791. Described by Bodega: "is no more than a corvette with 26 small-calibre guns."At the Far Reaches of Empire, p. 304 MV Conveyor Jack Shannon sternwheeler gross 725 registered 457 Canada Foley, Welch and Stewart Launched on Skeena River in 1909, Fraser River in 1912 Retired at Fort George Worked on both GTP and PGE rail constructionConvoy William H. McNeil Brig 135 tons US Josiah Marshall, Boston Maritime Fur Trade 1826 Cortez Spain Britain HBC Launched 1840 Sold 1851 HBC ship used for the PNW coast trade.Crusader Benjamin Pickens Brig 110 tons US Eliab Grimes. Maritime Fur Trade 1832 Cutch Jessie Banning, Bogota schooner-rigged steamship Canada Union Steamship Company of British Columbia Union Steamship Co's first successful passenger ship Later served as a gunboat in South America
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