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Return of the Passages carrying the Mails fortnightly between Halifax and Queenstown (Cork) for 1869. (Sessional Papers, 33 Victoria 1870 (3)).
| Name of Packet | Left Queenstown | Arrived at Halifax | Name of Packet | Left Halifax |
Arrived at Queenstown |
| Kangaroo | Jan 4 | Jan 18 | City of Cork | Jan 1 | Jan 11 |
| City of Cork | Jan 18 | Feb 3 | Etna | Jan 15 | Jan 24 |
| Etna | Feb 1 | Feb 12 | Kangaroo | Jan 29 | Feb 10 |
| City of Manchester | Feb 15 | Mar 1 | City of Cork | Feb 12 | Feb 22 |
| Kangaroo | Mar 1 | Mar 15 | Etna | Feb 26 | Mar 8 |
| City of Cork | Mar 15 | Mar 27 | City of Manchester | Mar 12 | Mar 24 |
| Etna | Mar 29 | Apr 7 | Kangaroo | Mar 26 | Apr 9 |
| City of Manchester | Apr 12 | Apr 24 | City of Cork | Apr 9 | Apr 19 |
| City of Boston | Apr 26 | May 4 | Etna | Apr 23 | May 3 |
| Etna | May 10 | May 19 | City of Manchester | May 7 | May 18 |
| City of Boston | May 24 | May 31 | City of Cork | May 21 | May 31 |
| City of Washington | June 7 | June 16 | City of New York | June 4 | June 13 |
| Etna | June 21 | June 30 | City of Boston | June 18 | June 25 |
| City of Washington | July 5 | July 12 | City of Washington | July 2 | July 9 |
| City of Cork | July 19 | July 31 | Etna | July 16 | July 24 |
| Etna | Aug 2 | Aug 11 | City of Baltimore | July 30 | Aug 8 |
| City of Paris | Aug 16 | Aug 22 | City of Cork | Aug 13 | Aug 23 |
| City of Baltimore | Aug 30 | Sept 7 | Etna | Aug 27 | Sept 6 |
| City of New York | Sept 13 | Sept 23 | City of London | Sept 10 | Sept 19 |
| Etna | Sept 27 | Oct 6 | City of New York | Oct 8 | Oct 17 |
| City of Baltimore | Oct 11 | Oct 18 | Etna | Oct 22 | Nov 1 |
| City of Boston | Oct 25 | Nov 2 | City of Baltimore | Nov 5 | Nov 14 |
| City of New York | Nov 8 | Nov 16 | City Boston | Nov 19 | Nov 26 |
| City of Antwerp | Nov 22 | Nov 30 | City New York | Dec 3 | Dec 11 |
| Etna | Dec 6 | Dec 14 | City of Antwerp | Dec 17 | Dec 25 |
| City of New York | Dec 20 | Dec 28 | Etna | Dec 31 | Jan 8, 1870 |
| Average 9 days 19 hours | Average 9 days 11 hours | ||||
Notes: These ships were of the Inman Line. The Etna and Kangaroo were not built for the line but were put into service to help carry the mail. Here are a few notes on those ships courtesy of Ted Finch.
The Etna was built by Caird & Co, Greenock in 1854 for the Cunard Line. She was a 2,215 gross ton ship, length 305ft x beam 37.6ft, clipper stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. She was launched on August 26, 1854 and arrived at Liverpool from the Clyde on January 21, 1855. She was immediately taken over for use as a Crimean War Transport and returned to Cunard in 1856. On February 5, 1856 she commenced the first of two voyages between Havre, Halifax and New York. On February 24, 1857 she sailed from Southampton for Alexandria under charter to the European & Australian R.M. Line. She started her last voyage on this service on August 12, 1857 and commenced Cunard Liverpool - New York sailings on January 15, 1859. Her last Liverpool - Halifax - Boston - New York voyage started on September 29, 1860 and she was then sold to the Inman Line. She commenced her first voyage for Inman Line on December 5, 1860 when she sailed from Liverpool for Queenstown and New York, and started her last Liverpool - Queenstown - Halifax - Boston - New York sailing on October 8, 1870. In 1871 she was rebuilt to 2,655 gross tons, lengthened to 349.4ft and fitted with compound engines by Laird Bros, Birkenhead. She was then renamed "City of Bristol". On August 8, 1871 she resumed the Liverpool - Queenstown - New York service and started her last voyage on this route on August 26, 1873. She was chartered to the American Line for a single Liverpool - Philadelphia voyage in September 1875 and on October 29, 1875 commenced a single Bordeaux - New York round voyage for Inman Line. Between 1876-79 she made three Liverpool - Philadelphia voyages for American Line, and between June 1879 and December 1880 made eight Liverpool - New York voyages. In 1881 she was sold to Italian owners and renamed "Messico", in 1883 she became the Italian "Sempione" and in 1884 the Italian "Adria." She was
The Kangaroo was built by Laurence, Hill & Co, Port Glasgow* in 1853 for the newly formed Australasian Pacific Mail Steam Packet Co. This was an unsuccessful joint venture made by directors of the Royal Mail S.P.Co and Pacific Steam Nav.Co. Launched on 20th August 1853, she never sailed on the Australia service, but was chartered to the Admiralty for transport work. This was an 1,874 gross ton ship, length 257.4ft x beam 36.2ft, clipper stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. In 1854 she was purchased by the Inman Line and commenced sailings between Liverpool and Philadelphia on July 30, 1856. Her first Liverpool - New York sailing started on February 11, 1857 and her last Liverpool - Queenstown - New York voyage commenced on April 14, 1869. In 1870 she became a British cable steamer, was fitted with compound engines and her masts reduced to two. Sold to Turkish owners in 1888, she was renamed "Selamet" and was scrapped about 1901. [North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber, p.60-61][North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.1,p.239]
*John Maber states that she was built by Hill of Bristol
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Last updated: April 17, 2003 and maintained by Marj Kohli