Pacific Steam Navigation Company (PSNCo)

 

Page 2: 1900-1913

 

 

This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the ocean passenger services of Pacific Steam Navigation Company (PSNCo). Their many coastal vessels on South American Pacific Coast services are not covered. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. Below this is the Fleet List- Part 2 in chronological order.

 

The PSNCo was the largest steamship company in the world in 1873, but their success was short-lived. Due to a combination of circumstances, including political unrest, and competition from other shipping lines (White Star amongst them), PSNCo found themselves in financial difficulties and many ships were laid, service speeds were reduced, and departures became fortnightly again. Two ships were sold to Royal Mail Lines, and four others were chartered (and later sold) to the Orient Line for a new steamship service from London to Australia via the Suez Canal. Conditions in the PSNCo original trade area continued to deteriorate, and Chile went to war with Peru and Bolivia in 1879. The Orient Line venture had been so successful, that sailings were increased from monthly to fortnightly, and the extra ships required again came from the PSNCo, which then entered into a joint venture with Orient Line, marketed as Orient-Pacific Line. The best PSNCo vessels were now all deployed on the Australian route. The Or- prefix was introduced for the Australian ships, in line with Orient practice, though it was subsequently used on ships for the South American routes too.

 

In 1904, the South Atlantic route was Liverpool, La Pallice (La Rochelle), Corunna, Vigo, Lisbon, Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Port Stanley (Falklands), Punta Arenas, Coronel, Talcahuano and Valparaiso. By 1906, brighter prospects in their original trading area allowed PSNCo to sell their Australian interests to Royal Mail Lines, along with the four PSNCo vessels used, and the Australian service became known as Orient-Royal Mail Line. The new partners did not get along, and Royal Mail Lines pulled out of the partnership with Orient Line in 1909. By 1910 it was apparent that traffic patterns to South America were changing with the opening of new railways, and construction of the Panama Canal (opened 1915). Collaboration was necessary with PSNCo's main competitor, Royal Mail, and the larger company acquired PSNCo in 1910 buff funnels replacing the previous black. The swapping of ships between the two fleets became frequent. New laws in Chile forced the end of the coastal service in the 1920s.

 

 

Ships on This Page:-

Andes (1913)

Orcoma (1908-1933)

Oriana (1906-1926)

Orita (1903-1931)

Oronsa (1906-18)

Ortega (1906-1927)

 

PSNCo Pages:-

PSNCo - Header Page

PSNCo - Page 1 - Pre-1900

PSNCo - Page 2 - 1900-1913

PSNCo - Page 3 - 1914-1939

PSNCo - Page 4 - 1939-1964

 

Associated Pages:-

Orient Line

Royal Mail Lines

Ferry Postcards

Cruise Ship Postcards

Ocean Liner Postcards

Simplon Postcards Home Page

 

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PSNCo Fleet List

Page 2: 1900-1913

 

 

 

Orita (1903-1931)

 

Orita, at 9250 gross tons, was the largest liner sailing to South America when built. In 1919, made the second PSNCo voyage via Panama Canal, but remained on the east coast route for most voyages. Increasingly, most traffic was carried to Argentina, so the longer eastern route to Valaparaiso was more profitable than using the canal. She had a successful, uneventful career, and was broken up in Morecambe in 1931.

 

 

Official PSNCo art postcard of Orita.

 

Official PSNCo art postcard of Orita.

 

Postcard of Orita at La Rochelle.

 

 

 

 

 

Ortega (1906-1927)

Oriana (1906-1926)

Oronsa (1906-1918)

 

These ships all served for PSNCo throughout their careers (except war service). Oronsa was torpedoed and sunk, the other two were scrapped in 1926/27.

 

 

Postcard of Ortega at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

Official PSNCo art postcard of Oriana.

 

Postcard of Oriana at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

 

Postcard of Oronsa at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

Postcard of one of this class at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

Postcard of one of this class at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

 

 

 

 

Orcoma (1908-1933)

 

Orcoma served with PSNCo until scrapped in 1933.

 

 

Official PSNCo art postcard of Orcoma.

 

Postcard of Orcoma at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

Postcard of Orcoma at La Pallice (port of La Rochelle).

 

Official PSNCo photographic postcard of Orcoma.

 

Attractive photographic postcard of Orcoma (at Liverpool) with later buff funnel.

 

 

 

 

 

Andes (1913)

 

Pictures not available yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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