Isthmian Line -Liberty Ships -Victory Ships -WWII

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Isthmian Name:	Howick Hall	Period:	Ancient

Gross Tonnage:	5,096	Net:	3,131
Dimensions:	400' 8" x 51'5" x 27' 0"	MC Type:

Builder:	W. Hamilton & Co. Ltd. Pt. Glasgow, Scotland	Hull # USMC Hull # Date of Build: Delivered:	212 1910
Engines:	4SB, 12cf, GS215, HS8800	Engine Builder:	D. Rowan & Co. Glasgow, Scotland
Navigation:	ElecLight, Wireless	Decks, etc.:	2 Decks(Stl) & Web Frames, Longitudinal Framing

Began Isthmian Service:

1915

Ended Isthmian Service:

1929

----------------------------------- Vessel History -----------------------------------

Date	Vessel #	Vessel Name	Vessel Owner	Call Ltrs	Home Port	Flag
1910	131303	*Howick Hall*	C.G. Dunn & Co., Ltd. Liverpool	HRTN	Liverpool	British
1915	212693	*Howick Hall*	U.S. Steel Products Co. New York	LDQF	New York	US
1929	131303	*Dovenden*	Exeter Shipping Co., Ltd. London	LFKH	London	British
1932	131303	*Dovenden*	McAllum SS Co., Ltd. London	LFKH	London	British
1933	131303	*Dovenden*	Lambert Bros., Ltd. London	LFKH	London	British
1935	131303	*Dovenden*	Halford Constant London	GQWN	London	British
1935	2026	*Ircania*	Ditta Luigi Pittaluga Vapori Genoa, Italy	IBLP	Genoa	Italy
1938	2026	*Ircania*	Societa Anonima Cooperativa di Navigazione "Garibaldi" Genoa, Italy	IBLP	Genoa	Italy
1941	-----	*Raceland*	US Maritime Commission	HPYY	Panama	Panamanian

Events:
10/1/10: Launched. This vessel was designed for the U.S. - Latin America trade. As built, gross tonnage of 4,923 later increased to 5,096 with a speed of 10 knots. One of the first cargo liners to have longitudinal framing and her derricks included one capable of 33 ton lifts. Upon completion she sailed directly to the U.S. to enter service on the New York & South American Line of which C.G. Dunn were the managers.
10/21/14: U.S. flagged in New York.
10/31/14: First Isthmian vessel to make the Atlantic to Pacific Panama Canal transit.
1/18/15: First Isthmian vessel to make the complete full round trip transit using the Canal both ways, saving 50 days and almost $10,000 in coal alone.
9/12/17: Requisitioned by the U.S. Shipping Board.
9/14/17: Delivered to War Department Service at 3 PM in Baltimore.
3/16/19: Returned to Isthmian by the War Department in New York.
10/29: Sold to Exeter Shipping Co. Ltd., London.
1930: After collision, spent most of the year laid up in New York. By October sailed to Rotterdam where she became a near permanent fixture.
1932: Sold late in the year to McAllum SS Co. Ltd, London; idleness continued.
1/35: Sold for 7,500 pounds to Halford Constant, London, reportedly to be broken up.
1935: Sold to Italians who put her back into service as IRCANIA; lost Lloyds 100-A-1 rating.
1936: Sold again and at the time of the Abyssinian War carried Italian military supplies to Massowak.
1941: Lying at Jacksonville where she and other Axis ships in American ports were taken over by the U.S. Government. Recommissioned as Panamanian flag RACELAND and put on the Murmansk run.

Disposition Date	Comments
1942	3/28 - While member of Convoy PQ-13, sunk South of Bear Island by enemy bombing attack on convoy heading toward North Russia. Two of four lifeboats launched lost in heavy seas. Remaining two finally reached the coast of Norway, after constant rowing, with 22 men dead from the cold. Documented in "Heroes in Dungarees", page 169 - 170.

The information on this page is the kind contribution of Skip Lewis. Skip, whose dad sailed for Isthmian, is an avid collector and researcher of everything Isthmian. In his quest, he has used many sources and publications including Lloyd's of London and Imperial Steel by John Atherton. Thank you, Skip. Copyright © 2003-2007 - All rights reserved.

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