OPHIR

Passenger vessel "Ophir", built in 1891 at Glasgow by R Napier & Son for the Orient Steam Navigation Co. The first Orient Liner to completely dispense with canvas and an early twin screw mail liner. Built with the help of a subsidy from the British Government with the intention of being used as an armed merchant cruiser in time of war she had her engines placed between the boilers to minimise possible damage from enemy attack, hence her widely spaced funnels. Converted to a Royal Yacht to bring the Duke and Duchess of York to Australia to open the first federal parliament in May 1901. During World War 1 she became an armed merchant cruiser, and after being bought by the Royal Navy in 1918 was converted into a hospital ship, laid up in 1919, she was broken up in 1922. Official Number: 98673 Tonnage: 6814 gross Dimensions: length 465', breadth 53', draught 34'