[GALTRA]

Hallo again Rory, I think "duguesa" has pointed you to the details of the gun-running event, the ship herself would require as many words to describe as she led a very long and interesting life. Details are -- Built by McIlwaine, Lewis & Co. Ltd; Belfast as the BALNIEL for the Wigan Coal & Iron Co. Ltd; Liverpool in 1886 Named after Lord Balniel, owner of the Wigan Mines. Sold 1909 to Clydeside SS Co. Ltd; Glasgow and registered Glasgow, and in 1910 renamed LONDONER. In 1912 The same owners renamed her CLYDEVALLEY (0ne word!!) Sold 1914 to Hugh Crawford,Glasgow Accuired in April by Major Frederick Crawford at Glasgow on behalf of the UVF she was briefly renamed MOUNTJOY II, and on the night of the 24th April, 1914 she rendezvoused with the coaster FANNY at sea and while the two ships steamed along lashed togather one showing a port light and the other a starboard light a cargo of rifles and ammunition was transferred to the MOUNTJOY II, to be unloaded at Larne and Bangor later that night.. I'm unsure what became of her after that, but in August of that year she was seized in Hamburg. In April 1916 she is recorded as a German Army Transport. Jan. 1919 she was returned and bought by Richard J. Cowser, Glasgow. Sold 1920 to Norman Canning, Glasgow and registered at Larne. Sold 1927 to G. Barry, Glasgow. Sold 1928 to Colonial Shippers Ltd; Guysboro, Nova Scotia and used to run coal to Trinidad and salt back. Sold 1940 to A.S.Publicover, Luneenburg, Nova Scotia, having been abandoned and aground on a sandbank since the slump six years earlier.. 1942 Converted to a motor vessel. Sold 1943 to Halifax Fisheries, Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia and traded unescorted to the West Indias during the war. She was later chartered to the Canadian National Railways and survived a number of strandings etc. Sold 1947 to Riverport SS Co. Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia. Sold 1955 to Lake Shipping Co. Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia. 1966- Offered for sale 1969- Accuired by Samuel J.Campbell, Whitehead,Co. Antrim, and others, Befast who had started a fund to raise £10,000 to buy and preserve her. A crew of ex M.N. seamen sailed her home to Carrickfergus. She proved to be too old and expensive to maintain and was towed to Lancaster to be broken up in 1974, 88 years after she was launched!! Said to have sunk a submarine in W.W.1 and to commerate this a brass star was added to her black funnel. Official no.93690. 174' x 26'.1'' x 12'.622. 223nt 460gt. 80hp. 8 knots.