SSWest Cajoot
 SS Golden Bear(formerlyWest Cajoot) in Vancouver (1933). Photograph by Walter E. Frost
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Builder | Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co |
| Yard number | 13[1] |
| Laid down | July 4, 1918 |
| Launched | November 3, 1918 |
| Christened | West Cajoot |
| Commissioned | May 1, 1919 |
| Homeport |
|
| Identification |
|
| Fate | exploded and sank December 19, 1947 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 410 ft 0 in (124.97 m) |
| Beam | 54 ft 4 in (16.56 m) |
| Depth | 27 ft 2 in (8.28 m) |
| Installed power | 3500Ihp,[3]422Nhp[2] |
| Propulsion | Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co3-cylindertriple expansion |
| Speed | 9.2knots |
| Crew | 40 |
West Cajootwas aDesign 1013cargo ship built in 1919 by theLos Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock CoofLos Angeles.She was one of many ships built by the company for theUnited States Shipping Board.
Design and construction[edit]
TheWestships were cargo ships of similar size and design built by several shipyards on the West Coast of the United States for theUnited States Shipping Board(USSB) for emergency use during World War I. Most were given names that began with the word West. The ship was laid down atLos Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Coshipyard (yard number 13, USSB hull number 767),[1][4]and launched on 3 November 1918. Due to her yard number being 13, she was launched as "12-A" to escape the sailors' hoodoo.[5]She was named allegedly after a Native American woman, Cajoot, some relative ofPocahontas.[6]As built, the ship was 410 feet 0 inches (124.97 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 54 feet 0 inches (16.46 m)abeam,ameandraftof23 feet11+1⁄4inches (7.296 m).[3]West Cajootwas assessed at 5,899GRT,3,711NRTand 8,350DWT.[3]The vessel had a steel hull, and a single 422nhptriple-expansion steam engine,with cylinders of28+1⁄2,47+1⁄4,and 78 inches diameter with a 48-inch (120 cm)stroke,that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to 10.5 knots (12.1 mph; 19.4 km/h).[3][2]
Operational history[edit]
West Cajootwas launched on November 3, 1918 and delivered to theUnited States Shipping Boardon May 1, 1919.[4]Upon delivery, she became the first vessel allocated to Los Angeles Pacific Navigation Company.
[edit]
On May 16, 1919 she leftLos Angelesloaded full for the Orient with a general cargo consisting among other things of steel rails, automobile supplies, roofing paper, and old newspapers.[6]After touching off atHonoluluon May 26,[7]she arrived inManilaon July 1.,[8]then proceeded toHong Kongarriving there on August 17,[9]and finally returned toSan Franciscoon September 11, 1919. Among other cargo she brought back, there were approximately 8,000 tonnes of graphite ore, representing by far the largest amount shipped to the Pacific US thus far.[10]
West Cajootdeparted on her next voyage on November 24, 1919 sailing fromSan Franciscowith a variety of cargo including 1,275 bales of cotton bound for Japan.[11]She arrived inYokohamaon December 25, 1919.[12]On January 12, 1920 she arrived inShanghai,[13]stopped inManilaon January 22,[14]touched off atHong Kongon January 27[15]before heading back.West CajootleftHong Kongon February 4[16]and arrived inHonoluluon February 23, 1920.[17]
Cosmopolitan Steamship Company (1920-1921)[edit]
At about the same timeWest Cajootwas allocated to Cosmopolitan Steamship Company to operate on their routes. On May 10, 1920West Cajootwas reallocated to Struthers & Dixon to operate on Pacific routes[18]following an affiliation of Cosmopolitan Steamship Company and Struthers & Dixon.[19]This reassignment turned her journey into a round-the-world trip, as her destination was changed toNew York City.After leavingHonoluluon February 24, she passed throughPanama Canalon March 16, 1920 with a load of rice bound forSantiago de Cuba,[20]arriving there on March 20. FromCubashe proceeded north and arrived inPhiladelphiaon April 29.[21]She leftPhiladelphiaon May 5 after loading 2,712 tonnes of bituminous coal, arrived in New York City on May 7,[22]and from there proceeded toSt. Nazaireand reached it on June 23, 1920.[23]Continuing on her voyage,West Cajootleft France on June 29, and reachedNew York Cityon July 15.[24]At the end of July she sailed forNorfolkwhere she arrived on August 2 and was hired to transport coal for the US Naval base ofPearl Harbor.West CajootdepartedNorfolkon August 10, 1920, arriving inPanama Canalzone on August 31.[25]She stayed here for 11 days while undergoing repairs to her engines, eventually leaving forHawaiion September 10.[26][25]She arrived inHonoluluin early October. On October 10, 1920 while being towed due to a broken propeller blade,West Cajootcollided with steamerClaudine.[27]Fortunately, the damage to either vessel was minimal. After undergoing repairs,West CajootdepartedHonoluluon October 24, and arrived inSan Franciscoon November 1.[28][29]
In December 1920West Cajootwas chartered to transport among other things about 1,000 tonnes of various equipment for an oil exploration project in the Philippines. She leftSan Franciscoon December 15, 1920 arrived inManilaon January 14, 1921, and unloaded all the equipment in the mouth of Pagsanghan River a few days after.[30]From there she proceeded toHong KongandShanghailoading cargo, and departing on February 28 for a return trip.[31]She returned toSan Franciscoon March 29, 1921 bringing among other things almost 13,000 bales of camel wool (3,450 tonnes) from China.[32]The wool was shipped via railroads to New York and Boston.
On April 22, 1921West Cajootwas returned to the USSB due to the overabundance of cargo space and laid up.[33]
Struthers & Barry (1923-August 1926)[edit]
In October 1923West Cajootwas put for maintenance at Crawley Shipyards of Oakland in preparation of her return to active service. After the maintenance was finished, she was allocated to Struthers & Barry to serve on their Pacific route fromLos AngelesandSan FranciscotoYokohama,Kobe,Shanghai,Manila,Hong KongandSingaporeas part of their American Far East Line. On her first trip she sailed out fromSan Franciscoon January 8, 1924, stopped atKobeon February 14,[34]Manilaon March 10,[35]and after completing her oriental trip, she discharged about 1,100 tonnes of cargo inLos Angelesbefore dropping anchor inSan Franciscoon May 12, 1924. Among the cargo she brought back, there were 130,000 feet of Philippine mahogany,copraand furniture.[36]
For her next trip she loaded up, among other things, with cases of oil and gasoline and departed fromSan Franciscoin mid-September 1924. She arrived inYokohamaon October 5, 1924,[37]and proceed through Chinese ports toSingaporewhere she arrived on November 8, 1924.[38]LeavingSingaporeon November 13,West Cajootreturned toSan Franciscoon January 5, 1925.
She again left for the Orient in mid-January 1925, throughYokohama(February 17),Shanghai(February 26),Haiphong(March 6)[39]arriving inSingaporeon March 21, 1925.[40]She left fromSingaporeon March 26, arriving inZamboangaon April 1, and after visiting a handful of small ports in thePhilippines,[41]West CajootdepartedManilaon March 15, heading toHong Kongand from there toSan Francisco.She dropped the anchor on May 16, bringing among other things, 449 tonnes of wild animal collection of noted hunter Frank Buck. The animals came fromIndiaand were loaded on board inSingaporeand included cobra collection destined forNew York CityZoo, snakes, elephants, leopards, tigers etc. Most of the cargo was consigned toAl G. Barnes,a circus owner.[42]
On June 6, 1925West CajootdepartedSan Franciscofor another trip to the Orient, arriving inYokohamaat the end of June. Leaving fromYokohamaon June 30, she touched off atYokaichi(July 1),Kobe(July 2),[43]Dairen(July 8),[44]Taku Bar,Qingdao(July 13)[45]arriving inShanghaion July 17.[46]From there she headed toHong Kongon July 20[47]where she arrived on July 24.[48]FromHong Kongshe traveled to thePhilippinesand arrived inManilaon July 30.[49]FromManilaWest Cajootproceeded to visit a variety of small Philippine ports, such asCebu,Zamboanga,Davaoand so on, eventually returning toManilaat the end of August. She sailed out on September 1 forHong Kong,[50]and from there continued on toSan Francisco.She returned toSan Franciscoon October 2, 1925, and from there proceeded toLos Angeleswhere she arrived on October 8.
She immediately sailed out for her next trip to the Orient, departing fromSan Franciscoon October 23, arriving inYokohamaon November 19.[51]From there she proceeded toKobe,and then on to Korea, touching off atBusanon November 26, andChemulpo4 days later.[52]West Cajootcontinued on her trip touching off at several Chinese ports such asDairenand Qingdao before a stop inShanghaion December 15.[53]From there she touched off inHong Kongand continued on to thePhilippinesarriving inManilaon Christmas Day.[54]She then stopped off at various small ports around thePhilippinesbefore departing forSan Franciscowhere she arrived on February 13, 1926 bringing back coconut meal,copraand by-products.[55]After unloadingWest Cajootproceeded toLos Angeleswhere she arrived on February 21, 1926. She was immediately put into dry-dock to undergo installation of deep tanks to allow transportation of vegetable and coconut oil from thePhilippines.
The work was finished in mid-March and on March 19West Cajootsailed fromLos Angeleswith a cargo of case oil and took course to the Orient.[56]After stopping off inSan Franciscoon March 20, and taking on more case oil,West Cajootsailed next day toShanghai.She arrived in China in mid-April, visiting ports likeHong KongandFuzhoubefore heading to thePhilippines.After stopping off at a variety of small portsWest Cajootdeparted fromManilaon June 8, arriving inSan Franciscoon July 8, 1926.
On June 17, 1926 it was reported that USSB decided to consolidate the American Far East Line and the Pacific Australian Line and put the consolidated line under Swayne & Holt management.[57]
West Cajootdeparted fromSan Franciscofor her last journey under Struthers & Barry flag on August 10, 1926 toYokohama.She arrived there on August 27[58]and from there proceeded to Chinese ports, includingHong Kongwhere she touched off on September 10, and from there proceeded toSingapore.West Cajootmade a stopover inSingaporeon October 10, picking up among other things a few boxers on their way to a tournament inManila.[59]After touching off at several ports inPhilippines,West Cajootreturned toSan Franciscoon December 4, 1926 with a cargo of copra.[60]
Swayne & Holt (August 1926-1928)[edit]
West CajootdepartedSan Franciscoon her first journey under a new management company on December 29, 1926. After stopping off inLos Angelestwo days later, she proceeded on her way with a load of general cargo, and almost 2,000,000 feet of timber toNew ZealandandAustralia.She arrived atAucklandon January 27, 1927,[61]and from there proceeded toWellington(February 5),Melbourne(February 15),Sydney(February 21),Brisbane(February 28). From BrisbaneWest Cajootsailed towards thePhilippines,visitingDavao,Zamboanga,Cebu,andManila.From there she proceeded toHong Kongand then took course back toSan Franciscowhere she arrived on May 6, 1927 with a load of copra and Philippine hardwood.
On her next tripWest CajootdepartedLos Angeleson June 18, 1927 laden among other things with 200 barrels of asphalt, 25,000 cases of gasoline and 800 barrels of resin.[62]The ship arrived in Melbourne on July 20, Sydney on July 26, 1927 and from there proceeded to Brisbane (arriving on August 2). After stopping off atPort Moresbyon August 21 to load 525 tons of copra, the ship proceeded to Hong Kong, Manila and the Philippines.West Cajootleft Manila on September 23, 1927 with 1,223,583 pounds of coconut oil destined for a soap company in Los Angeles. In the early morning of October 2, 1927, the vessel struck some obstruction in Van Diemen Straits, off the Japanese coast, forcing the ship to alter her course for Kobe, where she arrived on the evening of October 3, 1927. Repairs to the vessel were made on dry dock.West Cajootleft Kobe early on November 1, 1927, stopping off at Yokohama, and arriving at San Francisco on November 22, 1927. She was dry-docked at that port for further examination, and left for Los Angeles on November 29, arriving at her destination on the morning of December 1.
[edit]
In October 1927, theLos Angeles Timesreported on the impending sale ofWest Cajootand 18 other Swayne & Holt ships to a San Francisco financier.[63]The ship later became a part of the fleet of theOceanic and Oriental Navigation Company,a joint venture between Oceanic-Matson, a subsidiary ofMatson Navigation Company,and theAmerican-Hawaiian Steamship Company,established to take over operation of transpacific routes that had been managed for the USSB by Swayne & Holt Lines.[64]On April 3, 1928 it was reported that 8 ships acquired by Matson were renamed -Admiral Dewey,West Carmona,West Cajoot,West Calera,West Conob,West Elcajon,West Nivaria,andWest TogusbecomingGolden State,Golden Fleece,Golden Bear,Golden Harvest,Golden Eagle,Golden Kauri,Golden Coast,andGolden Forrest,respectively.[65]
Golden Bearmade her first voyage under a new flag from Los Angeles on October 1, 1928, arriving in Auckland on October 27. After stopping at several New Zealand ports, the ship leftLytteltonon November 17 for Honolulu and San Francisco, arriving there on December 21, 1928.[66][67]The ship then proceeded to the Pacific Northwest where it loaded up timber and departed Vancouver on January 14, 1929. After a stop in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles to load more cargo, the ship took course toAucklandwhere she arrived on February 27, 1929. After stops at several ports in New Zealand,Golden BearleftTimarufor Honolulu (arrived April 12) and San Francisco. From there, the ship again proceeded to the Pacific Northwest to load timber, and departed on another trip, this time to Australia. LeavingTacomaon May 9, the ship made stopovers inPortland,San Francisco and Los Angeles to load general cargo and case oil before heading forMelbournewhere she arrived on June 20.[68]After stopping off atSydney(July 1) andNewcastle(July 4),Golden Bearproceeded to Honolulu and San Francisco, reaching it on August 15.
The vessel continued travelling between Pacific Coast of the US, carrying mostly timber, oil, and general cargo to Australia, and occasionally New Zealand through 1937. She departed for her last trip from Tacoma on February 20, 1937, stopped off to load more cargo at Los Angeles on March 10, 1937 before proceeding to Auckland. On March 30, 1937 it was reported that Oceanic & Oriental Navigation Company (O&ON) would be halting the service to Australia as of April 1.[69]At the time the measure was considered temporary due to uncertainty of the renewal of mail rates by the new Maritime Commission. As the new contract was not granted to O&ON, the service was suspended indefinitely due to economic hardship to operate the route without a substantial subsidy from the government.[70]
After reaching Auckland on April 12,Golden Bearproceeded to Australia where the ship stopped at several ports before loading 406 tons of coal atNewcastleand sailing forRabaulon May 14.Golden Bearwas present in Rabaul harbor during the great Rabaul eruption on May 30, 1937 and assisted in evacuation of approximately 750 town inhabitants toKokopo.[71][72]The ship returned to Rabaul on June 12 before departing for Solomon Islands, and from there continued on to San Francisco where the ship arrived on July 21.Golden Bearremained berthed in San Francisco for the remainder of the year. In mid December it was reported that O&ON was dissolved with the fleet being divided between the Line's co-owners. Matson acquiredGolden Eagle,Golden River,Golden BearandGolden State,while the rest of the ships were acquired byAmerican-Hawaiian Steamship Company.
Operational history under Soviet Union flag[edit]
Far Eastern State Sea Shipping Company(6 November 1942 - 19 December 1947)[edit]
As per Lend-Lease Agreement the shipKailua(ex.West Cajoot) was adopted by the Soviet procurement commission on 6 of November, 1942. The ship was renamedВыборг(Russian:Vyborg) and included in theFar Eastern State Sea Shipping Company (it was renamed Far Eastern Shipping Company later).During theWorld War IIthe ship was used as one of the paramilitary ships of the Far Eastern Basin, the ship carried out export-import shipments between the Pacific ports of the USSR and its allies. The steamer was lost inNagaev Baydue explosion of dangerous cargo on December 19, 1947, and excluded from the list of ships of the Ministry on 22 December 1948.[73][74]
The Soviet classification of the ships marked all design 1013 ships under Soviet Union flag, ex US West-class ships, asBelorussia-class cargo ships.[73]
To see articleBelorussia-class cargo ships.
Notes[edit]
- ^abColton, Tim."Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Los Angeles, CA".Shipbuildinghistory.com.The Colton Company.Retrieved2017-07-19.
- ^abcd"Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships"(PDF).London:Lloyd's Register.1930.
- ^abcde"Register of Ships Owned by United States Shipping Board, August 1, 1920".Retrieved2017-07-19.
- ^abMarine Review, v.50, p.112
- ^The Los Angeles Herald, November 4, 1918, p. 15
- ^abThe Golden West, v.1, No.4, p.18
- ^The Maui News, May 30, 1919, p.8
- ^New York Tribune, July 08, 1919, p.18
- ^New York Tribune, August 22, 1919, p.16
- ^Morning Oregonian, September 13, 1919, p.22
- ^The Commercial and Financial Chronicle, v. 109, p.2185
- ^Weekly Commercial News, v.60, No.1, p.11
- ^Weekly Commercial News, v.60, No.4, p.11
- ^Weekly Commercial News, v.60, No.5, p.11
- ^New York Tribune, February 3, 1920, p.15
- ^Weekly Commercial News, v.60, No.7, p.11
- ^Weekly Commercial News, v.60, No.9, p.11
- ^Nauticus, v.4, No.51, p.31
- ^Railway and Marine News, v. 18, No.4, p.38
- ^The Panama Canal Record, v.13, p.455
- ^The Sun and The NY Herald, April 30, 1920, p.15
- ^New York Tribune, May 08, 1920, p.17
- ^New York Tribune, June 23, 1920, p.20
- ^New York Tribune, July 16, 1920, p.18
- ^abPanama Canal Record, v.14, pp.48,53,61
- ^Weekly Commercial News, v.61, No.7, p.11
- ^The Maui News, October 15, 1920, p.1
- ^The New York Herald, October 31, 1920, 2nd News Section, p.9,
- ^The New York Herald, November 03, 1920, p.12
- ^The Oil Weekly, v.26, September 1922, p.69
- ^The New York Herald, March 04, 1921, p.18
- ^Morning Oregonian, March 30, 1921, p.18
- ^Morning Oregonian, April 22, 1921, p.20
- ^Vancouver Daily World, February 18, 1924, p.11
- ^Vancouver Daily World, March 11, 1924, p.11
- ^Oakland Tribune, May 12, 1924, p.16
- ^The Daily Colonist, October 9, 1924, p.19
- ^Malaya Tribune, November 10, 1924, p.5
- ^Oakland Tribune, March 10, 1925, p.32
- ^Oakland Tribune, March 25, 1925, p.29
- ^Oakland Tribune, April 10, 1925, p.41
- ^Daily Colonist, May 23, 1925, p.14
- ^Oakland Tribune, July 10, 1925, p.45
- ^The Daily Colonist, July 10, 1925, p.17
- ^Oakland Tribune, July 19, 1925, p.38
- ^Oakland Tribune, July 17, 1925, p.39
- ^Oakland Tribune, July 24, 1925, p.51
- ^Oakland Tribune, July 31, 1925, p.39
- ^Oakland Tribune, August 2, 1925, p.46
- ^Oakland Tribune, September 3, 1925, p.24
- ^Oakland Tribune, November 24, 1925, p.38
- ^Oakland Tribune, December 3, 1925, p.34
- ^The Daily Colonist, December 18, 1925, p.19
- ^Oakland Tribune, December 29, 1925, p.25
- ^Oakland Tribune, February 19, 1926, p.41
- ^Oakland Tribune, March 18, 1926, p.33
- ^Oakland Tribune, June 17, 1926, p.24
- ^Oakland Tribune, September 4, 1926, p.16
- ^The Singapore Free Press & Mercantiole Advertiser, October 11, 1926, p.12
- ^Oakland Tribune, December 4, 1926, p.15
- ^Daily Colonist, January 29, 1927, p.17
- ^Oakland Tribune, June 17, 1927, p.17
- ^"Large shipping deal in making".Los Angeles Times.18 October 1927. p. 11.
- ^"New shipping concern".The New York Times.23 February 1928. p. 43.
- ^The Register, April 5, 1928, p.19
- ^Daily Commercial News & Shipping List, November 14, 1928, p.4
- ^Daily Commercial News & Shipping List, January 2, 1929, p.7
- ^The Age, June 18, 1929, p.8
- ^The Sun, March 30, 1937, p.12
- ^Sydney Morning Herald, March 31, 1937, p.13
- ^News (Adelaide), May 31, 1937, p.1
- ^Sydney Morning Herald, May 31, 1937, p.9
- ^abТранспорты >> Тип "Белоруссия" (пр. 1013) - 25 единиц.
- ^Soviet Merchant Marine. Lend Lease Ships
References[edit]
- Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships(PDF).London:Lloyd's Register.1943.
- Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships(PDF).London:Lloyd's Register.1937.
- Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships(PDF).London:Lloyd's Register.1930.
- 11th Annual report of the United States Shipping Board(PDF).1927.
