Omega (barque)
Encyclopedia
The Omega (named the Drumcliff until 1898) was a four-masted, steel-hulled barque
built in Greenock
, Scotland in 1887. In 1957 Omega became the last cargo-carrying square-rigger in the world.
She was a sailing cargo ship used for transporting oil, guano
, nitrate
, wheat, and other goods.
She was renowned above all because after 1957, having been in service on the Peruvian coast, she was the last square-rigger in the world that was transporting cargo. Her sinking in 1958 was the last sinking of a large cargo-carrying sailing ship.
On the 28th of July, 1898, the Drumcliff was sold to the Hamburger Reederei AG, which renamed her Omega. From 1898 until 1905 she sailed under Captain H. Krause, who was in command for her first great trip around the world. In 1898 she left the Lizard in the south of England for Adelaide, Australia. The following year she sailed to Newcastle, Australia, putting in at the Chilean harbours of Tocopilla and Iquique, before returning to the Lizard.
From 1906 until 1907 she sailed under Captain M. Ratzsch, followed by Captain A. Schellhas from 1908 until 1920. Under his command the ship also made long passages between Europe, South America (Pisagua and Tocopilla in Chile), Africa (Port Nolloth in South Africa) and Australia (Newcastle). From 1910 until 1912, under Captain G. Oellrich, she sailed to harbors on the West Coast of the US (San Diego, Portland, Oregon), in Europe (Hamburg, Rotterdam), Australia (Sydney, Newcastle), and South America (Chile). From 1913 until 1914 Captain P. Hammer assumed command.
During the First World War, the ship was interned
in Peru. In 1918, she became a sail training ship.
In 1920, the Omega was released to Peru as a war reparation, and in 1926 she was transferred to the guano firm Compania Adminstradora del Guano in Callao
, Peru. From then on, the ship was used to transport guano
from outlying islands to the Peruvian mainland.
Over the course of the following decades, as all the large sailing ships were gradually removed from service, in the wake of the sinking of the Pamir
and the end of service of the Passat
, the Omega remained.
"The only commercial square-rigged sailing ships still operating anywhere in the world, in the year 1953, were the Peruvian guano barques: the three-masters Tellus and Maipo, and the four-master Omega'.
In 1957 Omega became the last cargo-carrying square-rigger in the world.
On 26 June 1958 the Omega embarked on a voyage from the Pachamac Islands to Huacho
, both in the Lima region, along the Peruvian coast, with a load of 3000 tons of guano, she sprang a leak and sank. It was the last sinking of a large sailing ship on a cargo-carrying voyage.
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
built in Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland in 1887. In 1957 Omega became the last cargo-carrying square-rigger in the world.
She was a sailing cargo ship used for transporting oil, guano
Guano
Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...
, nitrate
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−.It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre , from medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt...
, wheat, and other goods.
She was renowned above all because after 1957, having been in service on the Peruvian coast, she was the last square-rigger in the world that was transporting cargo. Her sinking in 1958 was the last sinking of a large cargo-carrying sailing ship.
History
The Drumcliff was built at the shipyard of J. Russell & Co. in Greenock, Scotland, for Gillison & Chadwick, Liverpool, England. After her launching in 1887 she was placed under the command of Captain H. Davies.On the 28th of July, 1898, the Drumcliff was sold to the Hamburger Reederei AG, which renamed her Omega. From 1898 until 1905 she sailed under Captain H. Krause, who was in command for her first great trip around the world. In 1898 she left the Lizard in the south of England for Adelaide, Australia. The following year she sailed to Newcastle, Australia, putting in at the Chilean harbours of Tocopilla and Iquique, before returning to the Lizard.
From 1906 until 1907 she sailed under Captain M. Ratzsch, followed by Captain A. Schellhas from 1908 until 1920. Under his command the ship also made long passages between Europe, South America (Pisagua and Tocopilla in Chile), Africa (Port Nolloth in South Africa) and Australia (Newcastle). From 1910 until 1912, under Captain G. Oellrich, she sailed to harbors on the West Coast of the US (San Diego, Portland, Oregon), in Europe (Hamburg, Rotterdam), Australia (Sydney, Newcastle), and South America (Chile). From 1913 until 1914 Captain P. Hammer assumed command.
During the First World War, the ship was interned
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
in Peru. In 1918, she became a sail training ship.
In 1920, the Omega was released to Peru as a war reparation, and in 1926 she was transferred to the guano firm Compania Adminstradora del Guano in Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
, Peru. From then on, the ship was used to transport guano
Guano
Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...
from outlying islands to the Peruvian mainland.
Over the course of the following decades, as all the large sailing ships were gradually removed from service, in the wake of the sinking of the Pamir
Pamir (ship)
Pamir was one of the famous Flying P-Liner sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz. She was the last commercial sailing ship to round Cape Horn, in 1949...
and the end of service of the Passat
Passat (ship)
Passat is a German four-masted steel barque and one of the Flying P-Liners, the famous sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz. The name "Passat" means trade wind in German. She is one of the last surviving windjammers.-History:...
, the Omega remained.
"The only commercial square-rigged sailing ships still operating anywhere in the world, in the year 1953, were the Peruvian guano barques: the three-masters Tellus and Maipo, and the four-master Omega'.
In 1957 Omega became the last cargo-carrying square-rigger in the world.
On 26 June 1958 the Omega embarked on a voyage from the Pachamac Islands to Huacho
Huacho
Huacho is a city in Peru, capital of the Huaura Province and capital of the Lima Region. It is located 223 feet above sea level and 148 km north of the city of Lima...
, both in the Lima region, along the Peruvian coast, with a load of 3000 tons of guano, she sprang a leak and sank. It was the last sinking of a large sailing ship on a cargo-carrying voyage.
Images
- Drumcliff, gelatin silver photograph, State Library of Victoria, Australia
- Omega, cover of Sea Breezes, Christmas 1955