IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The INDIA was a wooden steamer with a composite construction and an iron frame, designed primarily for the timber trade on the Great Lakes. The vessel was a flush-decked freighter with a high freeboard, specifically built to transport timber from small harbors and beaches to larger ports for export. Despite being later modified for bulk cargo trades such as grain, coal, and ore, the vessel retained many characteristics suited to the timber industry.
HISTORY #
Launched on January 4, 1899, the INDIA was built by the Calvin Company Ltd. on Garden Island, Ontario, for their timber forwarding business. With a capacity to carry 40,000 bushels of wheat or 1,200 tons on a 14-foot draft, the vessel was a key player in the timber trade, often seen towing barges filled with lumber across the Great Lakes.
Over the years, the INDIA encountered several incidents, including running ashore near Port Colborne in August 1899 due to dense smoke from forest fires and beaching after fouling its propeller on a line in May 1912. Despite these setbacks, the vessel continued to operate, transitioning into bulk cargo trades when the timber industry declined.
In 1914, the INDIA was purchased by the Montreal Transportation Co. Ltd., and it underwent significant modifications to better suit the grain trade, including the addition of a raised forecastle and quarterdeck. The vessel changed hands several times, eventually becoming part of the Canada Steamship Lines fleet.
In 1922, the INDIA suffered a major accident when it struck a lock gate in the Welland Canal, causing extensive damage and leading to its classification as a constructive total loss. However, the Reid Wrecking Co. of Sarnia, Ontario, acquired the vessel, repaired it, and sold it to the India Navigation Co., which operated it as a collier until it was laid up at Kingston.
The INDIA’s final chapter began in 1928 when it was purchased by the Ramsey Steamship Co. of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. On September 4, 1928, while carrying a cargo of wood pulp, the vessel ran aground near West St. Mary Island in the North Channel. A fire broke out under the boiler the following day, and the INDIA was completely destroyed, burning down to the waterline.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
The INDIA met its end on September 4, 1928, when it ran aground in the North Channel near West St. Mary Island. A fire that broke out under the boiler the next day destroyed the vessel, leaving only the charred remains submerged in the channel. The wreck is now marked by a buoy to aid in navigation.
LOCATED BY & DATE #
- Location: North Channel, near West St. Mary Island, Ontario
- Date of Incident: September 4, 1928
- Wreck Status: The remains of the INDIA are marked by a buoy.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES #
- Obstruction: The wreck site of the INDIA is marked by a navigational buoy in the North Channel. Mariners are advised to exercise caution when navigating in the vicinity of the wreck site.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
- Great Lakes Maritime History
- Great Lakes Ships Database
- 3D Shipwrecks (No specific listing for INDIA found)
- Newspaper Archives:
- Search through the archives at Maritime History of the Great Lakes for related articles and reports on the INDIA.
- Additional research can be conducted via Bowling Green State University’s Great Lakes Vessel database.
CONCLUSION #
The INDIA’s history is a testament to the evolution of the Great Lakes shipping industry. Initially built for the timber trade, the vessel adapted to new roles as the industry changed, ultimately meeting its end in a fiery wreck in the North Channel. The site of the wreck, now marked by a buoy, continues to serve as a reminder of the ship’s long and varied service on the Great Lakes.
KEYWORDS #
- INDIA, Great Lakes Shipwreck, North Channel, Manitoulin Island, Timber Freighter, Wooden Freighter, Calvin Company, Canada Steamship Lines, Montreal Transportation Company, Great Lakes Maritime History, Welland Canal Accident.
This comprehensive report covers the INDIA’s history, from its construction and early service in the timber trade to its final demise in the North Channel.
