The Otter, a sidewheel steamer, was built in 1840 at Portsmouth, Ontario. It had a gross tonnage of 155 and was owned by Macpherson & Crane of Montreal. In 1852, ownership transferred to Robertson Jones & Co., but it returned to Macpherson & Crane in 1857. The steamer was later owned by S. Milligan of Ottawa in 1866. Constructed by Macpherson & Crane in Portsmouth, Ontario, the Otter measured approximately 103 feet in length, 24 feet in width, and had a depth of 8 feet. It primarily operated in the Montreal-Ottawa-Kingston triangle.
Described as a small and uncomfortable light boat by the Bytown “Packet” in 1846, the Otter had its final demise on May 11, 1870, in Ottawa. It was destroyed by fire, bringing an end to its service in the region. Unfortunately, specific details about the exact location of the fire within Ottawa are not provided in the available information.
