HAWAIIAN ISLES

Artist George Frederick Gregory [Jnr] (1857 - 1913)

Date1901

Object number00037243

NamePainting

MediumWatercolour, paper

DimensionsSight: 555 x 820 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds

Terms

DescriptionThis watercolour painting is believed to depict the damaged sustained to the four-masted barque HAWAIIAN ISLES when it was hit by severe gales off Cape Howe on the southern east coast of Australia in January 1901. The barque was en route from Vancouver Island to Melbourne with a large load of timber.HistoryHAWAIIAN ISLES had a long varied career as a sea vessel. The ship was built by Charles Connell and Co Ltd at Glasgow in 1892 for the Hawaiian Construction Company. After its maiden voyage to San Francisco, HAWAIIAN ISLES engaged in the sugar trade between Honolulu and South America. The barque first arrived at Australia in August 1896, transporting a large shipment of timber to Sydney. In 1900 the ship was bought by an American firm Welch and Company, and under the new command of Captain O Rice voyaged to Australia late that year. HAWAIIAN ISLES left Chemainus on 2 October 1900 with a load of nearly 2 million feet of timber and was immediately hit by 'weather of a fearfully tempestuous character' which lasted for three weeks (The Argus, 21 January 1901). The cabins were flooded, part of the deckload was swept off and there were minor damages to the barques fittings. Then a week out of Melbourne, off Cape Howe, the ship was again hit by gales, when several sails were lost. The HAWAIIAN ISLES finally made it to port on 19 January 1901. Gregory must have painted this watercolour while she was in port. A new American master Captain Walter M Mallett commanded the HAWAIIAN ISLES between 1901 and 1909. Starting in British Columbia the barque sailed for South Australia carrying timber, and then moved to Newcastle, NSW to collect coal to be transported to San Francisco. It then stopped to collect sugar in Hawaii for the New York market and returned to Australia carrying general cargo for Melbourne and Sydney. Some time after 1909, HAWAIIAN ISLES was sold to the Matson Line and then the Alaska Packers Association for use in the salmon cannery trade. At this stage the vessel was renamed the STAR OF GREENLAND and used on the route between Alaska and San Francisco from 1910 to 1926. In 1929 it was bought by a Swedish line owned by Abraham Rydberg and renamed the RYDBERG. The RYDBERG was Sweden's last sea-going square-rigged vessel used for transporting grain between Australia to England. It was also the last vessel to ever transport grain via Cape Horn. During World War II, RYDBERG was purchased by Portuguese interests and renamed FOZ DO DOURO. After having motors installed the ship was reported to sail for Lisbon with Red Cross supplies for prisoners of war. SignificanceThis painting is highlights the trade link between Australia and the United States at the begining of the 20th century. HAWAIIAN ISLES made regular trips to Australia during the first decade of the 20th century, transporting timber to South Australia and then collecting coal from Newcastle, New South Wales. It was one of the one hundred-thirty ships affected by the 1907 coal strike in Newcastle.