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Vaccinating the native crew on board the P and O Co.'s RMS SUMATRA, at Port Phillip Heads
Vaccinating the native crew on board the P and O Co.'s RMS SUMATRA, at Port Phillip Heads

Vaccinating the native crew on board the P and O Co.'s RMS SUMATRA, at Port Phillip Heads

Maker
Date1876
Object number00005631
NameEngraving
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 410 x 280 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
DescriptionAn illustration from The Illustrated Adelaide News with a full page engraving titled 'Vaccinating the native crew on board the P and O Co.'s RMS SUMATRA, at Port Phillip Heads'. The image depicts a doctor carrying out the vaccination on the ships deck.HistoryThe SS SUMATRA was built for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) by Derry & Co. It had a single steam piston engine and the capacity for 180 first class and 60 second class passengers. SUMATRA was built for P&O's Bombay/Aden/Suez service and in 1869 grew to some fame for rescuing the survivors of the CARNATIC and landed them safely to Suez. In 1875 the ship covered the Venice/Alexandria and Venice/Alexandria/Bombay service and for a single year in 1876 the Bombay - Melbourne route. SUMATRA was sold in 1886 for use in the Mecca Pilgrimage Trade. In 1889, under new owners, SUMTRA was destroyed by fire in the Mediterranean when on a voyage from Batoum to Hong Kong with a cargo of cased petroleum. SignificanceIn 1853 a P&O office was established in Bombay and established a staffing structure using local residents to crew ships. It was an employment structure that remained in place for many years.