The Fleets
Founded in 1889 and operated passenger and cargo services between Vancouver, British Columbia ports and Alaska. In 1939 the company took over the Frank Waterhouse Company fleet. Services continued until 1959 when the company ceased trading and sold their remaining fleet to the Northland Navigation Co.
Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.
Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argus | 1944 | ex- Argo, 1950 purchased from Pacific Petroleum Co. renamed Argus, 15th Jun.1953 burned at Ioco, BC, 1954 converted to transport barge by Straits Towing Co. | 517 |
| Camosun (1) | 1905 | 1936 scrapped. | 1,369 |
| Camosun (2) | 1907 | ex- Prince Charles, 1940 purchased from Canadian National Steamships Ltd. renamed Camosun, 1945 sold to Greece renamed Cairo. | 1,344 |
| Camosun (3) | 1943 | ex- HMS St. Thomas (corvette), 1946 purchased from Royal Navy, converted and renamed Camosun, 1958 renamed Chilcotin (2), 1958 sold to Alaska Cruise Lines renamed Yukon Star. | 1,835 |
| Capilano (1) | 1891 | 30th Sep.1915 hit rock and sank off Savary Island. | 231 |
| Capilano (2) | 1920 | wooden hull, 1949 retired from service. | 374 |
| Capilano (3) | 1946 | ex- City of Belleville, 1951 purchased from Canada Transport Ltd renamed Capilano, 1959 sold to Northland Navigation Co. renamed Haida Princess. | 530 |
| Cardena | 1923 | 1961 sold to Capital Iron & Metals Co., Victoria, BC, hull sunk as breakwater in Kelsey Bay. | 1,559 |
| Cassiar (1) | 1901 | wooden hull, 1925 sold to Seattle owners and converted to dance hall in Lake Washington. | 597 |
| Cassiar (2) | 1910 | ex- Prince John, 1940 purchased from Canadian National Steamships Ltd. renamed Cassiar, 1949 retired from service, 1951 scrapped San Francisco. | 905 |
| Cassiar (3) | 1946 | ex- Blue Peter II, 1951 purchased from Job Bros, St. John's NF renamed Cassiar, 1959 sold to Northland Navigation Co. renamed Skeena Prince, | 1,377 |
| Catala | 1925 | 1959 taken over by Northland Navigation Co., resold to Nelson Bros Fisheries and later used as hotel ship at Seattle Century 21 exposition. 1965 wrecked in storm at Gray's Harbour. | 1,476 |
| Chasina | 1881 | ex- Selma, 1917 purchased from All Red Line renamed Chasina, 1923 sold and reported used as rum runner, 1931 resold and went missing ar sea. | 258 |
| Cheakamus | see Cheslakee. | ||
| Cheam | 1901 | wooden hull, ex- Bowena, 1920 purchased from Terminal Steam Nav. Co. renamed Cheam, 1923 retired from service. 1926 scrapped. | 821 |
| Chehalis | 1897 | tug, 12th Jul.1906 sunk in collision in First Narrows. | 54 |
| Chelan | 1944 | ex- Vera C, 1952 purchased fromn U.S. Navy renamed Chelan, 15th Apr.1954 lost off Cape Decision, Alaska with all hands. | 541 |
| Chelohsin | 1911 | 4th Nov.1949 ran aground outside Vancouver Harbour, 1951 scrapped. | 1,134 |
| Chenega | 1916 | ex- Northern Express, 1954 purchased from General Sea Transportation Ltd renamed Chenega, 1959 sold to Sannie Transportation Co., Vancouver. | 381 |
| Cheslakee | 1910 | 1913 sank, salvaged and rebuilt, renamed Cheakamus, 1942 converted to a tug and sold to U.S. Department of Transport. | 526 |
| Chilco | 1883 | ex- Santa Maria, 1917 purchased from the All Red Line renamed Chilco, 1935 renamed Lady Pam, 1946 sunk as breakwater at Oyster Bay, south of Campbell River. | 305 |
| Chilcotin (1) | 1944 | ex- HMS Hespeler (corvette), 1947 purchased from Royal Navy renamed Chilcotin, 1958 sold to Sun Line, Monrovia renamed Capri. | 1,837 |
| Chilcotin (2) | see Camosun (3) | ||
| Chilkoot (1) | 1920 | 1934 sold to Border Line, then to BC Steamships renamed Alaska Prince. | 756 |
| Chilkoot (2) | 1946 | 1957 sold to Navieros Unidos del Pacifico, Mexico, later renamed Culiacan. | 1,336 |
| Chilliwack (1) | 1903 | ex- British Columbia, 1919 purchased from Coastwise Tugboat & Barge Co. renamed Chilliwack. 1926 sold to Goose Packing Co. as a floating cannery. | 557 |
| Chilliwack (2) | 1917 | ex- Ardgarvel, 1927 purchased from P. McCallum & Sons, Greenock renamed Chilliwack, 1954 sold to Micronesia Metal & Equipment Co. renamed Iron Shield. | 834 |
| Chilliwack (3) | see Island King. | ||
| Comox (1) | 1891 | 1919 scrapped. | 101 |
| Comox (2) | 1924 | wooden hull, 1943 scrapped. | 54 |
| Coquitlam (1) | 1892 | 1923 sold to Bervin SS Co., 1939 returned to Union SS Co., 1950 sold to Canadian Fishing Co., 1959 beached at Malcolm Island as breakwater. | 256 |
| Coquitlam (2) | 1943 | ex- HMS St. Thomas (corvette), 1946 purchased from Royal Navy renamed Coquitlam, 1958 sold to Alaska Cruise Lines renamed Glacier Queen. | 1,835 |
| Coutli | 1904 | tug, 1910 sold to Red Fir Lumber Co., Nanaimo. | 99 |
| Cowichan | 1908 | 27th Dec.1925 sunk in fog collision with LADY CYNTHIA. | 125 |
| Cutch | 1884 | 1890 purchased from Hajeebhoy Abdoolabhoy & Joomabhoy Lalljee, Bombay, 1898 rebuilt to 676 tons, 24th Aug.1900 wrecked on Horseshoe Reef, south of Juneau, salvaged, sold and 1902 renamed Jessie Banning, 1902 resold to Columbian Navy renamed Bogota and converted to gunboat. | 324 |
| Eastholm | 1913 | wooden hull, 1939 purchased from Waterhouse Co., 1957 scrapped. | 174 |
| Gray | 1909 | ex- Petriana, 1939 purchased from Waterhouse Co., 1946 sold to Canadian Transport Co., Vancouver, 1947 sunk as breakwater in Oyster Bay, south of Campbell River. | 707 |
| Island King | 1920 | ex- Columba, 1944 purchased from Bergen SS Co., Bergen renamed Island King, 1954 renamed Chilliwack (3), 1959 sold to Northland Navigation Co. renamed Tahsis Prince. | 591 |
| Lady Alexandra | 1924 | 1954 sold as floating restaurant at Coal Harbour, 1980 scuttled at Redondo Beach Calif. | 1,396 |
| Lady Cecilia | 1919 | ex- HMS Swindon (minesweeper), 1925 purchased from Royal Navy renamed Lady Cecilia, 1951 retired from service. | 944 |
| Lady Cynthia | 1919 | ex- HMS Barnstable (minesweeper), 1925 purchased from Royal Navy renamed Lady Cynthia, 1951 sold to Coast Ferries, 1957 scrapped. | 950 |
| Lady Evelyn | 1901 | ex- Deerhound, 1923 purchased from Howe Sound Navigation Co. renamed Lady Evelyn, 1936 scrapped. | 588 |
| Lady Pam | see Chilco. | ||
| Lady Rose | 1937 | 1951 sold to Harbour Navigation Co. | 199 |
| Leonora | 1889 | wooden hulled tug, 1919 wrecked off Cracroft Island. | 33 |
| Melmore | 1892 | (ex-Great Western Railway Co., Glasgow),1914 purchased from J. Constant, London, 1916 sold to G. E. Leith, Callao renamed Santa Elena. | 424 |
| Northholm | 1924 | ex- Robert H. Merrick, 1939 purchased from Waterhouse Co. 16th Jan.1943 sank in gale off Cape Scott; loss of 15 lives. | 447 |
| Redonda | 1944 | 1955 purchased, 1959 sold. | 185 |
| Senator | 1881 | wooden hulled tug, 1889 purchased as used as Moodyville ferry, 1925 sunk off Bowen Island. | 31 |
| Skidegate | 1879 | wooden hulled tug, 1889 purchased, 1891 rebuilt as passenger / cargo ship, 1897 scrapped. | 37 |
| Southholm | 1919 | ex- E. D. Kingsley, 1939 purchased from Waterhouse Co. renamed Southholm, 1950 converted to barge renamed Bulk Carrier No.1. | 1,029 |
| Tournament | 1942 | 1956 purchased from Tidewater Co., 1959 sold to Northland Navigation Co. | 149 |
| Triggerfish | 1956 | 6th Oct.1956 sank off Whytecliff; loss of 3 lives. | 100 |
| Troubadour | 1944 | 1956 purchased from Tidewater Co., 1959 sold to Northland Navigation Co. | 103 |
| Vadso | 1881 | 1911 purchased from Boscowitz Co., 3rd Feb.1914 wrecked and burned near mouth of Nass River. | 908 |
| Venture | 1910 | 1911 purchased from Boscowitz Co., 1946 sold to China renamed Hsin Kong S0. | 1,011 |
| Washington | 1914 | 1918 purchased, 1918 engines removed and hull sold. | 306 |