The Fleets
This page is about Ward Line and New York & Cuba Mail Steamship Company.
Ward Line commenced operations with steamships in 1877 with services between New York, Nassau and Havana. In 1888 Ward purchased the fleet and services to the east coast of Mexico of the Alexandre Line. In 1907 Charles W. Morse purchased the Ward Line, but shortly after went bankrupt and Ward Line combined with several other Morse companies to form Atlantic, Gulf and West Indies Line (Agwiline) each under their own management.
The high demand for freight and passenger services between Spain, Cuba and the USA after the Great War caused the Ward Line to extend some sailings from New York and Havana to Spanish ports. This continued from January,1920, to October, 1921, when the transatlantic service ceased.
After the Morro Castle disaster, the company was renamed Cuba Mail Line. Agwilines was liquidated in 1954 but the Ward Line name was purchased to sail cargo ships to Cuba under foreign registry. The following year Cia Naviera Garcia, Cuba purchased the company and operated it until 1959 when it ceased trading.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agwidale (1) | 1919 | 1918-1919 U.S.Navy requisition, 1920 Mallory SS Co., 1935 to Agwilines Inc, 1946 sold Taiwan renamed Wei Ming, 1959 scrapped. | 5,080 |
| Agwidale (2) | 1943 | ex- Sovereign of the Seas, 1948 transferred from U.S. Maritime Commission renamed Agwidale, 1950 renamed Oriente, 1954 renamed Short Hills, 1955 to A. H. Bull & Co., NY renamed Jean, 1964 to Oceanic Ore Carriers, NY renamed Oceanic Tide, 1969 scrapped. | 7,255 |
| Agwiking | 1944 | ex- Pampero, 1947 purchased from U.S.War Shipping Admin renamed Agwiking, 1950 renamed Siboney, 1954 sold to T. J. Stevenson & Co renamed Plandome, 1954 to A. H. Bull, NY renamed Emilia, 1963 to Shipenter Lines NY renamed Taddei Village, 1964 scrapped after stranding near Yokohama. | 7,259 |
| Agwileon | see Havana (2). | ||
| Agwimonte (1) | 1941 | ex- Cape Mendocino, 1941 transferred from U.S. Maritime Commission renamed Agwimonte, 28th May 1943 torpedoed and sunk in South Atlantic by U.177. | 6,679 |
| Agwimonte (2) | see Cape Alexander. | ||
| Agwiprince | 1941 | 1946 transferred to U.S. Maritime Commission and laid up, 1965 scrapped. | 6,679 |
| Agwiprincess | 1944 | ex- Cape Spear, 1948 purchased from U.S. War Shipping Admin renamed Agwiprincess, 1950 renamed Mexico, 1954 to Grace Line renamed Santa Fe, 1971 scrapped. | 6,711 |
| Agwistar (1) | 1919 | 1920 purchased from Mallory SS Co., 1946 sold China renamed Chong Hsing, 1950 sold to Wheelock, Marden & Co., Panama renamed Fortune Star, 1953 scrapped. | 5,229 |
| Agwistar (2) | see Cape Chalmers. | ||
| Antilla | 1903 | ex- Luristan, 1905 purchased from Strick Line renamed Antilla, 1918-1919 U.S.Navy requisition, 1931 sold and reduced to barge. | 3,398 |
| Bayamo | 1898 | ex- Turkistan, 1904 purchased from Strick Line, Swansea r/n Bayamo, 1923 scrapped. | 3,204 |
| Benito Juarez | 1890 | ex- Holguin, built for J. Christensen, Bergen, 1899 sold to A. Christensen, Copenhagen r/n Hebe, 1900 purchased by Ward Line r/n Benito Juarez, 1903 sold to Cia Mexicana de Nav, Vera Cruz, 1911 scrapped. | 842 |
| Black Arrow | 1904 | ex- Rhaetia of Hamburg America Line, 1917 seized by USA and renamed Black Hawk, 1918 US Shipping Board renamed Black Arrow, 1920-21 chartered by Ward Line for 3 round voyages. | 6,022 |
| Brunswick | see Niagara. | ||
| Camaguey | 1903 | ex- Tabaristan,1906 purchased from Strick Line r/n Camaguey, 1932 sold for scrapping, 1934 scrapped. | 3,398 |
| Cape Alexander | 1943 | 1948 r/n Agwimonte (2), 1950 r/n Orizaba, 1955 sold to T. J. Stevenson & Co., NY, 1963 sold Puerto Rico r/n Puerto Rico, 1968 to Scanus Shipping, NY r/n Highland Park, 1970 scrapped. | 6,711 |
| Cape Chalmers | 1943 | 1948 r/n Agwistar, 1950 r/n Monterey, 1955 sold to T. J. Stevenson & Co., 1963 laid up, 1971 scrapped. | 6,711 |
| Cape Mohican | 1942 | 1951 r/n Yucatan, 1954 to Grace Line r/n Santa Anita, 1954 r/n Santa Cruz, 1960 laid up, 1970 scrapped. | |
| Cauto | 1916 | 1918-1919 U.S Navy requisition, 1937 wrecked at Puerto Mexico. | 3,820 |
| Cienfuegos (1) | 1883 | 1895 wrecked off Eleuthera, Bahamas. | 2,332 |
| Cienfuegos (2) | 1887 | built as Caloric for Maclay & McIntyre, Glasgow, 1897 purchased by S. Castro & Cia, Cienfuegos r/n Cienfuegos, 1899 purchased by Ward Line, 1913 sold to C. L. Dimon, Cienfuegos, 1914 wrecked Nova Scotia. | 1,748 |
| Cinch Knot | 1942 | 1947 to Southern SS Co., Philadelphia, 1949 to A. H. Bull, NY r/n Ann Marie, 1955 sold Korea r/n Mokpo, 1975 scrapped. | 3,805 |
| City of Alexandria | 1879 | 1889 purchased from F. Alexandre & Son, NY, 1893 beached on fire after cargo explosion near Havana. | 2,480 |
| City of Washington | 1877 | 1888 purchased from F. Alexandre & Son, NY, 1908 laid up, 1911 sold to E. F. Luckenbach and reduced to barge, 1917 wrecked Florida. | 2,635 |
| Coastal Delegate | 1945 | 1947 to Southern SS Co., Philadelphia, 1952 to Huron Transportation Co., Detroit r/n Paul H. Townsend, 2007 still in service. | 3,822 |
| Comerio | see Guantanamo. | ||
| Comet (1) | 1940 | 1941 to U.S. Navy r/n Pollux, 1942 wrecked Newfoundland. | 6,085 |
| Comet (2) | 1943 | 1944 to U.S. Navy, 1946 U.S. Maritime Commission, 1948 to United States Lines r/n Pioneer Reef, 1965 to Farrell Lines r/n Australian Reef, 1970 scrapped. | 8,257 |
| Cometa | 1888 | built for Hill, Gomes & Co., Glasgow, 1891 sold to Cia de Nav. Carioca, Rio de Janeiro, 1899 purchased by Ward Line, 1903 sold to Cia Mexicana de Nav, Vera Cruz, 1911 wrecked Tampico. | 1,151 |
| Culiacan | see Juno. | ||
| Esperanza | 1901 | 1924 struck jetty at Tampico, beached and scrapped. | 4,702 |
| Guantanamo | 1910 | ex- Registan, 1911 purchased from Strick Line r/n Guantanamo, 1918-1919 U.S. Navy requisition, 1927 r/n Comerio, 1940 sold Italy r/n Vittorin, 1940 seized by U.S. authorities r/n Grey Lag, 1946 sold China r/n Hai Lung. | 3,293 |
| Havana (1) | 1898 | 1905 sold to Panama RR Co., NY renamed Panama, 1926 sold Alaska SS Co. renamed Aleutian, 1929 wrecked near Kodiak Island. | 5,667 |
| Havana (2) | 1907 | 1917 requisitioned by U.S. Army, 1918 U.S. Navy hospital ship renamed Comfort, 1927 returned to Ward Line renamed Havana, 1935 renamed Yucatan (3), 1941 renamed Agwileon, 1942 U.S. Army transport, 1943 renamed Shamrock, hospital ship, 1946 laid up, 1947 scrapped. | 6,391 |
| Henry R. Mallory | 1916 | 1920 chartered from Mallory Line for one round voyage. | 6,063 |
| Hidalgo | 1897 | 1903 transferred to Cia Mexicano de Nav, Vera Cruz, 1912 sunk in collision with s/s Yucatan off Vera Cruz. | 1,126 |
| Juno | 1891 | built as Gurly for J. Christensen, Bergen, 1898 sold to A. Christensen, Copenhagen r/n Juno, 1899 purchased by Ward Line, 1901 r/n Porfirio Diaz, 1903 r/n Culiacan, 1905 r/n Porfirio Diaz, 1911 scrapped. | 847 |
| Manzanillo | 1902 | ex- Mauritanie 1903 purchased from Lombard SS Co., London r/n Manzanillo, 1926 scrapped. | 1,815 |
| Matanzas | 1883 | ex- Guido, 1898 captured by US Navy, r/n Matanzas for Ward Line, 1924 scrapped. | 3,094 |
| Merida | 1906 | 1911 sunk in collision with s/s Admiral Farragut off Cape Charles, Va. | 6,207 |
| Mexico (1) | 1899 | 1906 sold to Panama RR Co., NY, 1923 sold Alaska SS Co., Seattle renamed Yukon, 1946 wrecked in Prince William Sound. | 5,667 |
| Mexico (2) | 1906 | 1930 sold to Alaska SS Co. renamed Aleutian, 1955 sold Liberia renamed Tradewind, 1956 scrapped. | 6,207 |
| Mexico (3) | 1932 | ex- Colombia, 1938 purchased from Colombian Mail SS Line renamed Mexico, 1947 sold Turkey renamed Istanbul, 1966 scrapped. | 5,236 |
| Mexico (4) | see Agwiprincess. | ||
| Monterey (1) | 1901 | 1931 scrapped after collision damage with s/s Isarco. | 4,702 |
| Monterey (2) | 1932 | built as Haiti for Colombian Mail SS Co., 1938 renamed Puerto Rico, 1939 purchased by Ward Line renamed Monterey, 1942-1946 U.S. Army transport, 1946 laid up, 1948 sold Turkey renamed Adana, 1967 scrapped. | 5,236 |
| Monterey (3) | see Cape Chalmers. | ||
| Morro Castle (1) | 1900 | 1924 laid up, 1926 scrapped. | 6,004 |
| Morro Castle (2) | 1930 | 8th Sep.1934 caught fire off New Jersey and beached at Asbury Park, 1935 scrapped ; loss of 134 lives. | 11,520 |
| Newport | 1880 | 1886 sold to Pacific Mail SS Co., 1924 sold to SS Newport Inc., Wilmington, Del, 1930 sold to shipbreakers. | 2,735 |
| Niagara | 1877 | 1907 sold to Brunswick SS Co., Brunswick, Ga renamed Brunswick, 1910 repurchased by Ward Line, 1914 sold to Gulf & Southern SS Co., Tampa, 1919 renamed Truxillo for United Fruit Co., 1926 scrapped. | 2,265 |
| Oriente (1) | 1930 | 1941 U.S. Army transport renamed Thomas H. Barry, 1957 scrapped. | 11,520 |
| Oriente (2) | see Agwidale (2). | ||
| Orizaba (1) | 1890 | 1906 sold to North Western SS Co., NY renamed Northwestern, 1908 sold to Alaska SS Co., Seattle, 1940 sold to Puget Sound Dredging Co. as accommodation ship at Dutch Harbor, Aleutians, 1942 destroyed by Japanese air attack. | 3,497 |
| Orizaba (2) | 1918 | 1918-1919 U.S.Navy requisition, 1920 returned to owners, 1920-1921 sailed New York - Havana - Spain, 1941 U.S.Navy requisition, 1945 renamed Duque de Caxias for Brazilian Navy (managed by Lloyd Brasileiro), 1962 scrapped. | 7,582 |
| Orizaba (3) | see Cape Alexander. | ||
| Porfirio Diaz | see Juno. | ||
| Santiago (1) | 1879 | 1907 sold to Mallory SS Co., NY, 1924 scrapped. | 2,359 |
| Santiago (2) | 1906 | ex- Tabaristan, 1907 purchased from Strick Line r/n Santiago, 1918-1919 U.S. Navy requisition, 1924 sank off Cape Hatteras. | 3,286 |
| Santiago de Cuba (1) | 1878 | ex- Amethyst, 1897 purchased from Newton Bros, Hull by S. Castro, Cienfuegos r/n Santiago de Cuba, 1899 purchased by Ward Line, 1905 sold to G.C. Cook, Halifax N.S., 1911 wrecked Trepassey Bay, St. Lawrence. | 1,357 |
| Santiago de Cuba (2) | 1906 | 1920 burned at Santiago de Cuba. | 1,493 |
| Saratoga (1) | 1877 | 1878 sold to Imperial Russian Navy, converted to cruiser, renamed Afrika, 1925 scrapped. | 2,286 |
| Saratoga (2) | 1879 | 1906 sold to North Western SS Co., NY, 1908 sold to Alaska SS Co., Seattle, 1908 wrecked in Prince William Sound, Alaska. | 2,426 |
| Saratoga (3) | 1907 | 1917 U.S. Navy hospital ship renamed Mercy, 1920 laid up, 1939 scrapped. | 6,391 |
| Seguranca | 1890 | 1894 purchased from United States & Brazil Mail SS Co., NY, 1915 sold to Breitung & Co., NY, 1918 sold to Standard Commercial SS Corp, NY, 1921 sold to J. G. Hitner, NY, 1923 scrapped. | 4,033 |
| Seneca | 1884 | 1894 purchased from Old Dominion SS Co., NY, 1914 sold to Luckenbach, NY and reduced to barge, 1917 US Navy, 1919 Neptune Line, NY, 1928 sunk in collision off Sandy Hook with s/s Siboney. | 2,729 |
| Short Hills | see Agwidale (2). | ||
| Siboney (1) | 1918 | 1918-1919 U.S.Navy requisition, 1920 returned to owners, 1921 made 2 transatlantic voyages, 1941 U.S. Army transport, 1944 renamed Charles A. Stafford, U.S Army hospital ship,1946 laid up, 1957 scrapped. | 7,582 |
| Siboney (2) | see Agwiking. | ||
| Vigilancia | 1890 | 1894 purchased from United States & Brazil Mail SS Co., NY, 1915 sold to Walker, Armstrong & Co., Savannah, 1917 torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic. | 4,115 |
| Wacouta | see Yucatan (2). | ||
| Yucatan (1) | 1890 | 1906 sold to North Western SS Co., NY, 1908 sold to Alaska SS Co., Seattle. | 3,525 |
| Yucatan (2) | 1903 | 1903 3,227 tons, built as Prinz Waldemar for North German Lloyd,1914 interned at Honolulu, 1917 seized by U.S. authorities renamed Wacouta,1920 sold to Ward Line, 1921 renamed Yucatan, 1925 scrapped. | 3,227 |
| Yucatan (3) | see Havana (2). | ||
| Yucatan (3) | see Cape Mohican. | ||
| Yumuri (1) | 1889 | 1898 sold to US Navy renamed Badger, 1900 to US Army renamed Lawton, 1907 sold to Pacific Mail SS Co. renamed Rose City, 1909 sold to San Francisco & Portland SS Co., 1924 sold to C. McCormick Lumber Co., SF, 1930 reduced to barge. | 3,497 |
| Yumuri (2) | 1902 | 1928 scrapped. | 1,836 |