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The SS ''Valencia'' was an iron-hulled passenger steamer built as a minor ocean liner for the Red D Line for service between Venezuela and New York City. She was built in 1882 by William Cramp and Sons, one year after the construction of her sister ship ''Caracas''.〔 She was a 1,598 ton vessel (originally 1,200 tons),〔 252 feet (77 m) in length.〔 In 1897, the ''Valencia'' was deliberately attacked by the Spanish cruiser ''Reina Mercedes'' off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The next year, she became a coastal passenger liner on the U.S. West Coast〔 and served periodically in the Spanish American War as a troopship to the Philippines.〔 ''Valencia'' was wrecked off Cape Beale, which is near Clo-oose, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in 1906.〔(''Gale Still in Progress'', Los Angeles Herald, Volume 33, Number 115, 24 January 1906 (Associated Press) )〕 Since her sinking killed 100 people (including all of the women and children aboard), some classify the wreck of the ''Valencia'' as the worst maritime disaster in the "Graveyard of the Pacific" --a famously treacherous area off the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. ==History== The Red D Line had been operating a well established sailing ship service to Venezuela since 1839.〔 This service continued uninterrupted for almost 40 years.〔 By the summer of 1879 however, the company decided to modernize its service with steamships. Three German vessels were leased to begin this service, but it soon became clear that a permanent fleet would need to be provided.〔 Resulting from this decision, two steamships were ordered from William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia. Both ships were to carry a combination of passengers, cargo and mail, sail under American Registration and be manned by American crews. In 1881, the first of this duo, the 1,200 ton ''Caracas'', was completed and began service in July 1881 between New York City and Caracas via Laguayra and Puerto Cabello.〔〔 In 1882, the sister ship of the ''Caracas'' was completed. The new steamer, ''Valencia'', was shorter in length than her older sister by 〔 and began her maiden voyage in May 1882.〔〔 An extension service for the ''Valencia'' and ''Caracas'' was provided by the small wooden steamship ''Maracaibo'' to the port of the wooden steamer's namesake. Unlike ''Valencia'' and ''Caracas'', ''Maracaibo'' was registered under the British flag, as she did not operate into the United States.〔 A voyage on ''Valencia'' and ''Caracas'' was scheduled twice a month and lasted around 26 days.〔 In 1888, the ''Caracas'' was sold to Thomas Egenton Hogg of the Oregon Pacific Railroad Company and renamed ''Yaquina Bay''.〔 ''Valencia'' however, continued operations with the Red D Line. In later years, ''Valencia'' operated from New York City to Laguayra, via Puerto Cabello and the island of Curaçao. In 1897, the liner ''Niagara'' of the Ward Line was laid up to undergo repairs. The ''Valencia'' was subsequently chartered from the Red D Line to temporarily take ''Niagara's'' place. Despite the charter, ''Valencia'' was still manned by her Red D Line crew.〔 On 29 May 1897, the ''Valencia'' was purposely attacked by the Spanish cruiser ''Reina Mercedes''. The cruiser fired two shots at the ''Valencia'' off Guantánamo Bay. One of the shots missed the ''Valencia's'' stern by Immediately, the American flag was raised on ''Valencia's'' stern, preventing the ''Reina Mercedes'' from firing any further shots. It was later revealed that the shots were fired by the ''Reina Mercedes'' in order to intimidate the ''Valencia'' into raising her colors. The crew of the ''Reina Mercedes'' was otherwise well aware of the ''Valencia's'' identity. Despite not being able to see the cruiser's flag, the ''Valencia's'' captain was able to identify the ''Reina Mercedes'', as both ships were together in Santiago de Cuba only days before. A Spanish official claimed the ''Reina Mercedes'' had every right to fire upon the ''Valencia'' for not displaying her American flag, which violated maritime courtesy. In response an American official stated the ''Reina Mercedes'' did not display her colors while attacking the ''Valencia'', making the attack unjustified. In 1898, the ''Valencia'' was sold to the Pacific Steam Whaling Company, which brought her around Cape Horn to the west coast. From here, she served between San Francisco, California and Alaska.〔〔〔〔 On 19 June of that year, ''Valencia'' was chartered by the United States Army for use as a troopship in the Spanish-American War. In this configuration, the ''Valencia'' could carry 606 troops and 29 officers. She was used to transport the 1st North Dakota Volunteer Infantry, 1st Washington Volunteer Infantry (Companies F, G, I and L), and the California Heavy Artillery (Batteries A and D) between San Francisco and the Philippines. The Army paid ''Valencia's'' owners $650 a day for her lease. After returning to civil service, ''Valencia'' did not adapt well to her new surroundings. Her design made her difficult to handle during winter months. ''Valencia's'' large bow reduced visibility from her bridge. The very audible noise of the waves crashing along her bow often interfered with communication between her crew members. In 1901, ''Valencia's'' purser was arrested for overpricing tickets and embezzling the additional money. The purser claimed the rest of ''Valencia's'' crew was involved in this scam. In the same event, the ''Valencia'' was discovered to have been carrying more passengers than she was permitted to, causing her owners to be fined $9,000.〔 Following her fiasco, the ''Valencia'' was sold to the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. While returning from Valdez, Alaska in 1902, the ''Valencia'' collided with the steamer ''Georgia'' in Elliott Bay off Seattle, Washington. One of ''Valencia's'' hull plates was punctured above the water line. It was later discovered that had ''Valencia'' been damaged underwater by the collision, she would have foundered.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SS Valencia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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