User:Gatoclass/SB/Kiangse (steamship)

Construction and design
In early 1861, a group of American and Chinese investors formed the American-controlled Shanghai Steam Navigation Company for the purpose of operating a number of steam vessels in Chinese waters. Shortly thereafter, several new steamships, including Kiangse, were ordered from New York shipyards by P. S. Forbes & Co., acting as agents for Shanghai Steam.

Kiangse was built under the yard name Khechong in 1861–1862 by Lawrence & Foulks of Manhattan. A wooden-hulled sidewheeler, the ship was built of oak and cedar with copper and iron fastenings, She had two decks, a length of 204 ft, beam of 33 ft, hold depth of 16 ft and gross register tonnage of 1086. Unlike other vessels built for Shanghai Stea, Kiangse was dual-purpose—built for operation on both coastal and river routes. She had a hull reinforced internally by diagonal iron straps across the frames, and a bottom sheathed with metal to protect it from marine organisms prevalent in warm Asian waters.

Kiangse was powered by a single-cylinder vertical beam steam engine with 50 in bore and 11 ft stroke, built by Henry Esler & Co. of Brooklyn, New York. Steam for the engine, which drove a pair of 28 ft wrought iron sidewheels, was supplied by two natural-draft return-flue boilers located in the hold. Two raked masts, foretopsail schooner-rigged, were fitted to provide auxiliary sail power. Kiangse's speed is not known.

Service history
Kiangse was registered at New York on 26 February 1862, with Paul S. Forbes listed as owner. Shortly thereafter, she embarked on her maiden voyage to China, where she would spend the rest of her career.

Kiangse arrived at Hong Kong on June 4, thus becoming the first of the Shanghai Steam Navigation Company's new vessels to arrive in China. Her owners immediately placed the ship in service on the Yangtsze River, running between Shanghai on the coast and Hankow, more than 830 km upriver. On only her first trip on this route, Kiangse broke her cylinder head and had to be towed back to Shanghai, arriving on the 19th. Repairs took about two weeks and the ship was back in service by July 7. On 24 September, Kiangse suffered a second accident when she fouled another vessel, and was unable to return to service until 12 November. After these initial mishaps, Kiangse settled into regular service and was soon considered by the company to be "a very satisfactory boat."

refs
Category:1862 ships Category:Ships built by Lawrence & Foulks Category:Ships built in New York City Category:Ships of the Shanghai Navigation Company