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The Pacific Steam Navigation Company () was a British commercial shipping company that operated along the Pacific coast of South America, and was the first to use
The company was founded by William Wheelwright in London in 1838 and began operations in 1840 when two steam ships ''Chile'' and ''Peru'' were commissioned to carry mail. Early ports of call were 
In 1905 the company sold its London – Sydney route to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, which bought the entire company in 1910. Pacific Steam continued to lose ships at sea. In 1902 was wrecked in a gale, killing 63 people. In 1907
met a similar fate, killing 45 people. In 1911 ran aground, killing 60 people.
In the First World War ten of the company's ships were sunk, but at the relatively light cost of only 15 lives. In the Second World War a German submarine torpedoed a Pacific Steam passenger liner, , sinking her and killing 106 people.
RMSP's name and routes were retained until
RMS Oroya Passenger List of the Pacific Line (PSNC) - 22 January 1925
GG Archives {{Authority control Transport companies established in 1838 Defunct companies of Chile Defunct shipping companies of the United Kingdom Multinational companies Shipping companies of Peru Shipping companies of Chile Shipping companies of England 1838 establishments in the United Kingdom British companies established in 1838
steam ship
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The fir ...
s for commercial traffic in the Pacific Ocean. At one point in the 1870s, it had the world's largest merchant steamship fleet. The company continued in business until 1965, when it was purchased by another company, but it survived in name through a succession of ownership changes until at least the 1980s.
History
The company was founded by William Wheelwright in London in 1838 and began operations in 1840 when two steam ships ''Chile'' and ''Peru'' were commissioned to carry mail. Early ports of call were Valparaíso
Valparaíso () is a major city, Communes of Chile, commune, Port, seaport, and naval base facility in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. Valparaíso was originally named after Valparaíso de Arriba, in Castilla–La Mancha, Castile-La Mancha, Spain ...
, Coquimbo
Coquimbo is a port List of cities in Chile, city, Communes of Chile, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo is situated in a valley south of La Serena, Chile, La S ...
, Huasco
Huasco () is a Chilean city and commune, in the Huasco Province, Atacama Region. It is the central town of a mining district dominated by medium-scale mining.
The port city of Huasco is located 50 km west of Vallenar and close to the tow ...
, Copiapó
Copiapó () is a List of cities in Chile, city and communes of Chile, commune in northern Chile, located about 65 kilometers east of the coastal List of towns in Chile, town of Caldera, Chile, Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capi ...
, Cobija, Iquique
Iquique () is a port List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal, which is part of the At ...
, Arica
Arica ( ; ) is a commune and a port city with a population of 222,619 in the Arica Province of northern Chile's Arica y Parinacota Region. It is Chile's northernmost city, being located only south of the border with Peru. The city is the ca ...
, Islay
Islay ( ; , ) is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south west of Jura, Scotland, Jura and around north of the Northern Irish coast. The island's cap ...
, Pisco
Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber-colored spirit produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternativ ...
and Callao
Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists ...
. In 1846 the company expanded its routes to include Huanchaco
Huanchaco is a popular seaside resort city in province of Trujillo, Peru. Huanchaco is known for its surf breaks, its caballitos de totora and its ceviche, and is near the ancient ruins of Chan Chan. Huanchaco was approved as a World Surfing R ...
, Lambayeque, Paita
Paita is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Paita Province which is in the Piura Region. It is a leading seaport in the region. Paita is located 1,089 km northwest of the country's capital Lima, and 57 km northwest of ...
, Guayaquil
Guayaquil (), officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest city in Ecuador and also the nation's economic capital and main port. The city is the capital (political), capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton. The city is ...
, Buenaventura and Panama City. The company eventually came to dominate South American shipping routes on the Pacific Coast, driving its competitor, the Panama Railway
The Panama Canal Railway (PCR, ) is a railway line linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in Central America. The route stretches across the Isthmus of Panama from Colón (Atlantic) to Balboa (Pacific, near Panama City). Because of ...
's Central American Steamship Line, out of business by the late 1860s.
In 1852 the company gained a contract for British Government mail to posts in western South America. Two direct routes were also established – Liverpool to Callao in 1868 and London to Sydney in 1877. In common with its contemporaries, the company lost a number of ships in its early decades. They included , which exploded in 1874 killing 19 people, and , which ran aground in 1877 killing 102 people.
In 1905 the company sold its London – Sydney route to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, which bought the entire company in 1910. Pacific Steam continued to lose ships at sea. In 1902 was wrecked in a gale, killing 63 people. In 1907
met a similar fate, killing 45 people. In 1911 ran aground, killing 60 people.
In the First World War ten of the company's ships were sunk, but at the relatively light cost of only 15 lives. In the Second World War a German submarine torpedoed a Pacific Steam passenger liner, , sinking her and killing 106 people.
RMSP's name and routes were retained until Furness Withy
Furness Withy was a major United Kingdom, British transport business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.
History
The company was founded by Christopher Furness, 1st Baron Furness, Christopher Furness and Henry Withy (1852–1922) in 18 ...
bought Royal Mail in 1965. Following the purchase the separate Pacific Steam Navigation Company structure was gradually abolished and the vessels sold or rebranded, effectively signalling the end of the company by 1984.
In 1919, the company began a house magazine called '' Sea Breezes''. The journal outlived the company and it still exists, with a focus on international shipping matters.
Routes
See also
* MV Reina del PacificoReferences
External links
RMS Oroya Passenger List of the Pacific Line (PSNC) - 22 January 1925
GG Archives {{Authority control Transport companies established in 1838 Defunct companies of Chile Defunct shipping companies of the United Kingdom Multinational companies Shipping companies of Peru Shipping companies of Chile Shipping companies of England 1838 establishments in the United Kingdom British companies established in 1838