Daily Event for December 2, 2006

December 2, 1879 the Dominion Line passenger ship Borussia sank in the north Atlantic. Built in 1855 in Scotland for the Hamburg America Line the 292' long ship was requisitioned before delivery by the Admiralty for use as a transport in the Crimean War. She finally made her first commercial voyage from Hamburg to New York on June 1, 1856. She was sold to the Dominion Line in 1876 and sailed from Liverpool to New Orleans until her loss. She left Liverpool on Nov. 20 and made a stop in Corunna, Spain to pick up emigrants bound for the USA. On Dec. 1 she began to take on water and soon it was clear she would founder so the boats were lowered on the 2nd. Even with the advanced warning the majority of those on board, 169 drowned.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
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