Jan. 14, 1873 Harland & Wolff launched the Belgic for the White Star Line. The ship was built for service to South America and made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Valparaiso, Chile on Apr. 16, 1873. However the service was discontinued in December of that year and she was moved to the New York run. She made four trans-Atlantic voyages before being chartered, with her sister Gaelic, by the Occidental & Oriental Steamship Company of San Francisco. From that port they would sail to Japan and back.

In 1883 both ships was sold to a Spanish company, Belgic was renamed Goefredo. Her end began on Jan. 24, 1884 when she grounded near Santiago de Cuba, she was refloated and sent to Liverpool for repairs. After the repairs were completed she sailed again for the Caribbean. She left Liverpool on Feb. 26, 1884 and made it as far as the mouth of the Mersey when she grounded on Burbo Bank. This time the ship was abandoned as a total loss. The wreck remained there for the next two years before she was hauled away and scrapped.

© 2008 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com