Komagata Maru (Japanese: 駒形丸, Hepburn: Komagata Maru) was a cargosteamship that was built in Scotland in 1890, was in German ownership until 1913, and then had a succession of Japanese owners until she was wrecked in 1926. She was launched as Stubbenhuk, renamed Sicilia in 1894, Komagata Maru in 1913 and Heian Maru in 1924.
In 1890, Charles Connell and Company of Scotstoun, Glasgow built a pair of cargo steamships for Dampfschiffs Rhederei "Hansa".[a][1] Yard number 167 was launched on 20 May as Grimm,[2] and yard number 168 was launched on 13 August as Stubbenhuk.[3][4][5] She was completed that September.[6]
Stubbenhuk's registered length was 329 ft (100 m), her beam was 41.5 ft (12.6 m) and her depth was 25.8 ft (7.9 m). Her tonnages were 2,943 GRT and 1,921 NRT.[6] She was mainly a cargo ship, but had berths for a small number of passengers.[4][5]
She had a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine built by David Rowan & Co of Glasgow that was rated at 288 NHP[6] and gave her a speed of 11 knots (20 km/h).[3]
Dampfschiffs Rhederei "Hansa" registeredStubbenhuk at Hamburg. The company ran mainly cargo services between Hamburg, Canada and the United States. On 19 October 1890, Stubbenhuk left Hamburg on her maiden voyage, which was to Quebec and Montreal.[7]
In 1892, Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) took over Dampfschiffs Rhederei "Hansa".[8] By April 1892, Stubbenhuk's route included calls at Antwerp, and in December 1893 she called at Baltimore.[7] By 1893 her German code letters were RJCS.[9] In 1894 HAPAG absorbed the Hansa fleet into its own and renamed its ships. Grimm and Stubbenhuk became Scotia and Sicilia respectively.[8]
Japanese ownership
Komagata Maru off Vancouver with Indian migrants in 1914
In 1913, Shinyei Kisen Goshi Kaisha bought Sicilia, renamed her Komagata Maru, and registered her in Dairen in the Japanese-ruled Kwantung Leased Territory. Shinyei Kisen Goshi owned one other ship, and four or five people owned the company.[10]
It was from Shinyei Kisen that Sikh migrants chartered her in 1914 to take them across the Pacific to British Columbia. Her holds were cleaned and fitted out with latrines, wooden benches, a meeting room and a Sikh Gurdwara. On 4 April 1914, she left Hong Kong carrying 150 migrants. She embarked further Indian migrants at Shanghai, Moji and Yokohama. On 23 May, she reached Vancouver carrying 376 migrants, only 24 of whom were allowed to disembark. She lay at anchor in Vancouver Harbour until 23 July, when she left taking her remaining migrants back to Japan and India.[11]
By 1917, Komagata Maru's Japanese code letters were QBHP.[12] Her Japanese official number was 25107.[5] In 1917, Kawauchi Goshi Kaisha acquired her,[3] and by 1919, she was equipped for wireless telegraphy.[13] In 1921, Yamashita Kisen KK acquired her and registered her in Fusan in Japanese-ruled Korea.[3] In 1923, Kabafuto Kisen KK acquired her and registered her in Nishinomiya. In 1924, Kasahara Shoji KK acquired her, renamed her Heian Maru and registered her in Osaka.[3]
Haws, Duncan (1980). The Ships of the Hamburg America, Adler and Carr Lines. Merchant Fleets in Profile. Vol. 4. Cambridge: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN0-85059-397-2.
Johnston, Hugh JM (1979). The Voyage of the Komagata Maru: The Sikh challenge to Canada's Colour Bar (1st ed.). Toronto: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-561164-9. OCLC6610593.
Kazimi, Ali (2011). Undesirables: White Canada and the Komagata Maru. Vancouver: D&M Publishers. ISBN978-1553659730.
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