Sunday, July 26, 2020

SS Andrea Doria sank on 26 July 1956


SS Andrea Doria pronounced was an ocean liner for the Italian Line home-ported in Genoa, Italy, known for her sinking in 1956, when 46 people died.

Named after the 16th-century Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, the ship had a gross register tonnage of 29,100 and a capacity of about 1,200 passengers and 500 crew. For a country attempting to rebuild its shattered economy and reputation after World War II, Andrea Doria was an icon of Italian national pride. Of all Italy's ships at the time, Andrea Doria was the largest, fastest and supposedly safest. Launched on 16 June 1951, the ship undertook her maiden voyage on 14 January 1953.

On 25 July 1956, while Andrea Doria was approaching the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, bound for New York City, the eastbound MS Stockholm of the Swedish American Line collided with her in one of history's most infamous maritime disasters. Struck in the side, the top-heavy Andrea Doria immediately started to list severely to starboard, which left half of her lifeboats unusable. The consequent shortage of lifeboats could have resulted in significant loss of life, but the ship stayed afloat for over 11 hours after the collision.

The calm, appropriate behavior of the crew, together with improvements in communications, and the rapid response of other ships, averted a disaster similar in scale to that of Titanic in 1912. While 1,660 passengers and crew were rescued and survived, 46 people on the ship died as a direct consequence of the collision.The evacuated luxury liner capsized and sank the following morning. This accident remains the worst maritime disaster to occur in United States waters since the sinking of SS Eastland in 1915

It was recorded that Andrea Doria finally sank bow first 10 hours after the collision, at 10:09 am on 26 July 1956

HMS Vestal 26 July 1943 ship was sunk


HMS Vestal was an Algerine-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1943 and saw service in the Pacific War against the Empire of Japan. She was critically damaged by Japanese kamikaze aircraft in 1945 and was subsequently scuttled in waters close to Thailand.

Vestal was the only British ship to be taken out of action by kamikaze pilots in the Indian Ocean and the last Royal Navy ship to be lost in the Second World War.She was sunk whilst partaking in Operation Livery. Vestal was commanded by Lt. Charles William Porter, DSC, from 26 July 1943 until 26 July 1945, when the ship was sunk.Her engine was provided by Paxman

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Third voyage of James Cook 12 July 1776


James Cook (7 November 1728– 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy. He made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand.

James Cook's third and final voyage (12 July 1776 – 4 October 1780) took the route from Plymouth via Cape Town and Tenerife to New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, and along the North American coast to the Bering Strait.

Its ostensible purpose was to return Omai, a young man from Raiatea, to his homeland, but the Admiralty used this as a cover for their plan to send Cook on a voyage to discover the Northwest Passage. HMS Resolution, to be commanded by Cook,were prepared for the voyage which started from Plymouth in 1776.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Final Day of CANAL ZONE 30 September 1979

Last Day of Operation Canal Zone
Last Day of Operation Canal Zone

The Panama Canal Zone was an unincorporated territory of the United States from 1903 to 1979, centered on the Panama Canal and surrounded by the Republic of Panama. The zone consisted of the canal and an area generally extending five miles (8.0 km) on each side of the centerline, excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of the Zone. Its border spanned three of Panama's provinces. 

In 1904, the Isthmian Canal Convention was proclaimed. In it, the Republic of Panama granted to the United States in perpetuity the use, occupation, and control of a zone of land and land under water for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of the canal. From 1903 to 1979, the territory was controlled by the United States, which had purchased the land from the private and public owners, built the canal and financed its construction. The Canal Zone was abolished in 1979 on 30 September, as a term of the Torrijos–Carter Treaties two years earlier; the canal itself was later under joint U.S.–Panamanian control until it was fully turned over to Panama in 1999

On September 30, 1979, the Canal Zone ceased to exist, and its stamps consigned to the status of 'dead country'. This has not lessened the attraction its stamps and covers hold for collectors. Happy to let you all know i have a cover of last dat of operation .Enjoy the beauty of the cover which is dispalyed above. 

The cancellation of the cover is of "BALBOA" its a multimodal (ship-to-train) terminal, called the Pacific Terminal, connected to Colón by the Panama Canal Railway.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Video of the stamps featuring Ships on Indian stamps

Sailing on the waves of Philately

Please find a video of the stamps featuring Ships on Indian stamps . India has depicted ships on stamps, since ships have long been a means of transporting the mail over long distances. Ships are also symbols of economic or military prowess, and in some cases specific ships are associated with events of historical significance to the issuing nation.

Monday, July 6, 2020

SS United States 07 July 1952 transatlantic speed record


The ocean liner SS United States passes Bishop Rock on 07 July 1952 her maiden voyage, breaking the transatlantic speed record to become the fastest passenger ship in the world

SS United States is a retired ocean liner built in 1950–51 for the United States Lines at a cost of $79.4 million. The ship is the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the United States and the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction, retaining the Blue Riband for the highest average speed since her maiden voyage in 1952. She was designed by American naval architect William Francis Gibbs and could be converted into a troopship if required by the Navy in time of war. The United States maintained an uninterrupted schedule of transatlantic passenger service until 1969 and was never used as a troopship.

The ship has been sold several times since the 1970s, with each new owner trying unsuccessfully to make the liner profitable. Eventually, the ship's fittings were sold at auction, and hazardous wastes, including asbestos panels throughout the ship, were removed, leaving her almost completely stripped by 1994. Two years later, she was towed to Pier 82 on the Delaware River, in Philadelphia, where she remains today.

Since 2009, a preservation group called the SS United States Conservancy has been raising funds to save the ship. The group purchased her in 2011 and has drawn up several unrealized plans to restore the ship, one of which included turning the ship into a multi-purpose waterfront complex. In 2015, as its funds dwindled, the group began accepting bids to scrap the ship; however, sufficient donations came in via extended fundraising. Large donations have kept the ship berthed at its Philadelphia dock while the group continues to further investigate restoration plans

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Australia - Tourist Transport theme The Canoe and flat-bottomed boats


This stamp is part of the set of Tourist Transport theme

The Canoe and flat-bottomed boats carry tourists along the dramatic Katherine Gorge, a deep gorge carved through ancient sandstone by the Katherine River and the central attraction of Nitmiluk National Park in the Northern Territory.

The self-adhesive booklet with this issue includes the four stamp designs.