ADELAIDE STEAMSHIP COMPANY. PART 1.

The Yongala and her sister ship Grantala, were ordered by the Adelaide Steamship Company to bespoke specifications for the Australian coastal service.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Steamship_Company

'For the first 100 years of its life, the main activities of the company were conventional shipping

operations on the Australian coast, primary products, consumer cargoes and extensive passenger

services.' 

'Its promoters and founding directors included Andrew Tennant,^[20] Robert Barr Smith^[21] and Thomas Elder^[22] of Elder Smith & Co Ltd. The first ship of the new company was the Flinders.^[23] In July 1876 the company's leading promoters amalgamated their private ship-owning interests to form the Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd, trading in South Australian coastal waters. The two companies amalgamated in December 1882.^[24] The fleet circled the coast from Derby in northern Western Australia to Cairns in northern Queensland.^[23] Shipping operations were supported by a large network of agency offices in almost every major Australian port.'

The Advertiser (Adelaide) Thursday 14 May, 1903.

ADELAIDE STEAMSHIP COMPANY'S

NEW BUILDING.

The Adelaide Steamship Company's flag

flew for the first time from the staff on

the new building in Currie-street shortly

before noon on Wednesday. Several of the

directors of the company were present at

the ceremony and inspected the

new premises. The party consisted

of Messrs. James Harvey (chairman), 

Andrew Tennant, H. 0. E. Muecke,

M. G. Anderson (directors), P. D. Haggart 

(secretary), L. W. Rowdon (representing 

the contractors, Messrs. Waring and Rowdon), 

Alfred Wells (architect), Dodson (foreman of works), and

Harris (clerk of works). The directors,

expressed their complete satisfaction with

the work that has been done. The rooms

are light and well-ventilated, and every

part of the structure gives evidence of

being thoroughly substantial. Having

climbed to the top of the building the 

gentlemen assembled on the balcony, from

which the flag was hoisted to the truck of

the staff by Mr. Harvey. Three cheers

were given for the company and another

for the chairman. Several other ladders

were scaled until the ridge of the roof was

reached. The parapet is 90 ft. from the

ground, and higher than any other in the

city." A magnificent panorama of the 

surrounding plains, the sea, and the hills is

here obtained. The globe above the roof

is constructed of pieces of steel, shaped so

as to represent the ribs of a ship, and is

prophetic of the hope which the company

entertain that their vessels will one day

circle the earth. An old-fashioned prow of

a ship forms a gargoyle of the superstructure, 

and the top of it is 100 ft. above the

ground. The flagstaff runs up for an additional 

14 ft. After the ceremony an adjournment was 

made to the Southern Cross Hotel, where the 

health of Mr. Rowdon was drunk at the instance 

of Mr. Tennant. Mr. Rowdon suitably acknowledged the

compliment.

courtesy: State Library of Southern Australia.

The Adelaide Steamship Company appeared to be prospering.

However...... 

To be continued....