SS Fazilka

History
Owner	British-India Steam Navigation Company
Builder	William Doxford and Sons
Launched	1890
Fate	wrecked 31 October 1919, on the east coast of Great Nicobar Island
General characteristics
Displacement	4,152 long tons (4,219 t)
Length	366 ft (112 m) o/a
Beam	48.2 ft (14.7 m)
Draught	26.5 ft (8.1 m)
Propulsion	triple expansion, 462 nhp, steam engines
Speed	12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)

SS Fazilka was a 4,152 GRT steamship with a length of 366 feet (112 m), breadth of 48.2 feet (14.7 m) and draught of 26.5 feet (8.1 m). She was built by William Doxford and Sons for the British-India Steam Navigation Company (B.I.S.N.) in 1890. She had triple expansion, 462 nhp, steam engines with a top speed of 12.5 knots.

Indentured labour ship

On 31 October 1904, the Fazilka was used to carry migrants from London to Brisbane, but she was primarily used for the transportation of Indian indentured labourers to the colonies. Details of some of these voyages are as follows:

Destination	Date of Arrival	Number of Passengers	Deaths During Voyage
Fiji	28 March 1901	804	n/a
Fiji	18 June 1901	776	n/a
Fiji	20 June 1902	840	n/a
Fiji	17 April 1906	881	n/a
Fiji	28 January 1907	875	n/a
Fiji	25 April 1907	796	n/a

Troop ship

Fazilka was used to carry troops from India to South Africa during the Boer war. She left Port Natal on 30 January 1900 to make the return trip to India. Four days after passing through the Mozambique Channel the tail shaft broke. The shaft had broken in two places partially rupturing the stern tube, so the first requirement was to shift ballast and get the stern out of the water. Attempts were made to rig sails but progress was slow and after an attempt to tow, the engineers under Mr. Brown worked in intolerable conditions to repair the shaft. The repairs were complicated and after various failures it was decided to take down the high pressure engine and use the bottom end brasses as a clamp. This was effective in holding the shaft and then the rear end breakage was connected by a Thomson coupling. Using the low pressure engines only, Fazilka was able to make Colombo at a speed of 9 knots (17 km/h). This was one of the most heroic ship repairs at sea and the Engineers were rewarded accordingly. John Macdonald, the 4th Engineer receiving a Gold watch and the sum of £30.

Fazilka was wrecked on 31 October 1919, on the east coast of Great Nicobar Island. She was on a voyage from Penang to Calcutta, carrying passengers and a general cargo.

See also

• Indian Indenture Ships to Fiji
• Indian indenture system

External links

• Queensland Migrant
• A History of the British India Steam Navigation Company Limited
• The Ships List
• BIShip

References

• Blake, George (1956). B.I. Centenary. Collins.