Potsdam

A steel barque built in 1888 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as Yard. No. 61. Dimensions 73,45x11,15x6,35 meters [244'4"×38'1"×20'7"] and 1463/1447 GRT and 1411 NRT and 1330 tons under deck.

1888 December 17: Launched at the shipyard of Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, for F. Laeisz, Hamburg. Assigned the German signal RHMJ.
1889-1891: In command of Captain Claus Friedrich Blöse.
1891 January 3: Arrived at Valparaiso.
1891 January 18: Caught in the crossfire between troops on land and the protected cruiser Blanco Encalada. An attempt was made to tow the Potsdam out of the line fire, but the tug cast off the cable to early and Potsdam stranded on the Roca Baja. The crew was saved by the boats from the barque Poncho and the full-rigged ship Klio. The wreck was later sold to a Chilean for $ 2000 and the cargo fetched $ 5500.

References:

Square-rigged ships, general references.

Updated 1997-05-08 by Lars Bruzelius

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives.