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The 'Calais-Douvres' in the Granville Dock in 1883.
The ‘Calais-Douvres’ was a modified version
of the ‘Castalia’, having two complete
hulls and far more powerful engines. She arrived at Dover
on 5 May 1878 and had her first trial run from Dover to Calais
on 9 May. Her first working trip with passengers was on 29
May but on return to Dover she burst two cylinders in her
engines and was driven against the Admiralty
Pier, damaging her starboard bow. She was repaired locally
and after trials in mid-July was put back into regular service
on 29 July.
The ‘Dover Express’ reported in February
1879:
“The running between Dover and Calais
of the ‘Calais Douvres’ during the past season appears to
have justified expectation. She performed the trip with
great regularity making good and quick passages. There was
a great increase in comfort and considerable reduction in
the incidence of seasickness.
During the season, upwards of 55,000
passengers crossed in her, or an average of 715 per day,
a number which on many occasions would have involved the
necessity of running two of the ordinary mail boats.”
Using some 40 tons of coal a day she was
expensive to operate and found it difficult to maintain the
demanding schedules of the mail ships. She was finally withdrawn
in 1888.
The Calais-Douvres alongside the Admiralty Pier in the mid-1880s.
The photograph above came onto the site as
a result of a query from Australia. It comes from the album
of Mary Ellen Jaunay nee Cawley (1860 - 1925) held by Graham
Jaunay of Adelaide, South Australia. The photo was taken by
A J (Alexander James) Grossman of Dover and the mount suggests
a date of the mid-1880s.
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