Name/Title
Euterpe / Star of India British Cannon, Ca. 1850Entry/Object ID
1981.89.1Description
Acc. No. 81.89.1
Subject Category: Alaska Packers
Date or period: Circa 1850
Object: Cannon
Description:
It is a cast iron barrel. It rests on a wooden base, supported by four wooden wheels. On either side are metal rings.
Size: The base is 34 inches in length and 14 1/2 inches in height. The barrel is 43 inches in length. The barrel opening is 3 1/2 inches in circumference.
History of Object: Estimated to be 150 years old. It was made in the British Isles, mounted on solid oak frame with oak wheels. It is believed to have been taken from the sailing vessel Euterpe which sailed from England to Australia carrying freight, passengers and convicts. The Alaska Packers bought the boat, remodeled and named her the Star of India which is now in San Diego Harbor as an exhibition boat. She was used in making the movie picture "Souls at Sea", sailing around Catalina Island at that time. The cannon was on display in the Alaska Packers grounds. It was commanded by Captain Schultz. She sailed from Alameda to Alaska for many years as a salmon Fisheries boat.
Attached has older card, with same information except additional info about donor:
IT WAS DONATED TO THE ALAMEDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY BY MR. SUMNER GRAHAM OF ENCINAL TERMINALS, SUCCESSORS TO ALASKA PACKERS
Acquired from: Sumner Graham
Date: October, 1953Interpretative Labels
Label
5/26/2020 MvL: Old label, removed because current standards dictate more succinct information, and because it's no longer on display at the entrance to the museum:
THE CANON ON DISPLAY AT THE ENTRANCE IS CAST IRON AND IS MOUNTED ON A SOLID OAK FRAME WITH OAK WHEELS. IT IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER 150 YEARS OLD.
IT IS BELIEVED THAT IT WAS TAKEN OFF THE SAILING VESSEL "UTERPE" WHICH SAILED FROM HOLLAND TO AUSTRALIA, CARRYING PASSENGERS AND CONVICTS.
THE ALASKA PACKERS BOUGHT AND REMODELE THE VESSEL, AND NAMED HER THE STAR OF INDIA". SHE SAILED FROM ALAMEDA FOR MANY YEARS AS A SALMON FISHERIES BOAT.
SHE WAS USED IN MAKING THE MOVING PICTURE "SOULS AT SEA" AND IT WAS LATER BERTHED IN SAN DIEGO AS AN EXHIBITION BOAT.
THIS CANNON HAS ON EXHIBIT FOR MANY YEARS IN THE ALASKA PACKERS GROUNDS. IT WAS DONATED TO THE ALAMEDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY BY MR. SUMNER GRAHAM OF ENCINAL TERMINALS, SUCCESSORS TO ALASKA PACKERS, IN OCTOBER, 1953.