The Cutch was an iron-hulled steamship constructed in 1884 in Hull, England by James Brunner & Co., specifically built for Jumabhoy Lolljee of Bombay to serve as a high-speed vessel for religious pilgrimages. Measuring 180 feet in length, with a beam of 23 feet and a depth of hold of 12 feet, the ship had a gross tonnage of 324. Its power plant was a double-expansion steam engine, with a high-pressure cylinder of 25 inches and a low-pressure cylinder of 48 inches, driving the ship at a nominal speed of over 12 knots, with a boiler pressure of 100 pounds and coal consumption of approximately 12 tons per 24 hours. The vessel featured a schooner rig as an auxiliary sail. Initially serving in India, Cutch was used for pilgrimage transport and was renowned for its high speed, evidenced by trial runs. In 1890, the vessel was purchased by the Union Steamship Company from the estate of the Maharajah of Cutch and brought to British Columbia under Captain William Webster. After arriving in June 1890, Cutch was licensed to carry 150 passengers and operated on routes between Vancouver and Nanaimo, stopping at Steveston, mainly serving passengers for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1898, the vessel was extensively rebuilt, doubling its gross tonnage to 676 by adding new machinery and cabins for an additional 60 passengers. During this period, Cutch operated along the Inside Passage to Alaska, servicing Skagway and Dyea. The ship’s service was interrupted when it was wrecked in Stephens Passage, Alaska, on August 24, 1900. Salvaged and registered in the United States as Jessie Banning in 1901, the vessel was lengthened to 175.3 feet, with a beam of 23.6 feet, and a gross tonnage of 639. Operating out of Seattle, it served as a cargo and passenger vessel. In 1902, the ship was transferred to Colombia and renamed Bogota, serving as their most powerful Pacific Coast gunboat. Armed with a 14-pounder gun, eight 6-pounder cannons, and machine guns, Bogota played a notable role in the 1903 secession of Panama, shelling the city of Panama during the conflict. This vessel’s varied career highlights its importance across different regions and roles, from pilgrimage transport to military service.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.