The Bangalore was a notable three-masted square-rigged sailing ship built in 1886 by Richardson, Duck & Company shipbuilders in Stockton-on-Tees, England. Measuring 260 feet in length, with a beam of 40 feet and a depth of 23 feet, she had a gross register tonnage of 1,743. Her construction featured a steel hull painted in lead color, consistent with Richardson, Duck & Company's design standards of the period. Initially owned by G. Crenshaw and Company, the Bangalore was commanded by Captain Ray D. Congdon of Rhode Island, who contributed to her design. She primarily served the East Indian trade, making voyages between England, America, Calcutta, and Hong Kong. Her early career included several trips across the Atlantic and to Asian ports. In 1896, Captain Congdon was replaced due to illness by his first mate, who subsequently navigated the vessel back to Boston after an incident where the Bangalore went aground near Cape Charles. In 1901, she was transferred to U.S. registry when purchased by the Maine Navigation Company of New York. Under American ownership, Captain Albert Nickels Blanchard of Searsport, Maine, commanded her, establishing a route between the eastern U.S. and Hawaii, primarily transporting coal and sugar. Later, her command was taken over by Phineas Banning Blanchard in 1906, who continued operating her around Cape Horn. On her final voyage in October 1907, she departed Norfolk bound for Honolulu with a crew of 21 and 2,600 tons of coal for the U.S. Navy. She was last sighted off 7°N 26°W, near the Cape Verde Islands, on November 24, 1907, and was reported missing by mid-1908. Multiple theories about her disappearance include collision with another vessel or an iceberg, with some speculation she may have been driven eastward by a storm. Despite her loss, the Bangalore was renowned for her speed, achieving a record of 351 nautical miles in a day and completing the Cape of Good Hope to Anjer route in 22 days. Her history includes notable voyages, a coal fire incident in 1906, and cultural significance, including a passenger account by Paul Eve Stevenson and exhibitions at The Mariners' Museum. Her legacy endures as a representative example of late 19th-century merchant sailing ships engaged in global trade.

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