| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SSMaverick |
| Owner |
|
| Builder | Columbian Iron Works[1] |
| Yard number | 74[1] |
| Completed | May 1890[1] |
| Fate | Sank in 1917[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 1,721 long tons (1,749 t)[1] |
| Length | 239 ft (73 m)[4] |
| Beam | 36 ft (11 m)[4] |
| Depth | 27.8 ft (8.5 m)[4] |
| Propulsion | 3-cylinder compound engines[4] |
| Capacity | 15,000 barrels (~2,000 t) of oil[3] |
SSMaverick was anoil tanker built in 1890 for theStandard Oil of New York, later Mobil Oil. After the ship had changed hands sometime between 1910 and 1915, it was used duringWorld War I as part of theHindu–German Conspiracy to foment rebellion inIndia and overthrow theBritish Raj. According to one source, the ship sank in 1917.[1]
SSMaverick was laid down at theColumbian Iron Works inBaltimore, Maryland as a 1,721-long-ton (1,749 t) tanker forStandard Oil of New York, and delivered in May 1890.[1] On 17 July 1899,Maverick caught fire while unloading a cargo of oil atHalifax. A subsequent explosion ripped a hole in the side of the steam tanker, which sank at its pier.[4] By 1907 the ship had been repaired and was back in service, and by 1910 had been equipped with a 2½ kW radio with a range of 200 miles (320 km).[2][5]
At some point between 1910 and 1915, the ship was sold to the Maverick Steamship Company. According to one period source, in April 1915 the ship had been chartered to one F. Jebsen, who was an officer in theKaiserliche Marine. Jebsen was also the master ofSS Mazatlan, a ship that had been suspected of secretly resupplying the Germanlight cruiserSMSLeipzig in August 1914.[3]
On 20 April 1915 rumors thatMaverick was loading ammunition at Los Angeles reached aUnited States Customs Service agent, who ordered an inspection. By the time the order was issued, however,Maverick had weighed anchor and sailed toLong Beach and entered adrydock there.[3] On 22 April 1915, she sailed under a Captain Starr-Hunt fromSan Pedro, California with a crew of 25 plus five so-called "Persians". However these were in fact Indians and included Hari Singh who carried with him quantities ofGhadar Party literature. The ship was to rendezvous with theschoonerAnnie Larsen at the island ofSocorro, with the intention of transferring a quantity of arms to theMaverick. However, when theAnnie Larsen failed to appear, theMaverick continued toJava viaHonolulu. TheAnnie Larsen eventually appeared inHoquiam, Washington, where United States authorities seized its cargo.
TheMaverick continued toJakarta, arriving there towards the end of August. She attracted attention, on account of the fiveSikhs she had on board. TheMaverick remained in Jakarta until the end of the war.
According to one source, the tanker sank in 1917.[1]
| Background |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Ghadar | ||
| Berlin Committee | ||
| Indian figures | ||
| German figures | ||
| Conspiracy | ||
| Counter-intelligence | ||
| Related topics | ||