Built in Belfast by Harland and Wolff between August 1896 and February 1897, the SS Gascon was a Union Line ship until the merger with the Castle Line in 1900, resulting in the new company, Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co. Ltd. The company(s) operated between England and Cape Town, and South Africa and New York. “She is 430 ft. long, 52ft. wide, and 33ft. deep, and has a tonnage of 6,287. Her twin screws are driven by two sets of triple-expansion engines, the cylinders of which are 19, 31, and