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The Fleets
Atlantic and Caribbean Steam Navigation
Co. / Red "D" Line
Founded in 1881 and was a successor to Boulton, Bliss
and Dallett & Co. who operated services to Venezuela. Commonly known
as the Red "D" Line as they flew a white houseflag with a large red
D in the center. Passenger services operated between New York, San
Juan, Curacao,
La Guaira and Puerto Cabello and returned to New York via Curacao and
San Juan. Another service operated to Mayaguez, La Guaira, Curacao
and
Maracaibo. The company and it's services were taken over by the Grace
Line in 1937.
commentary
submitted by Christopher Dallett
I did want to make a correction regarding company name.
Atlantic and Caribbean Navigation Company was a successor to Dallett,
Boulton and Bliss & Co. The 'D' in house flag reflected the primary
partner in the company which was the Dallett family. The Boulton family
were the Venezuelan agents to the company; and the Bliss family were
partners through marriage to the Dallett family. Prior to that the
shipping line was
the principal operation of Dallett & Co. of Philadelphia. The shipping line was
originally founded by John Dallett with his brother, Thomas in 1820 in Philadelphia.
Before that, John Dallett hired boats to ship coffee from Venezuela beginning
in 1810. The Red 'D' line is still considered to be the oldest and longest running
merchant shipping line in American maritime history. My grandfather, John Dallett
IV was the last president of the line. He subsequently went on to create Trident
Trawling Co. of New London, Ct. and Brooklyn, NY. He created the largest NE fleet
of fishing trawlers during WWII. The trawlers were built of wood by Wilbur Morse,
Jr. in Thomaston, Me. Many of the trawlers are still in service in the New Bedford
fleet.
Red D Line started shipping operations between Philadelphia
and Venezuela under its house flag in 1820. It's founder John Dallett
had previously imported coffee and other raw materials on leased vessels
beginning in 1802. The formation of the Atlantic and Caribbean Navigation
Co. in 1881 occurred when operations formally moved from Philadelphia
to New York. My grandfather, John Dallett V was the last President
of the Line. He subsequently formed Trident Fishing Co. of Brooklyn,
NY, New London, Ct., and S. Thomaston, Me. Many of the trawlers he
ran were built by Wilbur Morse, Sr. in S. Thomaston, Me. The Red D
Line, I believe, still holds the honour of being the longest running
shipping line in U.S. maritime history at a hundred and nineteen years.
1939 was its last year in operation.
Sincerely,
C.J. Dallett
Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data.
The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an
all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide. If you would like
to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship
Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant
Ship web site.
Fleet:
| Vessel |
Built |
Years in Service |
Tons |
| Carabobo |
1923 |
1937 transferred to Grace
Line and sold to Northland
Transp. Co. renamed North Coast. |
2,916 |
| Caracas (1) |
1881 |
1888 sold to Oregon Pacific Railway Co. renamed
Yaquina, wrecked on delivery voyage. |
1,500 |
| Caracas (2) |
1889 |
1926 scrapped. |
2,856 |
| Caracas (3) |
1927 |
1937 transferred to Grace
Line, 1938 sold to
Alaska SS Co. renamed Denali. |
3,365 |
| Curacao |
1895 |
1898 sold to Pacific Coast SS Co. |
1,503 |
| Falcon |
1919 |
ex- Rock Island, 1925 purchased from US Shipping
Board renamed Falcon, 1938 transferred to Grace
Line, 1948 scrapped. |
2,966 |
| Lara |
1919 |
ex- Moline, 1925 purchased from US Shipping Board
renamed Lara, 1938 transferred to Grace
Line, 1948 scrapped. |
2,967 |
| Maracaibo (1) |
1873 |
1879 purchased from HAPAG
by H. Boulton, Trinidad, 1887 purchased by Boulton, Bliss & Dallett
renamed Bermudez, 1888 sunk in collision in Orinoco River. |
252 |
| Maracaibo (2) |
1880 |
1889 renamed Merida, 1911 scrapped. |
2,500 |
| Maracaibo (3) |
1889 |
1898 wrecked at Guazare, Venezuela. |
2,856 |
| Maracaibo (4) |
1899 |
1930 sold to Cia de Nav. Carenero. |
1,775 |
| Philadelphia |
1885 |
1925 scrapped. |
2,520 |
| Tachira |
1920 |
ex- Elizabeth R., 1922 purchased from McDougall-Duluth
SB Co. renamed Tachira, 1938 transferred to Grace
Line, 1942 torpedoed
and sunk. |
2,325 |
| Trujillo |
1918 |
ex- Lake Ogden, 1925 purchased from US Shipping
Board renamed Trujillo, 1938 sold to Mexico renamed Emancipacion. |
2,013 |
| Valencia |
1882 |
1898 sold to Pacific Coast SS Co. |
1,598 |
| Venezuela |
1889 |
1898 to US Navy as transport Panther. |
2,500 |
| Zulia |
1901 |
1925 stranded at Los Roques, 1931 explosion at
Ponce, later scrapped. |
1,713 |
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