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All Hands 2020-1 (UK Spring) P a g e 20

Navigation Company from 1919 to 1937 when it was sold to The Journal of Commerce as a commercial venture,
providing for enthusiasts of sea and ships a continued source of information to the present day.
When Herr Laeisz, of Hamburg came out with the five-masted barque Potosi, in 1895, there were many experts
who considered the building of extremely large vessels as a dubious experiment so far as sail was concerned.
But when the ship arrived at the W.C.S.A. she caused a lot of admiration, not only by her proportions – because
the barque never looked as large as she was – but especially for the quality of her rigging and the scrupulous order
and cleanliness about her decks.
During all her life she was always a model of a well-kept ship and, so far as my notes go, she steered clear from
trouble during all her life under the black, white and red flag.
The change of flag and nationality was to be fatal for the huge five-master, and perhaps, resenting her humiliation,
she finally went down in 1925, on her old accustomed track (to and from Chile).

Five-masted barque Potosi
The dimensions of the Potosi are interesting: Length, 366.3 feet; beam, 49.7 feet, and depth 28.5 feet, with 4,062
tons and was considered to be a fine job from Tecklenburg, Geestemunde. The latter, however, went a step further
when in 1902, they built the largest full-rigged ship in the world, the Preussen, displacing 11,150 tons. According
to Lloyd’s she registered 5,081 tons gross and 4,788 net.
The last voyage of the mighty sail carrier Potosi under the German flag is worth recording, as she got the news of
the outbreak of war in mid-ocean and quite rightfully expected herself to be hunted by adversary forces. She came
through, however.

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On the 4 of July, 1914, the huge Potosi, in tow of the tugboat Roland, passed the Elbe Lightship at about 10 a.m.,
taking her departure from the homeland at what proved to be her last voyage under the German flag.
When her master Captain Robert Miethe, saw the coastline dwindle away under the light of a light summery haze,
he little thought that his departure from Hamburg was to be for good, and that his seafaring days would come to
an end after this voyage. Concentrating his mind upon the duties of his command, he settled down to the daily
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routine and let go the tug off Beachy Head on 7 July, at 11 p.m. The Roland blew the usual departing blasts and,
while turning around, the boys waved a farewell and shouted over the water their good wishes for a happy voyage.
The Potosi went on down the Channel, passed Ushant in due time, and proceeding due west soon had the Scilly
Islands abeam. The wind was scarcely what Captain Miethe would have cared for, and it took the big barque two
full days before she could square away on a S.S.W. course off the Lizard, the tenth day out from the Elbe.
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With moderate winds, the ship passed the Azores group at about midnight 18 to 19 same month, and, giving the
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Canary Islands a wide berth, sighted San Antonio and St. Vincent (Cape Verde) the 29 .