British Empire Article


Kenia


The Kenia was an 80-foot long by 21-foot broad stern-wheel steamer built in Greenock , Scotland and re-assembled after shipment of the parts to Mombasa.   She was ordered for commercial work on the Tana River on the Indian Ocean coast, but as that waterway had proved to be unsuitable the IBEAC deployed her on the Juba. Her draught when lightly loaded was 18 inches and when fully loaded it was 39 inches. To defend against attacks from local canoes a perforated pipe attached to the main boiler circled the vessel, allowing steam to be discharged when necessary.  Her main armament was a Quick-Firing Hotchkiss gun mounted forward on the promenade deck and she carried two smaller Maxim-Nordenfeldt machine guns. Now iron plates, sections of local canoes and bales of trade goods were used by Lewes’ men to protect firing positions on the decks.

Image courtesy of clydeships.co.uk


Nyanza Watering Place Article


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