Arrival of Disposable Ship Columbus

Date: November 1, 1824 • Location: Deal, United Kingdom

The disposable ship Columbus (pictured) arrived in the The Downs off England, becoming, at that time, the largest vessel to have crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

A disposable ship, also called raft ship, timber ship, or timber drogher is a ship or sea vessel that is intended for use on a single voyage. At the final destination, the vessel is broken up for sale or reuse of materials. Until the end of the 19th century, such ships were common on major rivers such as the Danube and the Rhine in Central Europe and the Mississippi in North America. There were also saltwater vessels that were primarily built for one-time sailing to break up. Some of the largest wooden ships in history were of this type.