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EGYPT
FORMER SIDE-WHEELER STILL IN OPERATION as a turbine steamer for the Egyptian army and state president
EL MAHROUSA
The yacht El Mahroussa
survives in magnificent condition at Alexandria where she serves as
Egypt's presidential yacht and makes occasional short sailings. She was
originally built in 1865 by Samuda Brothers at Wapping, London, as
a paddle steamer for the Khedive Ismail Pasha. The vessel, which
remained in royal service until 1952, is much changed from the ship
originally delivered. Lengthened by 40 ft in an Italian yard in 1872
then again by 16 ft at Inglis' yard in Glasgow in 1905, she was also
converted to screw propulsion and fitted with Parsons steam turbines
built at their own engine works. In 1905, turbines were still a new
form of marine engineering, the first commercial ship to be so equipped
being only four years previously. In 1919 she was converted from
burning coal to burning diesel oil. She has had an interesting history,
being the first vessel to sail through the Suez Canal when officially
opened in 1869, escorted royalty into exile, including ex-King Farouk
in 1952 (at the time the ship was renamed as El Horriya)
and even went to the United States for that country's bi-centennial
celebrations in New York in 1976. She returned to her original name in
2000. In 2015 she was the ship used to inaugurate the New Suez Canal
built alongside the original canal to increase capacity
Above
: This is thought to be a photo of El Mahrousa in her days as a paddle
steamer. Photo by kind courtesy of Istvan Radi from his collection
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