UNION STEAM SHIP CO.

Griffin 1895 records a change from U69 to U71. The Ships List chronology gives black funnels in 1858–1863, buff with black tops in 1863–1870, black again in 1870–1891, and all buff in 1891–1900. Red Duster instead dates the cream-buff change to 1892. The U71 flag description in MN, April 1970, is verbal only; Rosanoski assumes its “saltire” extends throughout the white field.

Red Duster’s vessel accounts differ from that general chronology. Dane, built in 1854, received a red funnel with a broad black top, U70, for the first Cape Colony mail voyage in 1857; this livery was applied to all Cape mail ships. Roman began as a red-funnelled mail steamer in November 1863, transferred to the Intermediate service in 1869, and received the black funnel U305 when lengthened and re-engined in 1872.

U304 is documented by Lloyd’s 1882, Griffin 1891 and Flags of the World 1915. Rosanoski notes a bluer flag image on the Red Duster website.