1891 - A page, with enlargement, from the Appropriation Book relating to Official Number 94036 - s.s. 'Aira Force'. Her Port of Registry is confirmed as Whitehaven and she was registered, with a tonnage of 109 tons, on the 6th February 1891. [630]

The Appropriation Books were introduced under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, to ensure that each British owned and registered vessel could be identified by a unique Official Number. Many vessels had the same name. It was a little like the problem of the Taff Vale Railway management in that there were many employees with the surname Jones, Davies, or Thomas, etc. etc.!