As noted below, 30 October 1906 is the date given in most standard White Star histories for Coptic's final sailing from San Francisco on the White Star/Occidental and Oriental transpacific service. A couple of months ago, however, I located references to her arriving at San Francisco on three occasions in 1907, and set off to try to figure out what really happened, greatly assisted by the California Digital Newspaper Collection, http://cdnc.ucr.edu/newsucr. The results follow.
27 June 1906: Carrying very little freight and seven passengers, Coptic
(Capt. Finch) makes her final San Francisco departure on the White
Star/Occidental and Oriental transpacific service; she will arrive at
Yokohama on 11 July and continue on her way to Hong Kong. At this point, it
is anticipated that she will either be sold when she arrives at Hong Kong or
return to England. (Source: The San Francisco Call, 27 and 28 June and 13
and 29 July 1906.)
21 July 1906: The Pacific Mail Company announces that it has purchased
Coptic and Doric I from White Star, leaving the White Star/Occidental and
Oriental transpacific service with no ships and O&O's corporate officials
"without an occupation," although it is anticipated that they will be "taken
care of" by Pacific Mail, of which O&O is described as "merely an adjunct."
It is reportedly Pacific Mail's intention that Doric remain in service, but
Coptic (which is at Hong Kong) is expected to be relegated to the status of
a reserve ship. (Source: The San Francisco Call, 22 and 29 July 1906.)
19 October 1906: Unexpectedly recalled to service as a result of the
stranding and subsequent layup of Pacific Mail's Manchuria, Coptic (now
owned by Pacific Mail and under a Pacific Mail commander, Capt. Andrew
Dixon, but still with her White Star name) returns to San Francisco. She
will sail from San Francisco for Hong Kong on 30 October (the date often
given as that of her final White Star/O&O sailing from California) and again
on 18 January and 2 April 1907. (Sources: The Times (London), 18 February
1907; The San Francisco Daily Call, 11 September, 20 and 30 October
1906 and 3 April 1907; Oakland Tribune, 18 January 1907.)
30 October 1906: This date is given in Anderson's White Star, Haws'
Merchant Fleets and de Kerbrech's Ships of the White Star Line for Coptic's
final San Francisco departure in the White Star/Occidental & Oriental
transpacific service.
7 June 1907: Pacific Mail's Coptic (see 21 July) makes her final San
Francisco arrival under her old White Star name; when she sails again on 18
June it will be under her new Pacific Mail name, Persia. She will be sold
to Toyo Kisen Kabusiki Kaisya in 1915 and renamed Persia Maru and will be
scrapped in Osaka in 1926. (Sources: The San Francisco Call, 8 and 19 June
1907; Anderson's White Star; Haws' Merchant Fleets.)
27 June 1906: Carrying very little freight and seven passengers, Coptic
(Capt. Finch) makes her final San Francisco departure on the White
Star/Occidental and Oriental transpacific service; she will arrive at
Yokohama on 11 July and continue on her way to Hong Kong. At this point, it
is anticipated that she will either be sold when she arrives at Hong Kong or
return to England. (Source: The San Francisco Call, 27 and 28 June and 13
and 29 July 1906.)
21 July 1906: The Pacific Mail Company announces that it has purchased
Coptic and Doric I from White Star, leaving the White Star/Occidental and
Oriental transpacific service with no ships and O&O's corporate officials
"without an occupation," although it is anticipated that they will be "taken
care of" by Pacific Mail, of which O&O is described as "merely an adjunct."
It is reportedly Pacific Mail's intention that Doric remain in service, but
Coptic (which is at Hong Kong) is expected to be relegated to the status of
a reserve ship. (Source: The San Francisco Call, 22 and 29 July 1906.)
19 October 1906: Unexpectedly recalled to service as a result of the
stranding and subsequent layup of Pacific Mail's Manchuria, Coptic (now
owned by Pacific Mail and under a Pacific Mail commander, Capt. Andrew
Dixon, but still with her White Star name) returns to San Francisco. She
will sail from San Francisco for Hong Kong on 30 October (the date often
given as that of her final White Star/O&O sailing from California) and again
on 18 January and 2 April 1907. (Sources: The Times (London), 18 February
1907; The San Francisco Daily Call, 11 September, 20 and 30 October
1906 and 3 April 1907; Oakland Tribune, 18 January 1907.)
30 October 1906: This date is given in Anderson's White Star, Haws'
Merchant Fleets and de Kerbrech's Ships of the White Star Line for Coptic's
final San Francisco departure in the White Star/Occidental & Oriental
transpacific service.
7 June 1907: Pacific Mail's Coptic (see 21 July) makes her final San
Francisco arrival under her old White Star name; when she sails again on 18
June it will be under her new Pacific Mail name, Persia. She will be sold
to Toyo Kisen Kabusiki Kaisya in 1915 and renamed Persia Maru and will be
scrapped in Osaka in 1926. (Sources: The San Francisco Call, 8 and 19 June
1907; Anderson's White Star; Haws' Merchant Fleets.)