drive along as dry as a bone, making 300 miles a day without wetting
her decks. But it was in light winds that she showed up best, her
ghosting powers being quite extraordinary. The flap of her sails sent
her along 2 or 3 knots, and in light airs she was accustomed to pass
other clippers as if they were at anchor.
Commander Harry Shrubsole, R.N.R., in a letter to the _Nautical
Magazine_, gives the following interesting reminiscences of her
wonderful speed.
Some items of one of her passages are worth noting. Crossed the
equator in 15 days from Plymouth; arrived off Semaphore, Port
Adelaide, 61 days from Plymouth. The last two days were employed in
beating up the Gulf from the western end of Kangaroo Island, I forget
the name of the point we made, so 59 days could easily be counted as
the passage.
We sighted the _Jennie Harkness_, obviously American, at daylight
right ahead in the S.E. trades; at noon we were alongside her, and
our Foo-Foo band played “Yankee-Doodle” as we passed her. She had
Jimmy Greens and water-sails, flying jib topsails and what not
aloft, and we slid by her as if she was—well—sailing slowly, as
she undoubtedly was, compared to our speed. We passed a large ship
running the easting down. She was under upper topgallant sails,
whilst we were under upper topsails with weather upper and lower
stunsails set. The old ship was never driven; she did not need it,
neither would she stand it. But she sailed rings round anything
sighted. To sight a ship to windward and ahead, on a wind, was to
ensure the tautening of the weather braces, an order to sail a
bit finer and to see her passing ahead and to windward of that
ship by the early afternoon. We did this with a four-master, the
_Amazon_, and I bear a scar on my eyebrow to-day in memory of that
ship—merely a small argument about her name. In the case of the
_Jennie Harkness_, I was the “leadin’ ’and” of the Foo-Foo band and
can picture the incident now in all its features.
Captain H. R. Angel, who had previously commanded the _Glen Osmond_
and _Collingrove_, was the chief owner of the _Torrens_, and had a
great say in her design; and after overlooking her building he took her
from the stocks and commanded her for 15 voyages. Under him she was a
wonderfully lucky ship and a great deal of the credit for her success
undoubtedly belonged to Captain Angel.
Her biggest run in the 24 hours was 336 miles; and her fastest
speed through the water by the log was 14 knots. Her average for 15
outward passages under Captain Angel was 74 days from Plymouth to the
Semaphore, Port Adelaide. Captain Angel always brought her into the St.
Vincent’s Gulf _via_ the Backstairs Passage, east of Kangaroo Island,
instead of through Investigators’ Straits. On the homeward passage he
always took the Cape route, for the benefit of his passengers, calling
in at Capetown, St. Helena and Ascension.
To show the extraordinary way in which luck clung to the _Torrens_ as
long as Captain H. R. Angel commanded her, I will give the following
instance, given me by Captain Angel himself.
On a certain homeward passage, the lamp oil ran short or was lost
through some mismanagement. This caused Captain Angel to grow very
anxious as the _Torrens_ approached the mouth of the English Channel,
in whose narrow crowded waters lights are naturally of the utmost
importance. But before soundings were reached a barrel was passed,
floating on the water. Angel at once hove his ship to and lowered a
boat, picked the barrel up and took it aboard—and, on being opened, it
was found to contain oil.
As commodore of the Elder Line, Captain Angel flew a white flag with
red crescent and stars at the masthead of the _Torrens_, instead of the
ordinary house-flag with red ground, white crescent and stars.
In the autumn of 1890 Captain Angel retired from the sea and handed
over the _Torrens_ to Captain Cope. With the change of captain, the
_Torrens_ luck deserted her. On her first passage out under her new
commander the _Torrens_ lost her foremast and main topmast in 6° N.,
27° W., and put into Pernambuco to refit; and before she was refitted
she caught fire. However, the fire was put out, she was remasted and
she eventually reached Adelaide 179 days out.
Whilst Captain Cope had her, the _Torrens_ had the honour of having
Joseph Conrad as mate for a voyage. This was in 1893, and Conrad made
two important literary friendships whilst on the _Torrens_, for W. H.
Jacques made the voyage in her and Galsworthy was a passenger from
Adelaide to Capetown.
In 1896 Captain F. Angel, the son of Captain H. R. Angel, took over the
command of the _Torrens_, and again the Goddess of Fortune objected to
the change. On his third voyage, young Angel ran foul of an iceberg in
the Southern Ocean; and with her bow stove in and partially dismasted,
the _Torrens_ managed to struggle into Adelaide, for the second time in
her career over 100 days out.
Her last passage, also, under the British flag was a disastrous one.
She left Adelaide on 23rd April, 1903, and before she was clear of
Kangaroo island a storm burst on her and she had difficulty in clawing
off the land. Then when she got down to the Cape latitudes another
heavy gale forced her back towards Mauritius. However, at last she
got into Table Bay. She had little cargo from Adelaide on board, and
as no cargo was offering at Capetown, she went on to St. Helena, and
took in a load of explosives for the British Government—ammunition,
etc., returning from the Boer war. But even when the Thames tug had got
her hawser, the dangers of this passage were not over, for whilst the
_Torrens_ was in tow a vessel tried to pass ahead of her, between her
and the tug, and was cut down and sunk by the sharp forefoot of the
famous clipper. When the collision was seen to be unavoidable there
was almost a panic on the _Torrens_, owing to her cargo of explosives.
However nothing happened, the _Torrens_ was uninjured and Captain Angel
was not held to blame.
But old Captain Angel had had enough of it—her cost for repairs since
he had given her up had come to more than her original cost to build;
and he sold her to the Italians.
“Torrens’” Outward Passages.
When inspecting _Torrens’_ wonderful times, two things in her favour
must be remembered, firstly that she sailed from England at the most
favourable time in the year, and secondly that, carrying passengers,
she was always in perfect trim. On the other hand, everything was done
to make the passengers comfortable, especially as many of them were
invalids or consumptives going for the benefit of the voyage, thus she
was never driven as she might have been.
With the change of ownership as with the change of skippers, evil luck
again struck the celebrated old ship, for the Italians soon ran her
ashore and after getting her off again sent her to Genoa to be broken
up. But when the Genoese shipbreakers saw the beauty of her model and
construction, they went to the expense of repairing her, only to again
bump her on the rocks. This time she was towed back to Genoa for good
and all, and was broken up in 1910.
+-----------+----------------+---------------+----------------+-----+
| Captain. | Date Left | Date Left | Date Arrived | Days|
| | London. | Plymouth. | Adelaide. | Out.|
+-----------+----------------+---------------+----------------+-----+
|H. R. Angel| Dec. 8, 1875 | Dec. 12, 1875 | Mar. 7, 1876 | 85 |
| „ | Oct. 26, 1876 | Oct. 29, 1876 | Jan. 18, 1877 | 81 |
| „ | „ 27, 1877 | Nov. 4, 1877 | „ 11, 1878 | 68 |
| „ | „ 26, 1878 | „ 2, 1878 | „ 18, 1879 | 77 |
| „ | „ 26, 1879 | Oct. 30, 1879 | „ 8, 1880 | 70 |
| „ | „ 28, 1880 | Nov. 2, 1880 | „ 6, 1881 | 65 |
| „ | „ 27, 1881 | Oct. 29, 1881 | „ 8, 1882 | 71 |
| „ | „ 26, 1882 | „ 29, 1882 | „ 16, 1883 | 79 |
| „ | „ 27, 1883 | „ 29, 1883 | „ 7, 1884 | 70 |
| „ | „ 26, 1884 | Nov. 2, 1884 | „ 25, 1885 | 84 |
| „ | „ 27, 1885 | „ 1, 1885 | „ 8, 1886 | 68 |
| „ | „ 28, 1886 | „ 2, 1886 | „ 15, 1887 | 74 |
| „ | „ 27, 1887 | „ 8, 1887 | „ 14, 1888 | 67 |
| „ | „ 27, 1888 | „ 1, 1888 | „ 14, 1889 | 74 |
| „ | „ 30, 1889 | „ 7, 1889 | „ 26, 1890 | 80 |
|W. H. Cope | „ 29, 1890 | Dismasted | April 26, 1891 | 179 |
| „ | — | Nov. 25, 1891 | Feb. 28, 1892 | 95 |
| „ | Oct. 25, 1892 | — | Jan. 30, 1893 | 97 |
| „ | Nov. 3, 1893 | — | „ 26, 1894 | 84 |
| „ | Oct. 14, 1894 | — | „ 13, 1895 | 91 |
| „ | Sept. 18, 1895 | — | Dec. 6, 1895 | 79 |
|F. Angel | Oct. 26, 1896 | Left Downs | Jan. 11, 1897 | 75 |
| | | Oct. 28 | | |
| „ | „ 30, 1897 | — | „ 15, 1898 | 77 |
| „ | „ 25, 1898 |Struck Iceberg | Feb. 5, 1899 | 103 |
| „ | „ 31, 1899 | — | Feb. 5, 1900 | 97 |
| „ | „ 27, 1900 | Left Downs | Jan. 20, 1901 | 82 |
| | | Oct. 30 | | |
| „ | „ 24, 1901 | — | Feb. 2, 1902 | 101 |
| „ | „ 26, 1902 | — | Jan. 17, 1903 | 83 |
+-----------+----------------+---------------+----------------+-----+
The _Torrens_, with the exception of the Lochs, was the last sailing
ship to carry passengers. As a composite ship, built specially for
passengers, she had no rival except Devitt & Moore’s celebrated
_Sobraon_.
[Illustration: “SOBRAON.”]
[Illustration: “SOBRAON.”]
The Great “Sobraon.”
The _Sobraon_ was built by Messrs. Hall, of Aberdeen, to the order
of Lowther, Maxton & Co., the tea clipper owners, and launched in
November, 1866. She was the largest composite ship ever built, being
constructed of solid teak with iron beams and frames; she was copper
fastened and classed 16 years A1.
Her measurements were:—
Registered tonnage 2131 tons.
Burthen 3500 „
Length over all 317 feet.
Length between perpendiculars 272 „
Beam 40 „
Depth of hold 27 „
Her lower masts were of wrought iron, and her topmasts and lower yards
on each mast of steel. On her first two voyages she carried skysails,
but these were found to make her rather crank and so were done away
with. In the eighties she followed the fashion and was fitted with
double topgallant yards on her fore and main masts. With all sail set,
she had a spread of just 2 acres of canvas.
Mr. A. G. Elmslie, who served in her for 11 years under his father,
from apprentice to chief officer, gave me the following account of her
sailing qualities:—
A glance at the perfect lines of the ship in dry dock would be quite
sufficient to show there was nothing to stop her going through the
water, and I can honestly say that during my 11 years I never saw any
other sailing ship pass her in a breeze either on a wind or before
it. The fact of the _Sobraon_ being first intended for an auxiliary
steamer and having the two stern posts, the space between which was
filled up with solid timber, gave her a perfect run, and her bows
were as fine as any yacht’s. Runs of over 300 knots when running
down the easting were frequent. On one occasion over 1000 knots were
covered in three days and over 2000 in a week. 340 knots in the 24
hours was the best run made. I have seen over 16 knots reeled off by
the log. This was with the wind some 2 or 3 points on the quarter,
which was her best sailing point. On a wind and sailing within 5½
points, she could do her 7 to 8 knots good.
On her first five voyages from 1866 to 1871, _Sobraon_ sailed to
Sydney, and after that, from 1872 to 1891, to Melbourne, always
returning _via_ the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Horn.
Her fastest trip to Sydney was 73 days and to Melbourne 68 days. On the
latter passage she sighted Cape Otway on the morning of the 60th day
out, but then had light variable winds, which spoilt what promised to
be a 61-day passage.
Most of her outward passages were between 70 and 80 days, but it must
be remembered that she was never driven hard out of consideration for
her passengers, or there is little doubt that she would have gone near
to lowering the golden cock at _Thermopylae’s_ masthead. On her first
voyage to Sydney in 1866-7, she went out in 75 days and came home in 78.
Lowther & Maxton only owned her for a few years, and from the first she
loaded as one of Devitt & Moore’s monthly line of packets to Australia,
the latter firm buying her outright about 1870.
On her maiden voyage the _Sobraon_ was commanded by Captain Kyle. In
1867 he was succeeded by Lieut. J. A. Elmslie, R.N.R., who had her for
the rest of her active career, from 1867 to 1891, a period of 24 years.
Captain Elmslie commenced his career in 1842 and for several years
traded out to India and China and later to Australia in the well-known
London ships _La Hogue_ and _Parramatta_. Prior to taking the
_Sobraon_, he commanded the ill-fated _Cospatrick_, from 1863 to 1867,
his brother, who was afterwards lost in her in 1873, succeeding him in
the command of that ship.
Captain Elmslie’s name was so closely and for so long associated with
that of the _Sobraon_, that passengers were no doubt as much attracted
by the one as by the other. In fact there were many instances in
which they booked their passages solely on account of the name of
the commander. Whilst being a strict disciplinarian and respected by
all who sailed under him, he was, at the same time, kindness itself
and laid himself out on every occasion to study the interests of his
passengers. The fact that the _Sobraon_ never had anything approaching
a serious loss of spars or sails may be safely put down to his never
ceasing attention to the ship and the weather. He was always about, and
his keen sense of watchfulness and duty readily imparted itself to his
officers and crew.
Captain Elmslie was elected a Younger Brother of the Trinity House on
1st September, 1868, and he would have been elected an Elder Brother
many years before his death had he been eligible, but the fact of his
never having served in steam barred him.
No greater proof of the popularity of the _Sobraon_ and her captain
can be given than the length of time both officers and men stayed in
her. James Cameron, who was foreman shipwright at the building of the
_Sobraon_, served as carpenter on her during the whole time that the
ship was afloat—service 1866-1891.
Thomas Willoughby, formerly with Captain Elmslie in _Cospatrick_,
from 1864 to 1867, transferred with his captain to the _Sobraon_ and
served throughout, first as butcher and later as chief steward—service
1866-1891.
James Farrance served 16 years as A.B. and boatswain. Thomas Routledge
served 10 years as sailmaker.
This length of service on the part of her petty officers is, I should
think, easily a record.
And amongst well-known seamen who learnt their craft in the _Sobraon_
were—
Captain R. Hoare, apprentice to chief officer, 1872-1882 (a commander
in the Orient Line and Elder Brother of Trinity House).
Captain F. Northey, apprentice to chief officer, 1867-1869, and
1874-1882 (afterwards commanded the _John Rennie_).
Captain A. E. Baker, apprentice to chief officer, 1887 (afterwards
commander in the P. & O.)
Captain Elmslie also had his first and second sons with him. C. T.
Elmslie, the eldest, as apprentice before going into the P. & O. and
Captain A. G. Elmslie from apprentice to chief officer, 11 years from
1880 to 1891.
The _Sobraon’s_ crew usually consisted of captain, 4 officers,
8 apprentices, carpenter, sailmaker, boatswain, engineer, 2
boatswain’s mates, 26 A.B.’s, 4 O.S.’s, 2 boys, 16 stewards and 2
stewardesses—total all told = 69.
Only one voyage was made in each year, the sailing date from London
always being the latter end of September and from Australia early in
February.
From her immense carrying capacity, the cargo was invariably a good
source of revenue. Owing to her regular sailings there was never any
difficulty in getting a full hold, and this applied especially to the
homeward run, when her cargo consisted chiefly of wool and wheat. It
was, however, as a crack passenger ship to Australia that the _Sobraon_
was most celebrated as she never formed one of the fleet which raced
home to be in time for the February wool sales. Indeed, on the homeward
run she usually touched at Capetown and always at St. Helena, these
breaks in the passage being very popular with passengers.
At St. Helena the ship made a regular stay of about three days, and
this visit was as much looked forward to by the inhabitants of the
island as by the _Sobraon’s_ passengers. As a rule about 100 tons of
cargo, consisting of flour, corn, preserved meat, etc., were landed
there and occasionally a few bullocks were taken there from Capetown.
Whilst the _Sobraon_ lay at St. Helena, the passengers roamed the
Island, climbed the 699 steps to the barracks, visited Longwood and
Napoleon’s tomb and generally enjoyed themselves. Captain Elmslie also
made a habit of giving a fancy dress ball on board before leaving, to
which all the _elite_ of the Island were asked.
_Sobraon’s_ passenger accommodation was unequalled for a sailing
ship. She only had a short poop, but her first class saloon reached
from right aft to within 20 feet of the foremast, and was 200 feet in
length. The second class saloon took up the remaining space in the
’tween decks, with the exception of 20 feet in the eyes of the ship,
which was bulkheaded off as a store room and sail locker.
The number of first class passengers on the outward trip averaged
close on 90, with 40 in the second saloon. There were generally a few
less coming home. Owing to the good accommodation and to the fact that
the voyages were timed for the finest climatic conditions, there were
always a fair number of invalids booked and a good many of them made
the round voyage. And there were many instances, also, of marvellous
cures aboard the _Sobraon_.
In her early days she took many notable people out to Australia. Lord
and Lady Belmore and their suite went out in her, the former to take
up the Governorship of New South Wales. It was on this voyage that the
Duke of Edinburgh was in Sydney whilst the _Sobraon_ lay there; and
it was at his request that she was made the flagship at the Sydney
Regatta. Captain Elmslie had the honour of entertaining and being
entertained by the Duke on several occasions, and on his return passage
brought home numerous cases of curios collected by the Duke whilst in
the East.
On the next voyage the _Sobraon_ took out Mr. Ducane, the new Governor
of Tasmania, and his suite.
Fresh food was obviously a necessity for the class of passenger
carried, and the following live-stock were carried on each passage—3
bullocks, 90 sheep, 50 pigs, 3 cows for milking and over 300 geese,
fowls and ducks. Fresh water and plenty of it was always procurable—a
large condenser running every alternate day; there was an ice chamber,
also, in which several tons of ice were stored.
The _Sobraon_ came through her 25 years’ active service with singularly
little damage at the hands of the elements.
On making the African coast on the homeward run, she had the usual
narrow shaves from being dismasted, which are experienced by all
west-bound ships in that locality. The wind shifts from N.W. to S.W. in
squalls accompanied by the most terrific thunder and lightning at this
dreaded spot, and it is almost impossible for a close-hauled ship to
avoid getting caught aback.
The most serious storm experienced by the _Sobraon_ was in 1889,
when running her easting down. She was a little to the north of the
Crozets, and it began to breeze up on a Sunday morning. The glass gave
every indication of a real snorter, and by 4 p.m. had tumbled down to
27.75. By that time the _Sobraon_ had been shortened down to foresail,
lower fore topsail, upper fore topsail reefed, main lower topsail
and fore topmast staysail. The shift from N.W. to S.W. came at 5
o’clock, and the yards were hardly round before the foresail went and
in a few moments there was nothing left of it. The sea was running in
mountainous ridges, and with the foresail gone threatened every moment
to poop her badly. It was too late to heave to and the ship was kept
away before it. After four hours’ battling and over 30 men aloft a
brand new foresail was bent and set reefed. This was hardly done before
the fore upper topsail blew away. However, with the foresail reefed and
two lower topsails the _Sobraon_ fled before the blast like a startled
deer. The squalls every few minutes were terrific and in spite of such
short canvas the _Sobraon_ was making over 14 knots an hour.
The sea was all the time running higher and higher and breaking aboard
in the most alarming fashion. During the night the greater portion
of the bulwarks on the port side was carried away; a boat in davits,
hanging 22 feet above the water, was filled by a sea and disappeared,
the davits breaking short off: the main skylight over the saloon was
washed away and tons of water found its way below before the open
space could be covered over. The amount of water in the saloon at this
time can be imagined when passengers were actually being washed off
their feet. On deck there were many narrow escapes of men being washed
overboard, the broken bulwarks being a great source of danger. The mate
and three of the men were washed from the main fiferail to the break
of the poop, and, after being dashed up against the heavy boarding
which had been put up to protect the fore end of the poop, managed to
save themselves by the life-lines which had been stretched across. The
forward deck house which held the galley and engine room was almost
demolished and everything moveable in it was washed over the side.
The storm continued at its height from the Sunday afternoon until
Wednesday morning. The passengers, who had been battened down for three
days, were in a sorry plight owing to the quantities of water that had
got below and the catering for them under such conditions proved very
difficult. As is usually the case after such a storm, the wind subsided
very much quicker than the sea, and for a few hours on the Wednesday
night, the wind having dropped completely and the ship losing way, the
rolling was terrific. Fortunately everything held aloft in spite of the
great strain on the masts during these few hours.
On two occasions the _Sobraon_ had narrow escapes of getting ashore
when making the Channel in thick weather. On her first voyage, after
several days without sights and when it was calculated that the ship
was in the chops of the Channel, several fishing boats were met, and,
on asking his position, the captain found that he was heading up the
Bristol Channel. Several of the passengers availed themselves of the
opportunity of going ashore in the fishing boats, and, landing on the
Devonshire coast, reached London several days before the ship.
On the homeward passage in 1888 it came on very thick after Land’s End
had been sighted. The _Sobraon_ stood on for some 24 hours and then
suddenly the fog lifted and disclosed the land inside Portland Bill
dead ahead and under a mile distant. The wind was easterly and light,
and the _Sobraon_ close-hauled on the starboard tack; however, she came
round in time and stood off, thus escaping destruction by the narrowest
margin.
The _Sobraon_ had two escapes from being burnt at sea. The first was
on the outward passage in 1884. A little water had been making in the
vicinity of the main hatch and the carpenter went below one morning to
try to discover where it was coming in. Amongst the cargo in the square
of the hatch and around it were several crates of bottles packed in
straw. In climbing over these the carpenter dropped the light he was
carrying and inside of a minute the straw was alight and the flames
darting out in every direction. Luckily the ship carried a quantity of
fire extinguishers, and with these and the hoses from two pumps the
fire was got under in about 20 minutes. Had there been the slightest
delay the fire must have spread to the other cargo, and there being no
means of getting at it nothing could have saved the ship.
The second instance occurred in the tropics when outward bound in 1888.
A quantity of oil and some 90 tons of coal were down in the fore peak,
which was only separated from the cargo in the fore hold by a wooden
bulkhead. By spontaneous combustion apparently the coal caught alight,
and one morning smoke was discovered coming out of the hatch. All hands
were at once started getting the coal up, but as the hatch was only 4
feet by 3 feet this proved an extremely slow job. After 20 tons had
been got on deck, the smoke had become so thick and the heat so intense
that the hose had to be resorted to. However, this conquered the fire
in about half an hour. Luckily the burning part of the coal had been
well away from the bulkhead or the consequences must have been more
serious.
There was only one person lost overboard off the _Sobraon_ in her whole
career, but this was a particularly distressing case. The following
account of it was given to me by Captain A. G. Elmslie:—
“In about latitude 35° S. and longitude 5° W., one Sunday evening
early in November, 1883, we were bowling along at a good 13 knots
with the wind on the starboard quarter and royals set, being outward
bound to Australia. I was third mate and keeping the first watch. Four
bells had just been struck when I noticed a lady passenger come up on
the poop and walk aft, sitting down on the weather side of the wheel
box and close to the man at the wheel. About five minutes later the
quartermaster cried out:—‘My God! she’s overboard!’
“I rushed aft, and with the quartermaster tried to get hold of the
girl, who was then hanging on to the lower rail outside, but before we
could get her she let go and dropped into the water. Although only a
few seconds had elapsed since the quartermaster had let the wheel go,
the ship was up in the wind and nearly aback.
“After telling the midshipman to throw some lifebuoys over and the
fourth officer to get the boat ready, I sang out:—‘Man overboard! Let
go your royal and topgallant halliards!’
“Fortunately the men were handy and the yards came down before we were
flat aback. By this time the captain and other officers and all hands
were on deck. Owing to the pace the ship was still going through the
water, together with the strong wind blowing, it was necessary to let
the topsails come down also.
“With the courses and lower topsails alone set, she soon lost way
sufficiently to allow the boat being lowered, which by that time had
been manned. Only four minutes elapsed between the girl going over the
side and the boat being in the water, but in this short space of time
the ship had travelled a good half mile and quite far enough to make
the search a most difficult one, especially seeing that the night was
intensely dark and a heavy sea running. The search was kept up for some
four hours and only abandoned then through the danger of keeping the
boat in the water, for she was several times nearly swamped. Needless
to say, on such a night, and the probabilities being that the girl was
drowned at once, no sign was seen of her. Two of the life-buoys were
afterwards picked up by another ship. The reason of the suicide, for
such it undoubtedly was, remained a mystery. The girl had no relations
with her and no one on board could throw any light on the matter.”
On another occasion the ship was going some 5 knots in the tropics when
an apprentice fell overboard during the forenoon watch. It was quite 20
minutes before the boat reached him, but he was found swimming along
quite composed, having unlaced and taken his heavy boots off and slung
them round his neck, as their weight was less felt there and he did not
want to lose them.
Another of _Sobraon’s_ apprentices was even still more cool-headed.
This one fell off the footrope of the mainyard, being one of 30 hands
aloft stowing the mainsail. Luckily he was well in to the quarter of
the yard and so fell on the deck. If he had gone overboard there would
have been little chance of picking him up. The fall was one of 58 feet
and he fell within 3 feet of the second mate. The latter naturally
expected to find him dead, but he recovered consciousness within an
hour, and was about again a month later quite recovered. He declared
that as soon as he felt himself falling he made himself as rigid as
possible, brought his head and legs together and protected the former
with his arms; and he landed in that position on his side. He was a big
fellow, being over 6 feet in height and weighing 14 stones.
Another marvellous escape from aloft was that of a man who was helping
to stow the main upper topsail. This man suddenly lost his hold and
came down spread-eagle fashion. He dropped on to the main rigging and
carried away 7 ratlins of 27 thread stuff, then landed on the rail
without breaking a bone. This was in 1886, and the _Sobraon_ was just
making Plymouth. The man was taken to hospital and recovered in a few
days. As soon as he came out of hospital, he claimed damages from the
ship, declaring that a grummet on the jackstay had given away; but it
was easily proved that nothing went and the man had simply lost his
hold.
But all falls from aloft on the _Sobraon_ were not so fortunate as
these two. A young ordinary seaman once fell from the mizen topgallant
rigging with fatal consequences. The crossjack had just been hauled up
and the mizen topgallant sail clewed up, and the hands were sent aloft
to make the sails fast. This man, with three others, being first aloft,
went up to stow the topgallant sail. Suddenly the men on the cross jack
footropes heard an agonising cry and a form whizzed past them, struck
the spanker gaff and then fell on the deckhouse. The poor fellow broke
his spine amongst other injuries and died almost immediately.
On still another occasion, when the _Sobraon_ was again coming into
Plymouth, a man working in the main futtock rigging lost his hold
and fell on deck right in the midst of a crowd of passengers. There
were close on 100 people standing about at the time and it was
extraordinary that he fell on no one—he just touched a lady on the
shoulder and bruised her a little—but was of course horribly smashed
up himself and killed instantly. The shock to the crowd of passengers
standing round may easily be imagined.
There were two curious cases of somnambulism amongst the passengers of
the _Sobraon_. The first was a Church of England clergyman and he was
most methodical in his movements. He invariably appeared on deck about
midnight and would first of all go up on the poop and peer into the
compass; and then, after strolling the deck for a few minutes, would go
below to the small saloon aft where prayers were held by him on that
voyage. Here he would go over the service to an imaginary congregation,
after which he would return to his berth and turn in. In the early days
of the voyage he was spoken to about his sleep walking, and, at his
own request, was locked into his cabin one night. The result was that
when he found that he could not get out for his sleep walk, he worked
himself into a fury of rage and began smashing things in his cabin.
At last the door had to be opened for fear that he would do himself
some damage and after a great deal of coaxing he was got back to bed.
For some days after this, however, he was in a pretty bad way and no
further attempt was made to stop him walking in his sleep.
The second case was of a young man who generally appeared on deck for
about an hour each night. On one occasion the officer of the watch,
thinking that he was too close to the side of the ship and fearing
that he might get on the rail or fall overboard, touched him with a
view to getting him away. The somnambulist at once grappled with the
mate and was only mastered after over a quarter of an hour’s desperate
struggle. As on an ordinary occasion the mate in question could
probably have accounted for three men of the somnambulist’s build and
physique, the incident goes to prove that sleep walkers, if interfered
with, are possessed temporarily of a madman’s strength.
On her last trip the _Sobraon_ arrived at Melbourne about mid-December,
1891, and after discharging took in sufficient ballast to take her
round to Sydney. Here she was sold to the New South Wales Government,
who turned her into a reformatory ship, and for the next twenty years
she lay moored in Sydney harbour. In 1911 she was handed over to the
Federal Government to be converted into a training ship for boys
entering the Australian Navy. On being put into dry dock for survey, it
was found that, in spite of her age, she was as sound as a bell.
Messrs. Devitt & Moore.
In _Sobraon_ Messrs. Devitt & Moore undoubtedly had possessed one of
the finest passenger sailing ships ever launched; this firm, indeed,
possessed a very keen eye where ships were concerned. The two partners
started as shipbrokers, and loaded ships for the Australian trade as
far back as 1836. They always loaded on commission, and I believe the
first ships for which they did business belonged to Robert Brooks,
afterwards the well-known M.P. for Weymouth. But the most famous
shipowner who gave Devitt & Moore his ships to load was Duncan Dunbar.
And on the death of Dunbar in 1862 Devitt & Moore acquired an interest
in several of his best ships, notably the wonderful old _La Hogue_, one
of the favourite passenger ships to Sydney in her day and celebrated
for her huge figure-head and single mizen topsail.
Shortly before his death Duncan Dunbar had commissioned Laing, of
Sunderland, to build him a 1000-ton frigate-built passenger ship, to be
called the _Dunbar Castle_. This ship, afterwards known as the “Last
of the Dunbars” was launched in 1866, and sailed regularly in Devitt &
Moore’s list of passenger ships to Australia.
The _La Hogue_, by the way, was built by Pile, of Sunderland, and
measured 1331 tons, being one of the largest frigate-built ships ever
launched.
Devitt & Moore kept her in the Sydney trade, and so popular was she
with the Australians that they would wait weeks and often months on
purpose to sail in her.
In 1866, Laing, of Sunderland, launched the equally well-known and
popular frigate-built liner _Parramatta_, of 1521 tons, for Devitt &
Moore’s Sydney passenger trade. These two ships do not properly come
within the scope of this book and I shall give a more detailed account
of them in the next book of this series, which will deal specially with
these frigate-built Blackwallers.
Few shipowners can escape scot-free from disaster, and the firm’s
greatest loss was when their new ship, the _Queen of the Thames_,
considered by many to be the finest ship that ever left the London
River, was lost off the Cape on her first homeward bound passage from
Melbourne.
With _La Hogue_ and _Parramatta_ in the Sydney trade and _Sobraon_ in
the Melbourne trade, the house-flag was well known throughout Victoria
and New South Wales. Nor was it less well known in South Australia;
indeed Devitt & Moore’s ships were amongst the pioneers in the
passenger and wool trade of Adelaide.
“City of Adelaide” and “South Australian.”
In the Adelaide trade, the beautiful little composite ships of Devitt
& Moore rivalled those of the Orient and Elder Lines. Of these little
clippers the best known passenger ships were the _City of Adelaide_ and
_South Australian_.
The _City of Adelaide_ was launched in 1864 from Pile’s yard, her
measurements being:—
Registered tonnage 791 tons.
Length 176.8 feet.
Breadth 33.2 „
Depth 18.8 „
She was a very fast little ship with a 65-day run from London to
Adelaide to her credit.
The _South Australian_ came out in 1868, also from Pile’s yard, and
measured:—
Registered tonnage 1040 tons.
Length 201 feet.
Breadth 36 „
Depth 20.1 „
She had a poop 80 ft. long, and was classed 17 years A1. Though not as
fast a ship as the smaller _City of Adelaide_, she was a very fine sea
boat with very comfortable accommodation for first and second class
passengers.
She was commanded by Captain David Bruce, who with his three sons was
very well known in the Adelaide trade. Old David Bruce was one of the
good old breed of sea dog—a sturdy, weather-beaten, grey-whiskered
Scot. He always dressed in black broadcloth, topped by a straw hat and
puggaree. He possessed a merry wit—also a lame leg, which had been
crushed by a run-away cask during a storm. His three sons served their
time under him, and the commands of the _City of Adelaide_ and _South
Australian_ seem to have been taken in turn by each member of the Bruce
family.
[Illustration: “CITY OF ADELAIDE.”
David Bruce, Commander.
_From an old lithograph._]
[Illustration: “SOUTH AUSTRALIAN.”
_From an old lithograph._]
_South Australian_ was occasionally seen in Melbourne, but the _City
of Adelaide_ was always in the South Australian trade, and usually
loaded wool at Port Augusta. Both ships were still running in the late
eighties.
The Speedy Little “St. Vincent.”
Messrs. Devitt & Moore always considered that the little _St. Vincent_,
launched in 1865 by Pile, of Sunderland, was the fastest ship they ever
owned. Her measurements were:—
Registered tonnage 892 tons.
Length 190 feet.
Breadth 35 „
Depth 18.9 „
She was also composite built, with a 68-ft. poop and 36-ft. foc’s’le.
With hard driving skippers, like J. Bissit and J. Barrett, she had as
bad a reputation amongst foremast hands as the Orient flyers in the
matter of wetness. However, she was such a beautifully modelled ship
that she came to no harm in spite of generally travelling through the
water instead of over it. But no hard driven ship comes through the
westerlies year after year without a scratch, and one occasionally
comes across such entries as the following in her log books:—
27th October, 1878.—Struck by a heavy squall, sustained severe damage
to spars, losing bowsprit, headgear, etc.
She was not often over the 80 days going out, and her times coming home
would have been as good, if she had not come _via_ the Cape and St.
Helena like most South Australian traders; nevertheless she was usually
home in under 90 days. In spite of being hard driven for most of her
life the _St. Vincent_ was still afloat in 1905 as a Norwegian barque
under the name of _Axel_.
“Pekina” and “Hawkesbury.”
Messrs. Devitt & Moore owned two other well-known clippers, built of
wood. These were _Pekina_, 770 tons, built by Smith, of Aberdeen, in
1865; _Hawkesbury_, 1120 tons, built by Pile, of Sunderland, in 1868.
The _Pekina_ was in the South Australian trade, but the _Hawkesbury_
always ran to Sydney. Though she had many fine passages to her credit,
the _Hawkesbury’s_ chief claim to fame was her reputation for being
the wettest ship in the wool trade. She was composite built, but the
_Pekina_ was all wood.
Messrs. Devitt & Moore sold the _Pekina_ in 1880, but the _Hawkesbury_
was still in the Sydney trade in the late eighties.
Mr. T. B. Walker.
Messrs. Devitt & Moore, as shipbrokers, had many fine ships figuring
in their books, notably _Mermerus_ and _Thessalus_, and at odd times
others of Carmichael’s fleet. They were also brokers for Mr. T. B.
Walker’s speedy little barques in the Tasmanian and Brisbane trades.
These sailed under the Devitt & Moore house-flag, and Mr. Walker
occupied a room and his clerk a desk in their office.
Mr. T. B. Walker was a very prominent man amongst London shipowners and
for many years was chairman of Lloyd’s Register. He was a shipmaster of
the old school and took a great pride in his ships, and kept them up
in most liberal fashion. One of his customs was to keep officers and
apprentices on board whilst the ships were at home, an old pensioned
cook going into the galley and acting as shipkeeper. Thus the Walker
apprentices had a most valuable training in docking and undocking,
shifting ship, refitting rigging, bending and unbending sail, etc., and
a further result of this custom was that these pretty little barques
were kept in such good order whilst at home that they came to be known
as the West India Dock yachts.
Mr. Walker lived at Hackney and later at Snaresbrook, and he used to
arrive at the docks punctually at 9.30 every morning. By this time the
decks of all the Walker clippers in port had been washed down, the
ropes Flemish coiled, the brass polished and everything was in order
for his inspection. And everything had to be in perfect order, for he
had an eye like a hawk and nothing escaped him: the least thing wrong
or out of order and he was sure to detect it. His captains used to
assemble together to meet him and make a daily report on their ships.
After Mr. Walker had made his inspection it was the long-established
custom for his captains to conduct him to the West India Dock Station,
where he entrained for his day’s work in the City. In the spring
when most of the ships were home, this procession of Mr. Walker and
his captains from the docks to the station was a well-known sight of
the neighbourhood and was referred to as “Mr. T. B. Walker and his
satellites.”
Walker’s Clipper Barques.
Mr. T. B. Walker’s long connection with the Tasmanian trade began in
1851-2 when he despatched the brig _Arnon_, of 338 tons register,
to Launceston. She was commanded by Captain Benjamin Fowler, a
brother-in-law of Mr. Walker’s; she arrived out of season and lay in
port for some months waiting for the following season’s wool, during
which time Captain Fowler married a daughter of Captain William
Nielley (late 40th Regiment), of Rostella, East Tamar, Launceston,
and by so doing set an example which was followed by quite a number
of Walker’s skippers and officers. To name only a few, I may mention
Captain Barwood, who succeeded Fowler in the _Arnon_ and is, I believe,
still living in Tasmania; Captain Wittingham, who was lost in the
_Lanoma_; Captain Smith, of the _Westbury_; and Captain Brown, of the
_Corinth_. To return to the _Arnon_, on her return trip besides wool,
she carried the mails and a large shipment of gold.
On his arrival home Captain Fowler transferred to Walker’s new barque,
the _Henry Reed_, of 495 tons, and finally commanded the _Alfred
Hawley_, another new barque of 420 tons. Captain Fowler retired early
from the sea and settled down in his native town, Scarborough, where
he took a great interest in municipal and local affairs, becoming in
turn Alderman and Mayor, and lived to a good old age, being greatly
respected and esteemed by his fellow townsmen.
In the early sixties Walker kept three ships in the Launceston trade,
the _Durnstan_, _Fugitive_ and first _Westbury_, all small wooden
barques. He also had ships in the Queensland trade; most of his ships
were built by Pile, of Sunderland, as the following list of his later
ships will show:—
+-------+--------------+-------------+-------+---------------------+
| Date | Ship. | Description.| Tons. | Builders. |
| Built.| | | | |
+-------+--------------+-------------+-------+---------------------+
| 1863 | _Arab Steed_ | wood barque | 635 | Pile, of Sunderland.|
| 1866 | _Araunah_ | „ „ | 448 | Gardner „ |
| 1867 | _Westbury_ | iron „ | 493 | Pile „ |
| 1868 | _Decapolis_ | „ „ | 632 | „ „ |
| 1869 | _Berean_ | comp. „ | 526 | „ „ |
| 1870 | _Corinth_ | „ „ | 614 | „ „ |
| 1873 | _Barossa_ | iron ship | 968 | „ „ |
| 1876 | _Lanoma_ | „ barque | 665 | Austin „ |
+-------+-------------+--------------+-------+---------------------+
The Beautiful Little “Berean.”
The best known, as well as the fastest, of all Walker’s barques was
the beautiful little _Berean_. She was built by Pile, of Sunderland,
on similar lines to the tea clippers _Maitland_ and _Undine_, and
was launched in August, 1869. She was a 19-year A1 ship, and so fine
was the shipwright’s workmanship that when she was 18 years old and
due for remetalling, Mr. Spencer, Lloyd’s senior surveyor, who was
superintending the work, asked Captain Wyrill when she was last
caulked, to which he got the reply:—-“On the stocks before launching.”
Mr. Spencer could hardly believe this surprising statement; he had the
seams of the topsides put to the severest test, but was obliged to
admit that they could not be improved, his opinion being shared by the
master caulker. And the _Berean_ continued to the end of her career
without being recaulked; even after years of carrying heavy ice cargoes
when owned by Norwegians, it was not deemed necessary to touch her
seams.
[Illustration: Captain JOHN WYRILL, of “Berean.”]
[Illustration: “BEREAN.”
_From a painting in possession of the late Captain John Wyrill._ ]
Her registered measurements were:—
Net tonnage 526 tons.
Gross tonnage 542 „
Under deck 506 „
Length 160.5 feet.
Breadth 30.2 „
Depth 17.2 „
She had a raised quarterdeck 43 feet long. This was laid with New
Zealand Kauri pine planking, 4 inches wide, extending the full length
without a butt, and what is more without a knot. All the deck fittings,
houses, fiferails, skylights and topgallant bulwarks were of selected
teak, the bulwarks being panelled with fretwork designs. The boats also
were of polished teak; in fact, the only bit of painted wood about the
decks was the longboat chocks. Even the bunk boards and lining of the
foc’s’le were of teak.
The _Berean_ carried skysails for many years, and the following are her
spar measurements:—
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-------+
| Spars. | Foremast. | Mainmast. | Mizen |
| | | | mast. |
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-------+
| | ft. | ft. | ft. |
|Mast (deck to truck) | 112 | 116 | 93 |
|Lower mast (deck to cap) | 50 | 54 | 50 |
|Doublings | 12 | 12 | 9 |
|Topmast | 38 | 38 | 29 |
|Doublings | 6.6 | 6.6 | — |
|Topgallant, royal and skysail masts| 42.6 | 42.6 | 23 |
|Lower yard | 62 | 62 | — |
|Lower topsail yard | 55 | 55 | — |
|Upper topsail yard | 50 | 50 | — |
|Topgallant yard | 40 | 40 | — |
|Royal yard | 30 | 30 | — |
|Skysail yard | 23 | 23 | — |
|Spanker boom | — | — | 44.6 |
|Spanker gaff | — | — | 44 |
|Bowsprit and jibboom | 48 | | |
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-------+
_Berean’s_ best point of sailing was with a whole sail breeze and
smooth water, the wind quarterly or 2 points abaft the beam. Her best
run in the 24 hours was 315 miles. She was, of course, too small and
hardly powerful enough to equal the larger iron clippers when running
down the easting, but in moderate weather there were not many ships
which could show her their sterns. The following sailing records will
give some idea of her powers:—
Equator to the Channel 17 days.
First 4 passages out averaged 77 „
First 4 passages home averaged 84 „
In sailing round the world from 30° S., 20° W., to 30° S., 20° W., her
yearly average was from 80 to 85 days, her quickest circle of the globe
being 76 days.
Her best outward passage to Launceston was:—
71 days pilot to pilot.
68 days land to land.
In 1881-2 she ran from Launceston to the Lizard in 79 days. During her
first 14 voyages, all her passages were under 90 days. She generally
left the West India Docks in May and was back in the Thames about the
following March.
Captain John Wyrill.
Captain John Wyrill, who, I am glad to say, is still hale and hearty,
took _Berean_ from the stocks and only left her when she changed her
flag. He is one of the few sailors left of the good old sort, for he
has the distinction of never having served in a steamship. Coming from
one of the foremost seafaring families in Scarborough, Captain Wyrill
went to sea as far back as 1850; his apprenticeship indentures were for
seven years, but he was an acting second mate within three years of his
going to sea.
His first command in T. B. Walker’s ships came about in rather a
curious way. He was appointed to command a ship, belonging to Mr.
Hodgson Smith, the father of Scarborough’s present harbourmaster, in
place of a captain who was ill. This ship lay in a South Coast port,
but on Captain Wyrill arriving there to take up his command he found
that the sick skipper had recovered and sailed on his voyage. Mr. Smith
thereupon introduced him to Mr. T. B. Walker and his brother Henry
Walker, who, by the way, were natives of Scarborough. Through them he
obtained command of a ship called the _Lady Stanley_, his next command
was the _Asphodel_, then the _Velocidade_, which he left to take the
_Berean_.
Captain Wyrill circumnavigated the globe no less than 36 times, and was
44 years in command of sailing ships, for 42 of which he was in the
Tasmanian trade. Indeed no history of Tasmania’s rise to her present
prosperity and importance would be complete without some mention of
the _Berean_ and her commander. And when it was known in Launceston
that Captain Wyrill was leaving Tasmania homeward bound for the last
time, with the intention of retiring from the sea, a meeting and public
send-off was arranged and a purse of sovereigns and an illuminated
address were presented to the veteran captain by the Mayor of the town
after several eulogistic speeches, in which Captain Wyrill was referred
to “as one of the most popular men ever connected with the shipping of
Launceston.” Like many another sailing ship captain, Captain Wyrill was
no mean surgeon and the setting of broken limbs at sea held no terrors
for him. He once made a very good job of his second mate’s broken arm.
The _Berean_ was so free from accidents at sea that after she had been
afloat some years the underwriters at Lloyd’s offered to insure her at
a specially reduced premium. Her most serious misfortune, whilst under
Captain Wyrill, occurred whilst she was towing up to the docks from
Gravesend. A large ship ahead suddenly took the ground and the _Berean_
was unable to clear her, the collision costing her a new bowsprit,
besides damages to figure-head and cutwater. Her narrowest escape from
shipwreck was owing to a wrong light in 1888 in no less a place than
the Channel. _Fairplay_, in criticising the misdeeds of Trinity House,
gives the following account of the incident:—
The _Berean_, Captain Wyrill, left London for the Colonies in the
fall of last year. Before sailing the captain received from the
Board of Barnacles notice that the light on St. Catherine’s, Isle
of Wight, was to be altered in October from a fixed oil light to an
electric flash with intervals of about five seconds. The captain,
like a prudent man, entered this on his chart, so that it should not
be overlooked. Before he left the Colonies, another notice of the
impending change was given him, and he was well armed with timely
advice. He made his homeward voyage, and calculated he was off the
Channel. He had not been able to get an observation for three days,
but he felt sure of his position, and he shaped a course right up
Channel for Beachy Head. A strong S.W. wind was blowing, and the
weather was thick and dirty. When he judged he had run his distance
to Portland, he bore up a little for the English land to catch St.
Catherine’s light, and word was given to look out for the bright
electric flash. No such light was visible and the vessel was still
kept away. Presently a dim light was seen 2 points on the starboard
bow. At first this light looked green and was taken to be the
starboard light of an approaching ship, and the helm was starboarded
a little to give more room. A little time showed that idea to be
wrong, and eyes were still strained to catch St. Catherine’s with no
result. Then the light seen was taken for a steamer’s masthead light,
but that notion did not do, and it was quite clear that the light,
let it be what it might, was a fixed shore light. Over went the lead,
and the soundings showed the shore to be handy, but what shore? Or
what part of the shore? Clearly not off St. Catherine’s, because
according to notice given there could be no fixed light there.
The course and soundings would have agreed with the French shore in
the neighbourhood of Cape La Hogue. Something had to be done, and
quickly. The light was getting clearer but no land could be seen.
If the vessel was on the French coast it would be fatal to haul her
wind, if on the English coast it would be destruction to bear up.
What was to be done? Over went the lead again. Twelve fathoms. That
was enough, thank you. There was too much sea on to stay the ship
in a hurry, so the captain wore her round and stood off on the port
tack to get back where he came from. The compass soon showed that
the flood tide was setting the vessel in by the light, and there was
nothing for it but to wear again and get out past the light on the
old course, if it could be done. The captain took the wheel, and
calling to the crew to pull hard if ever they pulled in their lives,
sent her round again. It was hit or miss, but the vessel was smart,
and was smartly handled. She came round like a duck and just managed
to go clear of the light, which after all, turned out to be St.
Catherine’s. It had never been altered.
The “Berean’s” Races.
In her 27 years of sailing out to the Antipodes and home, the _Berean_
had many a contest with clippers twice her size, in which she gave a
very good account of herself.
Captain Wyrill gave a very interesting description of three of these
encounters in the _Nautical Magazine_ a few years ago, and I do not
think I can do better than quote his own words. He writes:—
Coming home from Tasmania in the _Berean_ early in 1870, about the
equator and nearing the tedious “variables,” alias “doldrums,” alias
“horse latitudes,” we overhauled the clipper ship _Yosemite_, from
San Francisco for United Kingdom for orders. Her captain signalled
for permission to come on board, and a prompt reply of welcome
went up. The captain reported himself tired and restless, that he
was racing home with two or three ships, and was anxious to know
what vessels we had spoken. My list was produced, but none of his
competitors was in it. After a pleasant visit the captain returned to
his ship giving me the names of two of his antagonists.
_Berean_ gradually crept away from _Yosemite_, and in about two
days she had dipped below the horizon, but was still visible from
aloft. By this time we were coming up with two ships, which, by their
spread of stunsails, water-sails, Jimmy Greens, etc., were evidently
in a great hurry. In exchanging signals they proved to be the two
vessels racing the _Yosemite_, viz., ship _Lady Blomfield_ and
barque _Cerastes_; the latter was slightly ahead. We passed within
hail of the _Lady Blomfield_, and when I reported the _Yosemite_ not
far astern the captain was greatly excited. Throwing up his cap, he
exclaimed, “Go and tell the other ship there is a bet of £100 between
them.”
A hand went aloft and pointed out the _Yosemite_ astern. Shortly
after we sailed alongside the _Cerastes_, but the captain took the
news of the racer’s proximity very calmly and seemed to be surprised
she was so near. We gradually got away from these two ships and
saw no more of them. On arrival in the English Channel I sent a
report ashore which appeared in the _Shipping Gazette_, and I found
considerable interest was being taken in this race. I was interviewed
by _Yosemite’s_ agents as to my opinion which ship would win. Two
or three days after _Berean_ arrived in London _Cerastes_ reached
Queenstown, and was the winner of that race.
In 1893, homeward bound from Tasmania to London, Lat. 19° S., Long.
22° W., _Berean_ fell in with Geo. Thompson’s Aberdeen White Star
clipper _Samuel Plimsoll_ from Sydney to London; strong S.E. trade
wind, squally. At daylight the two ships were exactly abeam of each
other, and throughout the day neither could gain an inch. (The old
man of the _Samuel Plimsoll_ stamped up and down his poop all day in
a very excited state of mind and kept exclaiming, “A little thing
like that hanging on to me like a flea and I cannot shake her off.”)
The royals were frequently lowered during the squalls and hoisted
again when they had passed. _Samuel Plimsoll_ steering slightly more
easterly, the two ships gradually closed, and if the respective
courses had been continued must have collided. _Berean_, being the
windward ship, was bound to give way, so at sundown she was shaken
up in the wind and the _Samuel Plimsoll_ allowed to pass ahead. At
daylight next day, the Aberdeen clipper was well out to windward and
slightly ahead, and in that bearing the ships parted, seeing no more
of each other.
Unfortunately, in the chops of the Channel, _Berean_ was surrounded
with a fleet of herring nets, some of which clung to her the rest
of the passage impeding her speed. _Samuel Plimsoll_ arrived at
Gravesend an hour or two ahead, but being too early in the tide had
to anchor. _Berean_, being of lighter draught, passed her and was
first in dock. But for the detention through fouling the nets, in all
probability these two ships would have reached Gravesend together
after a race of 6000 miles.
In 1895, when outward bound to Tasmania and in the doldrums north
of the equator, _Berean_ fell in with the four-master Loch liner
_Loch Carron_, bound to Adelaide. The two ships after a chat with
signals parted on opposite tacks and did not sight each other again
until crossing the Great Bight of Australia, when at lunch one day
the welcome cry of “Sail-ho!” was heard. Going on deck the chief
officer and myself naturally looked ahead for the stranger, but a
ship on our starboard quarter was pointed out. _Berean_ was steering
due east for Tasmania with the wind right aft, the worst point for
fine-lined ships, head sails all becalmed; the _Loch Carron_ hauling
up for Adelaide was carrying the wind 2 or 3 points on the quarter,
all sails drawing, and was gaining on the _Berean_. When she got
into our wake she kept off on the same course as if intending to
speak, but finding she could not gain on that course hauled to again,
crossing astern, and with the difference in the courses the two
ships were soon out of sight of each other. The picture of the _Loch
Carron_ as she sheered away under all sail, scattering the feathery
foam from her bows, still lives, forming one of the series of mental
photographs an old sailor naturally collects.
Another still more interesting meeting was with the famous
_Thermopylae_. Both ships were outward bound, and the _Thermopylae_
overhauled and passed the _Berean_ to the southward of the Cape, the
weather being unsettled, and the _Thermopylae_, being able to bear
more sail than the little _Berean_, soon went out of sight ahead.
Nevertheless she only passed Cape Otway 17 hours ahead of the
_Berean_, so Captain Wyrill was not quite broken-hearted.
On another occasion the _Berean_, when outward bound, crossed the
southern tropic in company with Green’s _Melbourne_ (afterwards the
well-known cadet ship _Macquarie_) and the little barque arrived in
Launceston two or three days before the big iron ship arrived in
Hobson’s Bay.
Again, when homeward bound, the _Berean_ was passed off the Falkland
Isles in a strong breeze by Green’s fast Blackwall frigate _Windsor
Castle_, nevertheless the _Windsor Castle_ docked in London four days
later than the _Berean_.
All the above trials of speed were with vessels very much larger and
more powerful than Mr. Walker’s clipper barque, but the _Berean_ once
had a very interesting race round the world with another well-known
barque, the little _Harriet McGregor_, of 331 tons, belonging to
Hobart. The two ships left Tasmania together, and the _Berean_ arrived
at Gravesend, 90 days out, beating the _Harriet McGregor_ by a week.
On the return passage, the _Harriet McGregor_ was loaded first and got
away about nine days ahead of _Berean_, but again Walker’s clipper got
in ahead of her, this time by one day only, after making the run to
Launceston in 77 days.
“Berean” as an Ice Carrier.
Mr. T. B. Walker died in 1894, and all his ships were sold two years
later.
_Berean_ went to the Norwegians and was employed for the next 14 years
carrying ice from Norway to the Thames. Captain Wyrill took over the
_Eden Holme_ and some of his old hands went with him. He was hauling
into the London Dock after his first voyage to Tasmania in the _Eden
Holme_, when the poor little _Berean_ under her new flag was hauling
out; and the change for the worse in the old ship was so marked that
one of her old crew remarked to Captain Wyrill with tears in his
eyes:—“There she is, sir, but she looks very different from what she
was when _we_ had her.” Nevertheless, though uncared for, the _Berean_
still continued to make good regular passages, and was a constant
visitor to the Regent’s Canal Dock. But in 1910 she was run into by a
foreign steamer below Gravesend, when inward bound from Langesund, and
was towed ashore in a sinking condition. This was the end of her active
career, for she was now condemned, and after being patched up went to
Falmouth as a hulk. I saw her there not many years before the war, and
the marks of the thoroughbred were still plain to be seen.
Loss of the “Corinth.”
The _Corinth_, Walker’s only other composite ship, was lost by
spontaneous combustion.
In the year 1890 she sailed from Launceston, in the wake of the
_Berean_, with a cargo of wool and skins, under command of Captain
Littler. When she was a week out and about 300 miles S.E. of New
Zealand, signs of fire in the hold were discovered early on a Sunday
morning. Prompt measures to fight the fire were at once taken,
everything was battened down, holes were cut in the deck, through
which the hose was led and the wool bales were soused with water;
nevertheless the fire gained rapidly and at 10 o’clock the same night
the ship had to be abandoned. The crew got safely away in two boats and
headed for the New Zealand coast, but with little hope of making the
land against the stormy weather of the prevailing westerly winds.
After they had been five days and nights adrift, the smoke of a steamer
was sighted about sundown; then darkness set in. The provisions had
become soaked in salt water but the shipwrecked crew had managed to
keep a few rockets dry, and these were sent up one after the other in
the hope of attracting the attention of the steamer. At last only one
rocket remained, and after some discussion as to whether to risk it
or keep it for a future occasion, it also was fired and was seen from
the bridge of the approaching vessel. However, she showed no signs of
having seen it in the way of an answering rocket or flare, so one can
imagine the relief of the shipwrecked crew when her masthead and later
her side lights were seen, steering end on for the boats. The steamer
proved to be the _Fifeshire_, homeward bound from New Zealand, and she
took the Corinth castaways right on to London.
A description of Walker’s iron barques will be found at the end of Part
III.
The Little “Ethel.”
Perhaps the most familiar ship to old City men was the little _Ethel_,
which under the command of Captain A. Ross ran for years with the
utmost regularity between London and Tasmania, and when in the Thames
always moored at Hayes Wharf, London Bridge. She was a composite barque
of 556 tons and was built in 1866 by Pile, of Sunderland, and owned by
Fenwick & Co., of London.
The Hobart Barque “Harriet McGregor.”
A still smaller ship than the _Ethel_ in the Tasmanian trade was the
smart little _Harriet McGregor_, which had the “round the world” race
with _Berean_. A. McGregor who built her was also her owner.
She was built at Hobart in 1871, and measured:—
Registered tonnage 331 tons.
Length 134.2 feet.
Beam 27.6 „
Depth 15.9 „
This little ship for year after year did the following annual round
with the regularity of a clock. On Christmas day she left Hobart for
London, loaded with wool and sperm oil. She returned to Hobart from
London with general cargo at 40s. and often more. Then she ran across
to Mauritius from Hobart with coal, and returned with a cargo of sugar,
in time to get away on her usual sailing day for London.
The Fremantle Barques “Charlotte Padbury” and “Helena Mena.”
In the early days the Fremantle wool trade, including that of the
Ashburton River and Sharks Bay, was all carried in the holds of
fast clipper barques, such as Walker’s _Westbury_, _Decapolis_ and
_Corinth_, and well worthy to be ranked with these were the _Charlotte
Padbury_ and _Helena Mena_, both of which were well known and much
admired in the London River for many years.
The _Charlotte Padbury_ was a wood barque of 640 tons, she was built at
Falmouth in 1874 for W. Padbury, of Fremantle.
The _Helena Mena_ was a composite barque of 673 tons, and was built by
Thomson, of Sunderland, in 1876, for J. Wilson, of London.
The _Charlotte Padbury_ was wrecked in April, 1903, and the _Helena
Mena_ was sold to the French for £1275 in 1898.
These were two of the last of the wood and composite clippers, for
by the early seventies every shipowner, however conservative, found
himself compelled to go in for iron ships, if he was to compete
successfully in the world’s freight market.
Footnote.
[B] The green with which the Aberdeen White Star ships were painted was
a composite paint always known as Aberdeen green.