1927 July Notes from Everywhere and Everybody
July 1927 Notes from Everywhere and Everybody
“An honest tale. Plainly told, speeds best.”
The June issue of Sea Breezes, popularly known as the Maryport number. has proved a great success, and it is hoped to produce other editions dealing with ships belonging to particular ports or having direct connection with them. This affords special opportunities for those possessed of civic pride to help by gathering data in their own localities, and a special effort is to be made with Bristol as the first objective. Probably there is no seaport around our coasts with a prouder record in bygone days than Bristol; its ships sailed to all parts of the world when many of our present great harbours were almost unknown. Further. the enterprise and smartness of her mariners are recorded in the often-used “ship-shape and Bristol fashion,” denoting the acme of ship perfection.
Undoubtedly the first special number met with keen appreciation, an enterprising newsagent in Maryport, who placed an advance order for 250 copies, wrote, on the day of their receipt, doubling that order and stating “the magazines are selling like hot cakes.” He had the additional order fulfilled but could not obtain any more as the whole issue, 6,500 copies, was sold out on the 3rd June.
Many who wanted that number were disappointed, their inquiries meeting the reply “sold out,” and this carries a moral which needs no pointing. There is only one sure way of obtaining Sea Breezes every month, that is by annual subscription. A remittance of 3s. 6d. to the P.S.N.C. Office, Goree, Water Street, Liverpool, will ensure prompt posting of the copies to any part of the world for one year as soon as they are issued. This is the method recommended to avoid disappointment; it would be pity to have a volume spoiled by the absence of one number.
Reverting to the proposed special port issues. They are possible only by co-operation of someone on the spot, and there must be many who would be glad to see their own home towns given prominence in Sea Breezes; the opportunity is here and I shall be glad to receive communications from those interested.
F. W. SIDDALL, Ed., Sea Breezes.
A Wonderful Figurehead.
A very valuable relic of an old ship has been secured by The Seamen’s Church Institute of New York. It consists of a figurehead representing Sir Galahad, reputed to belong to a vessel of that name built in 1760, and was purchased from the collection of the late Captain Chambers. Circumstances point to a British origin and it is hoped that readers of Sea Breezes may be able to furnish particulars of the vessel to which it belonged, or at least some clue which will enable a record to be compiled. Anything likely to bear on the subject will gladly be collated, and readers are requested to send along items of information they may possess, however unimportant they may appear; for it is possible that, by piecing together many apparently trivial details, a full history may be obtained.
The figurehead is a spirited piece of carving, representing a knight in full armour in the act of drawing his sword; the left foot is advanced and the whole pose indicates eagerness, a conception enhanced by the features clearly shown as the plumed helmet has its visor raised. In general, the knight has a more virile appearance than usually associated with Sir Galahad, and there is just a possibility the figurehead may be incorrectly named, but it is hoped the description given above may lead to identification.
More of the Sator.
Re the January number of your magazine, page 226, “Eventful Voyage and Good Bargain.” The Norwegian barque Sator, after her arrival in Monte Video, with her bows knocked in, laid up until 1917. when she was bought for £15,000 by Messrs. Charles Towne & Co., of Buenos Aires, who had her towed to Buenos Aires, repaired and re-classed in Lloyds, had fitted new standing rigging, new bowsprit, and was rigged as a barque, with stump topgallant masts, and double topgallant yards.
At the latter end of 1917 she sailed under the Argentine flag, commanded by Captain Pheisa, with a general cargo for New York, having been renamed the Mariposa, of Buenos Aires. She returned to Buenos Aires in the early part of 191S (having made rather long passages) with a cargo of coal, which was on fire. After discharging, she was again repaired, and sold for £66,250 to Messrs. Larracchea, Milans & Co., of Buenos Aires, who sold her directly for £80,000 to Messrs. Gasoiba, Olvar y Gonzales, of Buenos Aires, and sailed for them chiefly between Buenos Aires and Spain, under the command of Captain Sacramento until 1921, when she was sold by auction in Buenos Aires and fetched only $35,000 paper dollars, about £2,800, the buyer being Senor Benito Canale, of Buenos Aires. She was laid up in Buenos Aires for some time and then changed for the American-built paddle excursion boat Colonia, of the Argentine Navigation Company (Nicolas Mihanovich), who dismantled her, making her into a lighter and renaming her Asia, and she is at present employed on the Parana River between Santa Fe and Buenos Aires.
Could any of your readers tell me anything about the wooden ship Harwich, of London, 613 tons, where she was built (about 1857), and for whom I served in her in the China and Australian trade from 1873 to 1876, when she was sold to the Germans at Hamburg. When I was in her she was owned by Messrs. Alfred Rixon & Co., of London. Also another ship that I served as an officer in the Caller Ou. If anyone can tell me anything about her or her last ending I would be greatly obliged. When I was in her we were in the China trade, and she was owned by Messrs. Adamson & Co.. of London. She was a composite built vessel of 700 odd tons.
H. BOLLAND.
De Wolf’s Engelhorn.
I have never seen in Sea Breezes any reference to the fine four- master ship Engelhorn, once one of the fleet of De Wolf & Co., of Liverpool.
I remember in the nineties a chum served his whole four years’ apprenticeship in the ship before he saw Liverpool again.
Can any reader kindly tell me anything generally about her, and what was her end?
JAMES PURVES.
Can any one oblige ?
Having been a subscriber to Sea Breezes for some time, and one who enjoys the reading and pictures very much, I have been wondering if you could find the career of the ship J. D. Everett.
I spent some time as O.S. and A.B. seaman in her. She was a wooden full-rigged ship hailing from Windsor, N.S. When I was in her she carried a main skysail, but formerly had been a three-skysail yard ship. Old stun-sail booms were still on board. At one time, I believe. she was carrying deal from West Bay, N.S., to England, then traded from New York to Australia and New Zealand, and then in the lumber trade from U.S. ports to Buenos Aires. The last I heard of her she had put into St. Thomas, D.W.I., in distress, about 1906, and was condemned there. If possible. I would like to see something about her and also a picture of her under sail in your magazine.
W. A. CARD.
A mixed bag.
Re the Wanderer inquiry. She was a steel four-masted barque of 2.903 tons, built by Messrs. W. H. Potter & Sons, of Liverpool, in 1891, and owned by the same firm. She was a very big vessel and had a bridge amidships. with accommodation therein, and carried a main skysail. She was afloat in 1902, but was sunk by a collision in the Elbe subsequent to that date.
Mr. James L. Miller, in the March issue, asks for information of the MacLeod, later Gantock Rock. She was sold to the Norwegians in 1909 for £2,450. In 1915 she was again sold to Norwegians, at the enhanced price of £7,000. The old ship, by this time, has probably been broken up and outlived her usefulness.
The MacDiarmid was sold as late as 1911 to the Italians for £2,400. This was the second time she was owned in Italy.
The Forfarshire was sold to the Scandinavians and re-named Alexandra. The Gogoburn was owned by Mr. M. Carswell, or Glasgow, and in 1918 was owned by a Spanish firm, and has probably been converted into an auxiliary by this time, if still afloat.
GEO. IRVINE.
An Old Liverpool firm.
The writer served apprenticeship with Sandbach, Tinne & Co., Cook Street, Liverpool, in 1878, in ships Ailsa, Brenda, British Statesman and British Nation, the last two having been acquired in 1886. Reading in your interesting magazine as regards the coolie ship Avoca, calls to mind old memories of my coolie ship days.
In the Ailsa we embarked 480, British Nation 520, and Brenda 610 coolies; having had for doctors, West, 2 voyages, then a native babu doctor, De Wolf 2 voyages. and last voyage Dr. Tindal King. We always carried a white crew. Writing from diaries, kept since my first voyage to sea, I see the greatest mortality we had, as regards coolies, was seven, and two births. I was third mate and storekeeper, and got a shilling a head for every coolie landed.
As regards quick passages, and the reference to the Star of Italy, I remember in 1877 she made the record voyage to Calcutta in days; also Hornby Castle, ex Duncan Coupland. Who remembers the old Raj-ma-hal ? We left Princes Dock, 1882, also the Battle Abbey, all for Calcutta; Battle Abbey 99 days, Ailsa 108, and Raj 162. Here, in Rio. there are, as far as I know, only two old hulks, British Army and Loch Trool (barque), she still loads up and is towed round to small ports.
R. TEMPLAR.
County of Forfar’s voyage.
With reference to the County of Forfar, Sea Breezes of May, page 374, in which the year of passage described is not given. It was 1893. The American ship Florence, Captain Leonard, sailed from Baltimore, October 10th, 1893, with 2,300 tons of coal for San Francisco. On the 17th, in latitude 38 N. , longitude 53 W., was in collision with Austrian barque Agar, which later sank ; captain and crew saved and taken aboard Florence. On October 27th the British ship County of Forfar hove in sight and Captain Duncanson kindly agreed to take the shipless mariners, he being bound to Dundee from Calcutta. Florence arrived at San Francisco, February 19th, 1884, 132 days from Baltimore.
F. C. MATTHEWS.
Andora.
Can any reader of Sea Breezes given any information as to the end of the Liverpool ship Andora, 1,799 tons, and owned by T. R. & W. Roberts, of Liverpool. She sailed from Liverpool 1884, to Melbourne, and sailed in 1885 again, in charge of Captain D. Davis
S.KNEALE.
Sank in calm sea.
The Alarm, the last of the old cross-Channel trading ketches that once had their home at Plymouth, is at the bottom of the sea, says the Western Morning News.
Sixty-eight years have passed since the Alarm was launched, and it is now over forty years that she was reconstructed for the trade between Sutton Harbour, the Channel Isles, and the French coast. In the interval, year in and year out, the Alarm has sailed the seas with the proud distinction of being the fastest craft that hailed from Plymouth. She was a clinker-built ketch of thirty-three tons, and sailed like a yacht.
As master and mate Mr. John Edwards, of Plymouth, sailed in the Alarm for forty years, but he was on shore sick when disaster at last over- took the ketch. When off the Shagstone, just outside the eastern end of the Breakwater, Captain Edwards was knocked down by the boom. He fell heavily and broke his leg. As a consequence the Alarm returned to the harbour and the skipper was conveyed ashore for medical treatment. Then a deputy. in the person of Captain Hills, of Par, was secured for the voyage to Perros.
It was on the homeward trip from the French port with a cargo of new potatoes that the long and useful career of the Alarm ended with tragic suddenness. It was five o’clock in the morning and daylight. The weather was foggy, and there was practically no wind. Becalmed as she was the Alarm would have been at the mercy of the tide, which runs with amazing force in the rock-infested approach to Perros, but to obviate this the mate and a sailor manned their little boat and was endeavouring to tow the ketch seaward.
Then occurred the mishap. The Alarm was swept by the force of the tide on to Triagoz, onperros
e of the Seven Islands, just outside Perros. The boat then went alongside and took off Captain Hills, as it was quickly apparent that the Alarm was badly holed. To tow her clear was found to be impossible. Soon she bumped her mast out, and then slipped off the pinnacle rocks to sink in deep water without any hope of salvage of craft or cargo.