SHIPPING
Alleged murder on board an American ship
The outrages committed by inferior officers on seamen under them in American vessels on their passage to this country have often been the subject of complaint, but generally speaking, the perpetrators have escaped with impunity. On the arrival of the American ship POTOMAC of this port, from New Orleans on Friday last, some of the crew gave information to the police that one of their number, named MC MAHON, had been inhumanely treated on the voyage by the 2nd mate, whose name is CAMERON, the result being that the poor fellow died from his injuries and the barbarous usage he received. The POTAMIC [different spelling but as written], Capt REED, left New Orleans at the latter end of November, four crew state as soon as the vessel got to sea the 2nd mate beat MCMAHON on the head with an iron belaying pin, [weighing about 2lb], the blood ran down the poor fellows back saturating his clothes. This cruelty was repeated and continued every day, the 2nd mate repeatedly kicked and struck MCMAHON, and the savage, fastened the unfortunate man to the windlass and rubbed the skin of his face with a rope. Some kicks the poor man received in the tender part of the body brought on dropsy and death ensued on the 14th December. After the body was thrown overboard, the 2nd mate went up to Thomas COLVILLE, the man at the wheel and said, “Did you see Limpy [the deceased] thrown overboard?” COLVILLE replied that he had. The 2nd Mate then said, “You son of a ----- look to yourself” The evidence of the four crew members, will be submitted to the American Consul at this port, on whom depends whether the 2nd mate will be sent in custody to America to stand his trial for the murder of MCMAHON, who was a native of Ireland.
The I.O.M. Steamer TYNWALD has been chartered by the North Lancashire Steam Navigation Company to sail between Fleetwood and Belfast in place of one of their own steamers presently under repair.
Ships launch at Workington
On Thursday there was launched at the shipbuilding yard of C. LAMPORT Esq, a beautiful clipper ship, barque called the BLENCATHRA the old name for Saddleback, burthen nearly 500 tons, length 156ft, breadth 27ft, depth 18ft, . She is built for Messers LAMPORT and HOLT, Liverpool and is intended for the West India trade. She is diagonally braced with iron under the ceiling and her clamps, stringers and waterways are dowelled to timbers and beams at every yellow metal bolt. Her ceiling is diagonal trussing between deck, and her beams are also trussed with hard wood under the deck to prevent any tendency to twist.
On Saturday information was received of the wreck of the DUNASKIN screw steamer, Capt MACFARLANE, laden with fruit from Lisbon to Bristol, near Rundelstone on Friday night, and it is feared the Captain, mate and one of the hands have perished.. 9 of the crew who have reached Penzance, state that the sea threw the ship upon the rocks, and after they got into the boats, in consequence of the heavy surf, they were unable to regain the wreck to rescue the captain, mate and seaman, who were on board and have not since been heard of.
The American ship KINEO, Capt EVERETT arrived in the Victoria docks, London, on Saturday from New York, having on board Capt LOVETT and the crew of the American ship JANE. H. GLIDDON, from Boston, on board. The ship encountered a fearful gale and sprang a leak in the middle of the Atlantic. For 7 days was half full of water and expected to founder at any moment. On the 7th day the KINEO came in sight, and had scarcely time to rescue Capt LOVETT and his crew before the ship went down in deep water. The vessel is insured for a large sum in America. The American Consul has received the American crew.
At a meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in London a few days ago, a reward of £16-10s was voted to the crew of the society’s lifeboat stationed at Rhyl for putting off shortly before midnight on Tuesday in last week, to a vessel in distress of Little Ormeshead, the master and his crew declined the boats assistance. The lifeboat went out again the same morning to rescue three of the vessel’s crew who were drifting with the tide in the ship’s boat, having deserted their vessel, which had foundered in 7 fathoms of water.
-----------
The Liverpool Mercury Nov 4th, 1857
The loss of the Sea Belle
The last India mail brings news of the arrival at Ceylon of the remainder of the shipwrecked crew of the Sea Belle, consisting of the Chief officer, Mr GRANT, 2nd officer Mr JOHNSON, 3rd officer Mr RICKARD, JONES, boatswain, MAY, sailmaker, HICKS, carpenter, HICKS, MARTIN, JOHENNY, M'LOUGHLAN, sailors, STANLEY, apprentice, passengers Mrs and Miss HARROP. They were picked up after being 3 days in the open boat, by the Dutch barque Henry Von Kempdt, and landed at Ceylon, whence they would proceed by the first opportunity to join the remainder of the crew and passengers at Bombay
Southport Visiter Thursday, Jan 14th, 1858
R.N.L.B.I
Meeting held on Thursday, 7th, at the house, John St, Adelphi, Thomas JACKSON. Esq, V.P, F.R.S, occupied the chair.
Mr LEWIS, Secretary having read the minutes
Silver medal and £2, awarded to Mr D. O’SULLIVAN, Coastguard and £21 to 10 other men, for rescuing the crew of 11 men of the Austrian Brig SAN FRATILLA, which was wrecked off Black Bull head, on the coast of Antrim on the 2nd ult.
£2 each to two fishermen for putting in their boat and rescuing the crew of 3 men of the Smack LADY EMMA, which sank on Irvine Bar on the 15th ult.
£7 to 7 men who put off their coble, rescuing 5 men of the Brig ZILLAH of Whitby, which was wrecked off Winterton, Norfolk.
S. V, 28th Jan 1858
5 men drowned on the Mersey
On Tuesday evening four riggers got into a small boat on the Landing Stage to proceed with stores to the ship CASTILLIAN, lying at anchor between New Brighton and Egremont. A heavy swell rose in the middle of the river and the boat was upset. Life buoys were thrown from the small steamers on the river, but owing to the roughness of the weather the poor fellows were unable to seize hold of the preservers.
While the crew of the INDIAN lowered two boats to rescue the men a Boatswains mate of the INDIAN fell overboard and drowned. His name was Alexander CLEMENTS and he leaves a widow and young children.
Not withstanding the loss the crew of the INDIAN lowered two boats one commanded by the Chief mate the other by Mr CARR the 2nd mate, after searching for over an hour to no avail, they returned.
S. V. 1st April 1858
The Schooner CHARLES, Capt MARSDEN, belonging to Dartmouth on a voyage from Plymouth to Newport was cast ashore on the Lundy Island, the master and 4 men drowned.
The Brig CHALLENGER, Capt PURVIS, from Sheilds to Sweden, blew up in spontaneous ignition of her cargo of coals, and foundered, the crew succeeded in escaping in the boats.
The Brig INKERMANN from Newfoundland was totally lost on the 20th Feb on Jedone Ledges, all crew except one man perished.
French ship AUGUSTE, Capt JEROD, from Rean to Marseilles was wrecked at the Cape of Good Hope, 1st and 2nd officers and 6 men drowned.
The Brig ESCAPE was lost 15 miles off Djygelli on the coast of Algeria, on the 16th inst, three crew lost.
The Brigantine EVA from Sunderland to Pernambuco, foundered on Tues night off Orfordness, through being hit by another vessel.
S. V. May 6th 1858
The ship GEORGE of London, from Liverpool, for the river Niger, foundered on Friday night off Tuskar. All hands were drowned except the 2nd mate, who was taken off a piece of wreck by the Steamer BRIGLAND, and saved, he was landed at Milford by the ESPOIR.
The Steamer BRIGLAND, from Bristol and Swansea, for Belfast and the Clyde was in contact on Friday night, between Wicklow and the Kish Lightship, with the WILLIAM CAMPBELL of Glasgow, from Greenock for Trinidad. Both vessels went down immediately. The Master and 6 crew of the WILLIAM CAMPBELL, supposed to have sunk with her, 21 of the crew and passengers missing. 19 persons were landed at Milford this morning by the ESPOIR, from Ostend for Liverpool.
The Board of Trade has presented a silver medal and telescope to George BRIDGEFORD, mate of the SALEM of Blyth, for making 4 attempts to rescue the crew of the EXCEL, of Weymouth, at Calais, on the 21st and 22nd of January. To James MALLET, John REED and James RIGDEN, Seamen on board the SALEM, MALLET and REED, silver medals, RIGDEN bronze, for attempting to save the crew of the EXCEL.
William PRIKE, North Sheilds, mate and James HETTLES, seaman, on the WIDDRINGTON, silver medals for attempting to save the crew of the EXCEL The South Sheilds, Seamen’s Friendly Society have presented, £12-10s to the owner and crew of the smack GEM of Grimsby, for their successful endeavours in rescuing the crew of the Brig ENDA
Southport Visiter, Oct 14th, 1858
Dreadful Shipwreck
By correspondence from Buenos Ayres, under date of July 24th, we are informed of the loss of the Brazilian war steamer MAGEE, she was last seen by the British Brig SPY, off the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, nearly a month before a very violent storm succeeded, since which the MAGEE has not been heard of.
A great number of bodies in the Brazilian uniform have been seen floating near the mouth of the Plata, from this it is believed the MAGEE has foundered.
In addition to her own compliment, she had on board when she left Rio, between 200 and 300 marines, reinforcements for the Brazilian vessels on this station.
She was one of the first steamers in the Brazilian Navy built by LAIRDS of Birkenhead, some 44 souls must have met a watery grave.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Liverpool Mercury June 3rd 1864
Loss of a ship on ice
Intelligence was received on Monday at Lloyds of the total loss of the iron ship ABLE SEAMAN, 700 tons, Capt James, on a voyage from London to Montreal. She was quite a new ship only launched last year and sailed in March with a general cargo. On the 10th of April she met with ice in the neighbourhood of the Gulf of St Lawrence, on the 12th she encountered more ice and on the evening of that day struck upon a thick mass, knocking a serious leak in the starboard bow, which filled the compartment in a very short time. It was, however, soon afterwards discovered that another leak admitted water to the main hold, where, on sounding the pumps, eight feet of water was found. The ship settling down and becoming more involved, the crew took to their boats, and shortly afterwards the ship went down head foremost. At night the men took to the ice, dragging their boats up, and for five days and nights were exposed to intense suffering and privations. They were then taken off by the schooner WIDE AWAKE, which fortunately saw their signals.
Copyright 2002 / To date