Liverpool Mercury 14th January 1899
The Capt Mr E. FRANKLAND, Chief mate and 14 hands belonging to SS GALLINA, abandoned in mid-Atlantic on the 5th January, arrived in the Sailor’s Home, Liverpool, on Monday afternoon.
The story of the wreck was told by the Chief mate E. TREGARTHEN.
The vessel owned by Jesse LILLY of West Hartlepool, set sail for Philadelphia for MOSS and CHRISTANIA on the 16th December with a cargo of grain. On the 27th December the wind blew a gale, the sea got up rapidly and the ship was labouring and straining heavily.
On the morning of the 28th, the vessel took a marked list to port and all hands engaged in shifting the bunker coal to windward, to trim the ship.
At noon a huge sea broke over the vessel, flooding the engine-room and stokehold, while another made a clean breach, fore and aft, washing away the boats, bridge, bulwarks, storeroom bulkheads and bunker hatches.
After great anxiety the crew managed to secure the hatches and lashings. They then jettisoned the cargo through a hole knocked in the storeroom. An engine had stopped, one boiler was not sufficient and she was hove to.
On Friday the 30th the crew were worn out and unable to pump any longer.
On the 31st the sea was so high that jettisoning was an impossibility.
On New Years Day water poured down the holds and the next day signals of distress were hoisted.
The following day an enormous sea burst in the head of the poop, the 3rd engineer fainted from exhaustion and owing to the breaking of the donkey-engine, piston-rod pumping was discontinued. No 2 hatch was opened and the cargo got out “tween decks.”
A steamer bore down on the sinking vessel and stood by to render assistance, this proved to be the CHARING CROSS of London and after several unsuccessful attempts, at last, the plucky and brave party succeeded in rescuing 6 crew.
E. REYNOLDS, J. CAVE, G. W. ROBINSON, WORLEY, PITHERS and E. A. MORGAN.
Snow squalls obscured the night sky and by morning the GALLINA was lost sight of.
Fortunately for the remaining crew, the KANAWHA, John GLYNN and Sons, Liverpool, bore down on the ship early on the 5th January and on Capt J. W. MAXWELL’s orders despatched a boat, commanded by Mr HAM and a volunteer crew, named, CAPON, GALLANT, JONES, HUTNER and SIDAN, who gallantly rescued the remaining 16 hands.
The CHARING CROSS arrived at Cardiff on Tuesday and landed the crew of the GALLINA.
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