FAKED WRECKED

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1921, Page 4

FAKED WRECKED

SHIP IN DISGUISE

The stranding recently of the 440tons screw steamer Ferret in a fog at Beef Head, west of Cape Spencer, West Australia, recalls a picturesque ■Stevensonian romance of her young days. She is now a total wreck, but in 1880 she was a fine vessel, and a group of men stole her and used her for several months.

Built at Glasgow in 18771, she was usel by the Highland Railway Company for their mail and passenger service.

Early in October 1880 a man calling himself Henderson and Co., shipbrokers, took an office in Graeechurcli Street, London, and sent “-Mr Walker, purser of the Ferret,” to Messrs Douglas and Co., the leading ship chandlers in Glasgow. He ordered a large quantity of ships’ stores, which he said were for “Mr Smith, a relative of Alr W. H. Smith,” at one time First Lord of the Admiralty.

It was purported that Mr Smith had chartered the Ferret from the Highland Railway Company to take his wife on a six months’ health cruise in the Mediterranean. The boat was overhauled, and at Cardiff she took in coal and a crew of strangers, and on October 25, 1880, she put into Alilford Haven for a week owing to rough weather. On November 11 she passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and, after having shown her number, asked to ho reported. After the conspiratbrs had got well away from the signalling station they altered the appearance of the vessd and went hack through the Straits. On the way they jettisoned a couple of boats, some casks, life-belts, and other articles bearing the ship’s name. They succeeded so well in giving the impression that the Ferret had foundered, that the Highland-Railway Company was paid its claim to the undeiwriters for the total loss of the stca-.

The Ferret then went to St Vincent, Cape Verde, as the Benton. She took in nearly 4000 hags of coffee and went on to Capetown. Her appearance was further altered and the name again changed to India. She discharged her coffee at Capetown and the captain made an unsuccessful attempt to sell her.

The fraud was afterwards detected, and the offenders were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.