LOSS OF THE COSPATRICK.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4363, 15 March 1875, Page 2

LOSS OF THE COSPATRICK.

DESPATCH OF THE AGENTGENERAL. The following despatch, with reference to the loss of this vessel, was received on Friday from the Agent-General:— 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W., January 12, 1875. Sir, —I have already informed you by telegraph of the terrible calamity which has befallen theimmigrationserviceof the colony, in the total loss, by fire, of the ship Cospatrick, with 429 emigrants and a crew of 44 on board—all of whomwouldappearto have perished, with the exception of three sailors, viz., Henry McDonald, second mate; Thomas Lewis, A. 8.; and Edward Cotter, 0.5., the survivors of a party of thirty who escaped from the burning ship in the starboard boat.

11. The Cospatrick sailed from London for Auckland on the 11th September, She appears to have made a favorable voyage until the 17th of November. On the night of that day she lay in the Southern Ocean, the wind in the N.N.W., blowing a light air, no moon visible. Soon after midnight an alarm of fire was raised. As to the origin of the fire, I will not at present hazard an opinion. I reserve such remarks as I may have to make on that subject until the inquiry now pending under the direction of the Board of Trade is concluded. But whatever its origiu, certain it is that the fire spread with almost incredible rapidity that the efforts to stay its progress were from the instant of its discovery utterly desperate and unavailing ; that the flames and smoke gaming way continually, the energies of thecaptain and crew xvere paralysed, and confusion and despair soon possessed the minds of all. Some of the principal available means of escape were lost in the struggle to utilise them. In about an hour and a half the ship was a vast mass of burning wreck.Of its people, only two boat-loads remained,, and they were without provision of food or water. Through what dire extremities of endurance they passed in the days that followed I will not attempt to tell. Of five barely living men who were rescued by the barque British Sceptre on the 27th, ten days after the Cospatrick perished, three survive. It is my belief that they are the only survivors of a ship which contained as fine a body of emigrants as I have ever had the honor of despatching to the colony. 111. I first heard of this grievous calamity from the owners of the ship, Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., on the 28th of December. I at once placed myself in communication with Her Majesty’s Consul at Maderia. From him I received, on the SOthDecemher, the telegram of which I subjoin a copy. Believing it might be possible that the people in the second boat should have reached the islet of Tristan d’Acunha, I applied to the Lords of the Admiralty requesting that the Admiral in command at Rio might be directed by telegraph to despatch a ship in search ; but I was informed that the Sappho had already sailed from the Cape Verde Isles for a cruise in those seas, on the 6th of December, and would arrive at Tristan d’Acunha in good time to rescue any who should have survived to reach laud. Knowing now as I do from their own lips, the sufferings undergone by McDonald and his companions, and considering the greater number of people, seven or eight of them women, in the larboard boat, I hardly venture to hope that they will be heard of again. IV. This direful casualty happening at a time when there were many grievous railway and other disasters occurring in England, was nevertheless the occasion of a warm and wide-spread display of public sympathy, both with the friends of those who had perished, and with the Government and people of the colony. The Lord Mayor of Loudon willingly acceded to the request of several influential merchants to organise a fund for the relief of the dependent relations of those who perished, to which, after consultation with the Honorable the Premier, I subscribed, on behalf of the colony, the sum of £IOOO. The language of the Press, through all its organs, fully aud happily expressed the feeling of sympathy which pervaded public opinion ; and it will be gratifying to the Government and people of the colony to observe, mingled with the pain and horror which so terrible an accident 'excited, so many willing testimonies to the enterprise, humanity, liberality, and success, with which their immigration service has been conducted.

V. lu view of the official inquiry for which preparations are now in progress, I am in communication with the Board of Trade. It is, I am aware, the purpose of the Board to make the inquiry one of a peculiarly searching ant? complete character ; and I am not without the hope that it may have the effect, in tracing the causes of this sad disaster, of pointing also to the means by which risks of the same sort may in future be in some measure averted or mitigated. I subjoin copies of the documents which have been already communicated to me by the Board of Trade, and a selection of articles and other documents which have appeared in the public Press.—l have, &c., I. E. Eeathehston, Agent-General. The Hon the Minister tor Immigration, Wellington.

[Copy.] Telegram. Received SOfh December, IS7C. Cospatrick destroyed by fire X7th November. Only two boats with 64 persons left her. One boat containing five seamen, chief officer, and 25 passengers has not been heal'd of. Second officer and two seamen only survived from other boat. Have gone Home per Nyanza. Their companions died of starvation. Consol, Madeira. 29th December. Governor Janisch to the Earl of Carnarvon. “ St. Helena, 10th December, 1874. “My Lord, —I have the honor to enclose for your Lordship’s information the particulars of the destruction by fire of the ship Cospatrick, of Loudon, attended with the loss of nearly the whole of her passengers and crew, over 450 in number. “ The details are exceedingly distressing, and will give this wreck a place amongst the worst, of the many melancholy accounts already recorded. “2. The survivors—HenvyMcDouald, second officer, and two of the crew, Thomas Lewis, A. 8., and Edward Cotter, O.S.—arrived at

tins port on Sunday morning last, having been picked up at sea by tire ship British Sceptre after being exposed nine days in an open boat without water or provisions of any kind, twenty-five of their number having died from want of nourishment, the others living upon the remains of their dead companions. When found by the British Sceptre there were five remaining alive in the boat, but in so miserable a condition that two of them died shortly afterwards, and the three remaining, who were landed here, although partially restored by the humane and careful attention of Mr. Jahuke, the master of the British Sceptre, are still in a debilitated condition, and are now under treatment in the civil hospital at this place. “3. I have visited these men and have ascertained from them that the statement furnished by the second mate contains a faithful and true account. The fire is said to have originated in the boatswain’s locker, which contained kerosene oil for ship’s use, some tar, paint, oils, &0., whilst near the spot were several casks of fat, as well as about seventy tons of coals. “ 4. This, together with the fact that the vessel unhappily was laden with a large quantity of spirits (said to be over 200 tons), accounts for the fierceness and rapidity with which the flames mastered the vessel. The alarm of fire was given shortly after midnight on Tuesday, 17th November, and in less than an hour the stem was blown out by the igniting of the spirits, and the whole vessel was enveloped in flames. “a. It also appears that the ship was very inadequately furnished with boats for so large a number of passengers, there being only six boats capable of carrying not more than 160 passengers out of about 460, including the crew ; and of these only two boats were hanging at the davits-ready for use. The other four were on the deck of the vessel, and were soon destroyed by the lire. The mate is unable to say exactly how many persons were on board, but I find by the Illustrated London yews of 24th October that the Cospatrick is named as having sailed for Auckland with 429 passengers. "6. The boat in which the second mate escaped is the same one referred to in his statement as having been capsized when crowded with eighty passengers, mostly young women, all of whom were drowned at the side of the vessel; ; the empty boat afterwards drifted near to a spar on which some of the seamen were floating, who succeeded in righting it and getting into it. “ 7. The two boats, under the charge of the first and second mates, were in company for two days, endeavoring to shape'their course for the Cape of Good Hope, hut were separated on the. 21st November, in heavy weather. It f is not impossible that the other boat may also have been picked up by some passing vessel, but as it was destitute of water, provisions, masts, and sails, there is too much reason to fear that'those on board have perished under the same dreadful sufferings which caused the death of so many of the companions of the second mate.

“ 8. The rapid destruction of the ship, and the insufficiency of the boats must,’under any circumstances, have rendered a large loss of life inevitable ; but this loss was increased by

the terrible state of the passengers, producing a confusion which made it impossible to use the available means to the best advantage. Many of them were young girls, who, Boor souls, were naturally frantic stricken, on suddenly awaiting in the dead of the night to find themselves surrounded with flames, from which there were no prospects of escape. « 9. The sad result may suggest the advisability of requiring the adoption of measures in passenger ships similar to the precautions used in ; troop-ships and meu-of-war, where each person is appointed to a station and instructed what to do on any sudden alarm of fire. *4lO. The impropriety of loading large crowded passenger ships with quantities of inflammable matter in addition to their living freight will also be made painfully evident. —I have, &c. “ (Signed) “ H. R. Janisch. “ The Right Hon. the “Earl of Carnarvon, &c., &c.”

Master op the Ship British Sceptre to Shipping Master. “St. Helena, Gtk December, 1874. “ Sir, —I bave the honor to report for the information of the Board of Trade that whilst on my voyage from Calcutta to Dundee, on the 27th ultimo, in latitude 23deg. 50min. south, longitude 12deg. 4-1 in in. east, I sighted some drift wood, and on mailing towards it discovered a boat without oars, but with a jury mast and a rag for a sail. On coming up with the boat I found six pel-sons in her, five living and one a corpse. On getting "the people on board, I subsequently ascertained that they were probably the only survivors from the late British ship Gospatrick, of London, Elmslie, master, from London to Auckland, Hew Zealand, with upwards of 400 Government emigrants, which ship was totally destroyed by fire on the 17th November, in latitude 37<leg. south, longitude 12deg. east. One of these people, a uassenger in the late ill-fated ship (whose name was unknown to his companions), was quite deranged, and in a fearfully exhausted condition. AVe did all we could to save him, but our efforts proved unavailing, and he died on the 20th, and was buried the next day. Another of these unfortunate people, a colored man, named Eobert Hamilton, a native of Port Maria, Jamaica, also succumbed; the remaining three, after the most careful attention and the administering of such nourishments at my command, I am happy to say have recovered sufficiently to enable them to be landed here. I have thereTP» fore to beg you will be good enough to have - them landed without delay, as they yet require much care and attention, Mr. McDonald, late second officer of the Gospatrick, has pre-

pared a statement of all the circumstances attending the loss of the ship, which he will hand you in person.—l have, &c. “ (Signed) “ W. H. Jaknke, “ Master of British Sceptre, “of Liverpool. “ K. Noble, Esq., Shipping Master, “St. Helena.”

Extract from St. Jldcvui OmtrdlctYij dated Thursday, 10th December, 1874.

“On Sunday, 6th December, arrived the ship British Sceptre, Captain Jahnke, which put in to land three men, the survivors of the ship Cospatrick, of London, bound to Auckland, and totally destroyed by fire at sea. The following is extracted by permission from a letter addressed by Captain Jahnke to the owners of the ill-fated ship :

“ These men were picked up by me on the 27th November, in latitude 28deg- 50min. S,, 120 deg. 04mm. E. Having had a severe gale from south after passing the Cape of Good Hope, during which X ran dead before it, we had got into the south-east trades wind, fresh and squally. At 1.30 p.m, saw something afloat at a distance on our lee bow, having passed a great deal of drift-wood in the mornjnc'; imagined it was another piece of the same, but after another look I kept the ship towards it, and found it was a boat with human beings in it, but no oars. A piece of board was erected as a mast, with a cross-piece nailed on, on which was extended a piece of ra" as a saiL X motioned them to run the boat before the squall to our lee quarter, which they did, and having shortened sail, and thrown the ship flat aback, I backed right up to the boat, which answered well, for we soon had her alongside. The sight was something horrible. There were five men in her alive, and one dead body. One man was striped naked up to his waist, I'is feet swollen, full of sores, himself raving mad ; one colored man, barely alive, but still in his senses ; Mr. McDonald, late second mate of the Cospatrick, in charge. They were soon passed on deck, and every kindness and attention was shown them. Warm water baths, weak brandy and water, nourishing food, with medicine adapted to their symptoms, has been the treatment adopted. Notwithstanding all our care, the poor passenger, who never regained his senses, died last Sunday and was buried on Monday morning. The colored man died yesterday (2nd Dec.), and was buried this morning. Mr. McDonald has been very ill, but is now improving, and the other two men are improving. For fear they should have a relapse, I shall call at St, Helena. The passenger's name was unknown, but I give here a description by which his

friends may recognise him. Height, sft. lOin.; stout built, fair complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair, slight tawny moustache, light whisker's, inclined to red towards the beard ; age apparently about twenty-two ; supposed to belong to the County Cork, to be a fanner’s son, from what I could learn from tho surviving seamen.” Burning oi’ Ship Cospatrick, op London.— Loss of about Four Hundred and Eighty Lives. Tire ship Cospatrick, of London, left Gravesend for Auckland on the 11th September 1874, with upwards of 400 emigrants and cabin passengers, and a crew composing forty-one men all told.

iV arratiee of Mr. McDonald, Second Officer. “Tuesday, 17th November, noon, lat. 37dcg. lomin. south, long. 12deg. 25min. east, wind light, N.N.W., sea smooth. It was my watch on deck from 8 p.m. till midnight; everything was quiet. I was relieved by the first officer, and went to bed. I had just dropped off to sleep when X was awakened by tho alarm of fire. Jumping out of bed I met the captain, who ordered me to go forward and see what was the matter. X ran forward, and saw smoke coming out of fore hatch ; all passengers running on deck, and the chief officer getting the force-pump at work. We poured water down the fore scuttle, as everybody said that the fire was in the boatswain’s locker. I ran aft to put the ship before the wind, and found the captain endeavoring to do so, but in vain. The fire was rapidly gaining on us, flames bvu-sting out of fore hatch, but we still continued our endeavors to extinguish it. The passengers rushed all about with loud screams for help, impeding us in our work. The ship came head to wind, which drove flames and a thick body of smoke aft, setting fire to the forward boats, and obliged us to recede. I asked the captain if we should lower away the remaining boats, hut was told uo, hut to endeavor to extinguish the fire. The passengers rushed to tho two quarter boats, which were hanging in the davits over the side, and crowded them. I consider that not less than eighty, mostly women, got on and in the starboard boat, when the davits bent down with the weight, and the boat’s stern dipped under the sea. The boat filled, capsized, and all the occupants were drowned alongside, it being impossible to render any assistance. X had stationed some sailors by the port port, giving strict orders not to lower away, unless by order of the captain; but the passenger's made a rush for her, and we could not prevent them from getting in. By this time the foremast had fallen over the side, and the flames were bursting out of the after hatch. I then heard the captain, who was standing at the wheel, say to those around, “ Now, everybody try fur himself to save his own life," or words to that effect. His wife, son, and the doctor, were standing alongside of him. The mate, boatswain, third officer, and myself were trying to turn the large pinnace over to launch her, but could get no assistance, and as her bow was catching on fire wo left her. Some threw the captain’s gig over tho side, but I saw no more of her. X ordered the port boat to he lowered, and when half down X got into her. When we got clear of the ship’s side the chief officer jumped overboard, swam to the boat, and we helped him in ; also a female passenger. The boat was kept off the ships’ sjde, being overloaded—thirty-four persons being in her. The mainmast fell over the side, which must have killed a good many. The ships’ stern blew out under poop deck. One passenger told me subsequently be saw the captain throw his wife overboard and jump after her, whilst the doctor jumped over with the captain’s boy in his arms, and that they were drowned. The mizzenmast then fell overboard. We lay by the burning ship till daylight. Some people hung to the spars alongside. We picked one man up who had been floating on a piece of plank all the time. We pulled towards spars floating at a distance, and met the starboard boat full of people, having been righted by some sailors. Not having an officer in the boat, they begged of me to take charge, which I willingly did, and as their boat was not so full I took one A.E., one 0.5., and one male passenger along with me. We stopped by the ship until she sank, which was on the 19th at 5 p.m. We drifted all that m'fdit, and next morning divided oars—one and a half in my boat, no rudder, two oars and rudder in the mate’s boat. We were without provisions or water, had neither masts nor sails, but I got a petticoat from an Irish girl, in the mate’s boat, to use as a sail. We then shaped, as we thought, our course for the Cape of Good Hope, and kept company, all the 20th and 21st, when it commenced to blow, and we got separated during the night. I whistled and shouted, but got no answer, and at daylight tho boat was nowhere to be seen. My boat contained the baker, the emigrants’ cook, three A.B’s. one 0.5., and twenty-three passengers, all males, and myself, in all thirty people. The other boat contained the chief mate ; Cunningham, A.B. ; Nicol, A.B. ; Derby, A.B. ; Roacovy, A. 8.; Wood, O.S. ; the butcher and twenty-five passengers, men and women, and one baby about eleven days old. Sunday, 22nd— Weather dull and a heavy swell on ; thirst began to tell severely on all of us. A man named Bentley fell overboard whilst steering, and sunk. Three men died, having first become mad in consequence of drinking salt water; we threw their bodies overboard. Monday, 23rd —Blowing bard, and a high sea running, which kept us continually haling water out. We tore stem sheets and seats out, and made a drag which caused the boat to lay easier, but only being fastened with strands of painter we lost it. Four more men died the same as the others, but we were that hungry that we drank the blood, and ate the liver of two of them. We lost our only oar this day by the man steering falling asleep. Tuesday, 25th—Strong gales; rigged another drag, fastened with braces and belts and clothing of the dead. Six more deaths to-day. Wednesday, 25th —Light breeze and awfully hot weather some more died and we were reduced to eight, three of these out of their minds. We all felt very bad that day. Early on the morning of Thursday, 26th, not being daylight, a barque passed close to us running, we hailed, but got no answer, which made us lose a hope. One more died. Light fine weather. We kept sucking the blood of those that had died. Friday, 27th —Squally all round, with light showers, but never caught a drop of water. Two more died, we threw them overboard, but were too weak to lift the other. We were five two A.B.’s, one 0.5., myself, and passenger, who was mad, and attempted to drown himself three times. We were all fearfully bad, and had all drank sea water. We were all dosing, when, being awakened by the madman biting my feet, I saw a vessel bearing down on us. God bless her and all on board. The vessel proved to be tho British ship British Sceptre, of Liverpool, from Calcutta to Dundee. We were five in all taken on board, and treated with every kindness; hut two, viz., Robert Hamilton, A. 8,, and the passenger (name unknown) died, and Thomas Lewis, A. 8.; Edward Cotter, 0.5.; and myself, were brought to St. Helena and landed. “Henry McDonald, “Second Officer. “ St. Helena Roads, “St. Helena, Dec. 0, 1874. Captain Forster’s (Emigration Agent, London) Retort on Reference from Board op Trade as to Cargo. The ship was three times visited in the docks ; her stowage, as to the dead weight, distribution of weight, and general nature of coming cargo inquired into, A statement was taken down from the master at Gravesend as to the cargo then on board, and the question, “No acids or combustibles,” specifically put. The statement was then signed by him. (Signed) Jno. T. Forster. Government Emigration Office, London, December 28th, 1874.

g IR) In reply to telegram which came to hand last evening, I beg to report that the Cospatrick, of 1200 tons, was cleared from Gravesend on the 10th day of September by myself, to sail at daylight, having on board Emigrants. —Adults ; Married —Male, 80 ; female, 80 ; single—male, 101-; female, 45. Children ; Male (1 to 12), 58—equal to 29 adults ; female, do., 53—equal to 2Gi adults ; under one year —males, 8, equal to nil adults j

females, 8, equal to nil adults Total emigrants, 433 souls, equal to 361 i statute adults. Crew,- Captain Elmslie, 1 ; mates, 3 ; carcenter, 1; boatswain, 1; ship ß £°oks, 2; ship’s stewards, 1 J A.B, s» 19 ; ordinavy,s; apprentices and boys, 4 ; surgeon (J. F. Cadle), 1 ; passengers’ steward, 1 ; cooks, 2 ; other steward, 1, Total crew, 44. Car^o.—-Dead weight : Rails, 220 tons ; bars o£ galvanised iron, 50 tons; cement, 70 tons. Total dead weight, 340 tons. Measurement : Malt in tanks, 50 tons ; bnlk liquids, 50 tons ; other measurements, 600 tone. Total measurements, 700 tons. No acids or combustibles.

Boats.—Six, containing 2747 cubic feet, complete; eight life-buoys ; one gun, with 24 rockets and 24 blue-lights ; 50 rounds of ammunition, and the common code of signals. Fire Engines.—Two, Downtou’s pattern, with 125 feet of delivery hose and suction hose.

Fire Buckets.—l 4 wood, gallons each, with lanyards. Discipline.—The ’tween deck discipline was, by the custom of emigrant ships, and by the New Zealand charter party, under the immediate supervision of the surgeon, Dr. Jas. F. Cadle ; certain of the emigrants’ men, as is the rule, selected to attend to the ’tween decks and emigrant details. The single women were specially supervised by a matron. Dr. Cadle had previously sailed iu other ships. He was known by the medical inspector as a capable, attentive officer, fully qualified for his post, and I considered when I cleared the ship on the 10th September, that, as regards Captain Elmslie and the surgeon (Cadle), the ship was in very good hands, and that, as regards every other person on board, they were all settling down to their own proper work, and that the discipline of the vessel was very good and efficient, and that she was in all respects complete and satisfactory.—l have, &c., Jno. T. Forster. Summary of the Free Goons Cargo shipped per Cospatrick, cleared ouiwards for Auckland, on Bth September, 1874, taken from Customs documents. FREE GOODS. Railway iron, 257 tons ; pig iron, 25 tons ; bar iron, ICtons ; and other sorts, 18 tons -310 tons ; Iron fencing wire, 5 tons ; spades, 20 d 02.; hardware, 2 tons Bcwt.; sheet lead, 17 tons ; yellow metal, 2 tons scwt.; composition nails, 4cwt.: copper, 6cwfc.: brass tubing, 3c\vt.: tin, 2cwfc.; edge tools, lOcwt.; implements and tools, value, £235; agricultural machinery, £l4; sewing machine, £9; cement, 20 tons IGcwt.; tar, value £l4; pitch, do £l2; quicksilver, 17cwt; Unseed oil, 1732 gallons ; colza oil, 100 gallons ; palm oil, 1 ton Bcwfc.; other sorts oil. value £52 10s.; painters’ colors, 1 ton 15cwt.: do, value £148; do brushes, value £54; gold leaf, £25 ; turpentine, Oogals.; varnish, 178 gals.; window glass, 7 tons 13cwt,; glass bottles, 5 tons 9cwt.; glassware, 0 tons ; earthenware, value £lO4 ; 1200 looking-glasses, £75; jute (Hessians), £18; 2113 jute woolpacks ; hemp, 8 tons IGcwt.; paperhangings, 7 tons 2cwfc,; paper bags, printing packing and unenumerated, 15 tons; printed books, 1 ton llcwt.; prints, £180; stationery (other than paper), £lB5 ; caustic soda, 2 tons; bicarbonate do, 2 tons lOcwt.; medical drugs, value £311; chemical products, £3O; methylated spirits, 20gals.; coafcctionery, 2 tons 13cwt; do, value £32; candles, 12cwt.; cured lish, loewfc.; do, value £l3; manufactured goods, unenumerated, £243 ; furniture, wearing apparel, and private effects, £996 ; lime juice (£200), 400 gals ; provisions and oilman's stores, £lB3 ; sausage skins, 1 ton ; haberdashery, value £1124 ; saddlery, £287 ; 251 doz. felt hats, £304 ; 520yds. blankets, 3c\vt.; 16,487yd5. cottons, value £3BO ; 30 doz. cotton shirts, £3i ; cotton slops, £93 ; 255yds. worsted stuffs, £45, 2cwt.: 100 doz. wool hosiery, £45 ; cotton lace, £O7 ; 120yds. wool stuffs, lewt.; 600 pairs bools, £150; 1 bale hair, £2O ; billiard table (1 case), £ls ; pianos (3 case?), £97 ; 56 American clocks, £29 ; jewelry and toys, £119; Indiarubber balls, £22; emery wheels, lewt.; manufactured corks, Stcjvfc.; whiting, SAcwt. ; 4 tanks clover seed, 2 tons Ucwt.; 00 bags seed. BONDED GOODS. Rum, 2551ga15.; brandy, 1405ga15.; geneva, 600gnls.; British spirits, Sssgals.; mixed do, 271ga15.; cordials, 150 gals.; wine, 14S8gals,; beer, IS4 3 1 (b.e.g.), vinegar, C2ogals.; proof spirits, 28gals.'; tobacco, IGllbs.; raisins, 23cwt. 2qrs. 23lbs. ; currants, G2cwt. 3qrs. 21bs.; malt, 1912 bushels ; chloral hydrate, 271b5.; and coals, stated to be about 75 tons. BONDED STORES. Rum, 104 gals.; brandy, 22 6-32 gals.; geneva, 7 11-32 gals.; whisky, 4 11-32 gals.; wine, 62gala.; beer, 354ga15.; lemon juice, Kigali; tea, 8371b5.; coffee, Ucwt. Oqrs. 4lbs.; sugar, 4cwt. 2qrs, lib.; tobacco, 4S3lbs.; raisins, 24cwt, 2qrs. Olbs.; currants, lOcwt. 2qrs. 51bs.; figs, 13lbs.