MAB Note: On 4 July 1881, Britannic I went aground near the end of a New York-Liverpool sailing, the beginning of an unfortunate ten-day span for her. This is the first of about a dozen articles that appeared during the course of July 1881; the last will be dated 30 July
The New-York Times, 5 July 1881
A WHITE STAR STEAMER ASHORE
---
THE BRITANNIC GROUNDED ON THE COAST OF IRELAND
---
The White Star Line steam-ship Britannic, which sailed from this port
June 25, for Liverpool, is reported to have gone ashore near Milmore,
County Wexford, on the Irish coast. The London dispatch, dated
yesterday, announcing her mishap says efforts are making to lighten the
vessel, that she is making no water, and that a steam-tug
has gone to her aid. The offices of the White Star Line were closed all
day yesterday, and but little was known of the accident at the company's
pier, at the foot of West Tenth-street. The Superintendent in charge
there seemed positive that had the stranding of the Britannic been of a
very serious nature he would have known it. The passengers and crew were
all safe on board, and after a portion of her cargo had been discharged
the vessel herself would get off and proceed to Liverpool. The cargo was
a general one, consisting of grain, cheese, manufactured articles, &c.,
shipped from different parts of the country to a number of different
consignees in Liverpool. It was thought at the White Star pier that
nearly all of the freight would be saved. The Britannic was launched at
the yard of Harland & Wolff, at Belfast, Ireland, in February, 1874. She
was built of iron, with eight water-tight bulkheads and three decks. Her
dimensions are: length, 455 feet; breadth of beam, 45 1-6 feet, and
depth of hold, 33 1/2 feet. Her net tonnage is 3,152, and her gross
measurement is about 5,000 tons. She has two large boilers and compound
engines, with cylinders 48 and 83 inches in diameter, and a
piston-stroke of five feet. She is a screw propeller, with four masts,
three of which are square rigged. She has, like the other vessels of
this line, a whale-back deck forward, and a turtle-back deck at the
extreme after end. The saloon, which has accommodation for nearly 200
passengers, is amidships. The Britannic is one of the crack vessels of
the White Star fleet, and has become so popular that it has been
difficult to obtain passage in her unless application is made a long
time before her sailing day. She took out on her recent voyage a full
saloon list, and had on board quite a number of steerage passengers. The
Rev. Dr. O. H. Tiffany, the Rev. C. C. Tiffany, Gen. Clinton B. Fiske,
the Hon. Isaac H. Bailey, the Hon. A. C. Cattell, and other well-known
persons are among the passengers.
-30-
The New-York Times, 5 July 1881
A WHITE STAR STEAMER ASHORE
---
THE BRITANNIC GROUNDED ON THE COAST OF IRELAND
---
The White Star Line steam-ship Britannic, which sailed from this port
June 25, for Liverpool, is reported to have gone ashore near Milmore,
County Wexford, on the Irish coast. The London dispatch, dated
yesterday, announcing her mishap says efforts are making to lighten the
vessel, that she is making no water, and that a steam-tug
has gone to her aid. The offices of the White Star Line were closed all
day yesterday, and but little was known of the accident at the company's
pier, at the foot of West Tenth-street. The Superintendent in charge
there seemed positive that had the stranding of the Britannic been of a
very serious nature he would have known it. The passengers and crew were
all safe on board, and after a portion of her cargo had been discharged
the vessel herself would get off and proceed to Liverpool. The cargo was
a general one, consisting of grain, cheese, manufactured articles, &c.,
shipped from different parts of the country to a number of different
consignees in Liverpool. It was thought at the White Star pier that
nearly all of the freight would be saved. The Britannic was launched at
the yard of Harland & Wolff, at Belfast, Ireland, in February, 1874. She
was built of iron, with eight water-tight bulkheads and three decks. Her
dimensions are: length, 455 feet; breadth of beam, 45 1-6 feet, and
depth of hold, 33 1/2 feet. Her net tonnage is 3,152, and her gross
measurement is about 5,000 tons. She has two large boilers and compound
engines, with cylinders 48 and 83 inches in diameter, and a
piston-stroke of five feet. She is a screw propeller, with four masts,
three of which are square rigged. She has, like the other vessels of
this line, a whale-back deck forward, and a turtle-back deck at the
extreme after end. The saloon, which has accommodation for nearly 200
passengers, is amidships. The Britannic is one of the crack vessels of
the White Star fleet, and has become so popular that it has been
difficult to obtain passage in her unless application is made a long
time before her sailing day. She took out on her recent voyage a full
saloon list, and had on board quite a number of steerage passengers. The
Rev. Dr. O. H. Tiffany, the Rev. C. C. Tiffany, Gen. Clinton B. Fiske,
the Hon. Isaac H. Bailey, the Hon. A. C. Cattell, and other well-known
persons are among the passengers.
-30-