MAB note: Republic's commander was Peter J. Irving, not "Irvine," as stated here.
The New-York Tribune, 25 February 1883
Original article digitized by the Library of Congress
Retrieved from the Library of Congress' Chronicling America web site,
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
WRECK OF THE GLAMORGAN
---
MADE HELPLESS BY TERRIBLE WAVES
---
SEVEN LIVES LOST; THE REST OF THE CREW AND
PASSENGERS TAKEN OFF BY THE REPUBLIC---THE VESSEL ABANDONED
---
The White Star steamship Republic arrived at this port yesterday with the
crew of the freight steamer Glamorgan, which had been wrecked at sea. The
Glamorgan, which was of 2,550 tons burthen and was chartered by the Warren
Line, left Liverpool on Thursday, February 8, for Boston, Mass. She
generally carried cattle from Boston to Liverpool and a miscellaneous cargo
on the return trip. Almost from the beginning of the voyage she encountered
heavy weather. She was built in 1872 as a screw steamer with a brig rig. The
insurance on the cargo or vessel is not known. She was sighted on February
16 by the Republic, and most of the crew were saved. The story of the voyage
and shipwreck was told last night by Thomas Cantlay, the chief engineer of
the Glamorgan, as follows:
"The Glamorgan left the Mersey on Thursday, February 8. Strong westerly
winds prevailed on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday the wind and sea
increased, and the vessel was hove to. On Monday the weather moderated, and
we made a few miles. On Tuesday the wind and seas steadily grew stronger.
The barometer was 27.90, and a very high sea was running. We were about 450
miles from Queenstown at that time.
"On Wednesday at about 1:20 a. m., a tremendous sea struck our vessel,
carrying away the foremast, all the ventilators, the fore and main winches
and pipes, all rails, the cabin, captain's room, bridges, steward's room,
pantry, bath-room, steward's store-room, boatswain's store-rooms, all the
passengers' rooms, the boatswain's and carpenter's rooms, all the boats and
rails aft, and the deck-house abaft the mainmast; it stove in the front of
the wheel-house, breaking the steering gear and bursting in the main
hatches. The deck was burst open, and the vessel keeled over from the shock.
The water poured in the ship in an immense volume, putting out the fires in
a few minutes, stopping the engines and leaving her laying in the trough of
the sea. All hands were ordered to bail out the water by buckets, but sea
after sea poured in, filling her fore and aft. After daylight we got sails
spread over the hatches and all other openings to try and keep out some of
the water, but there being nothing to support these, they soon gave way. The
remainder of the day was spent by the crew in bailing out the water and
working the pumps.
"The sea was heavy, and despite all exertions the water gained on us; the
sails over the hatches and openings giving way constantly and requiring
frequent fixing. On Thursday the weather moderated a little, and we
succeeded in boarding up the hatches. Our only hope was to keep the vessel
afloat until we fell in with another steamer, as we knew we never could
reach land. We tacked sails over the boarded hatches, keeping up the bailing
steadily. One pump was kept going, the others being broken or choked up and
of no use. That night we had to give up working the pumps, as the sea was
breaking heavily over the vessel, and there was no shelter for the workers.
On Friday the weather again moderated and all hands were called to the
pumps, and the damages to the hatch coverings were repaired as far as
possible. They were the last boards and sails that we had that we tacked on,
and our main hope was to keep them intact."
"About noon a steamer hove in sight, bearing right down on us. It proved to
be the Republic. We still kept on bailing and pumping and flying a signal of
distress. Her captain, P. J. Irvine, stood gallantly by us and sent off a
boat which saved a portion of the crew. In launching it one of the sailors
of the Republic lost his life, being washed overboard. No attempt was made
to launch another boat, as the sea were running too high and there was no
immediate danger of the Glamorgan sinking.
"About 8 p. m. the sea had moderated a great deal and the Republic again
lowered her boats, and all hands were safely taken off our vessel, four
boats making two trips each. When we arrived on board of the Republic we
were provided with warm, dry clothing. For three days our clothing had been
saturated with water and we could not make a change. Every kindness was
shown us by all on board the Republic. The injured were promptly attended to
by Dr. Isdell, under whose care they improved rapidly. For food when we
were water-logged, we had coffee and crackers, the latter, however, being
saturated with salt water.
THE LIST OF THE LOST AND SAVED
"The first sea that struck the vessel on Wednesday morning---the
commencement of the gale---carried away the following: Captain Robert Court,
A. P. Robillard, Second Officer John Barret, Second Steward D. Williams, and
J. Jerrard, Seaman 'Andy' Cullen, a stowaway, and another stowaway whose
name was unknown. Cullen I believe, or at least he so said, left Dublin
because he was connected with the Phoenix Park tragedy. He said that he was
wanted by the British Government to identify some one connected with the
affair. He seemed very nervous and anxious.
"Those saved are, J. May, first officer; W. A. Swarbrick, third officer;
William Palmer, boatswain; J. Gillard, carpenter; J. Whalan, Theodore
Anderson, C. Anderson, E. Anderson, G. Boyle, C. Horn and John Morgan,
seamen; J. Cantlay, chief engineer; R. Affleck [?], second engineer; C.
Clarke, third engineer; William Davey, fourth engineer; J. Ryan, watchman;
F. Lee, J. Breen, W. Clark, J. Doyle, R. Gill, M.Cunningham, P. Riley, J.
Houston, S. Cook, B. Clinton and Thomas Brennan, firemen; W. Ward, chief
steward; R. Wilson, chief cook; Peter Brooks, second cook; J.Fogg, messroom
boy; W. J. Bernheimer, refrigerator man; H. Cook, J. Curran, H. Beach,
Patrick Milligan, C. Holbrook, Henry Malone, Lewis Susan, J. Davenport, G.
Patterson, F. King and J. McGreal, cattle men, and Thomas Dorr, a stowaway.
All of these were British subjects excepting W. J. Bernheimeir, H. Cook, J.
Curran, Patrick Milligan, C. Holbrook, Henry Malone, Lewis Susan, J.
Davenport, G. Patterson, F. King and J. McGreal, who were Americans sent
over to England with cattle.
"When we left the vessel," continued the Chief Engineer, "she was gradually
careening over on her side, the water pouring into the hatchways. She was
low down in the water and could not float for any length of time. The
captain and second officer were on the lookout when the sea struck us, and
we cannot tell how they were lost. The captain was married, and has a family
of nine children in England. The others that were lost were also on deck at
the time the first heavy sea struck us."
A TALK WITH CAPTAIN IRVINE
Captain Irvine, of the Republic, gives the following account of the rescue:
"When we sighted the disabled steamer," he said, "I immediately steered for
her to render any assistance necessary. The sea was running very high, and
it was dangerous to lower the boats. But nearing the ship I ordered our
boats to be sent to the disabled vessel. The first, under command of Chief
Officer Barrett, was knocked against the side of the ship and a hole was
stove in her. The chief officer and a seaman named F. Forrester were thrown
into the water. The officer grabbed a trailing rope and was rescued, but
Forrester floated away, and though every effort was made, it was impossible
to save him."
Stanley Pearson, the purser of the Republic, was seen by a TRIBUNE reporter
last night. He tells the following story: "We sighted the Glamorgan about
noon, on Friday, the 16th. She showed a flag of distress. It was in latitude
50° 31' north, longitude 20° 10' west. We bore right down to her and found
her in a sinking state---in fact, she was a complete wreck. It was blowing
a heavy southwest gale, and the sea ran very high. The first boat, under
control of Chief Officer Barrett, which was lowered after we came close to
the wreck, was knocked against the ship and destroyed. The next boat,
commanded by W. J. Bowman, the second officer, was more successful, and
reaching the wreck, succeeded in rescuing three men. She was disabled in
returning to the Republic, but no lives were lost. Another attempt was then
made to reach the sinking vessel, but it was impossible to do so owing to
the high sea, the trips made having been at the risk of the lives of the
officers and crew. We then laid by until night, when the weather moderated
and we succeeded in saving all that were left on board. We brought them to
this city."
The Glamorgan was 321 feet long with 36 feet breadth of beam and 28 feet
depth of hold. She was built in 1872, at Renfrew, Scotland. She had a
displacement of 2,558 tons. She was owned by Glynn & Sons, of Liverpool,
and was last surveyed in Boston in 1880.
-30-
The New-York Tribune, 25 February 1883
Original article digitized by the Library of Congress
Retrieved from the Library of Congress' Chronicling America web site,
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
WRECK OF THE GLAMORGAN
---
MADE HELPLESS BY TERRIBLE WAVES
---
SEVEN LIVES LOST; THE REST OF THE CREW AND
PASSENGERS TAKEN OFF BY THE REPUBLIC---THE VESSEL ABANDONED
---
The White Star steamship Republic arrived at this port yesterday with the
crew of the freight steamer Glamorgan, which had been wrecked at sea. The
Glamorgan, which was of 2,550 tons burthen and was chartered by the Warren
Line, left Liverpool on Thursday, February 8, for Boston, Mass. She
generally carried cattle from Boston to Liverpool and a miscellaneous cargo
on the return trip. Almost from the beginning of the voyage she encountered
heavy weather. She was built in 1872 as a screw steamer with a brig rig. The
insurance on the cargo or vessel is not known. She was sighted on February
16 by the Republic, and most of the crew were saved. The story of the voyage
and shipwreck was told last night by Thomas Cantlay, the chief engineer of
the Glamorgan, as follows:
"The Glamorgan left the Mersey on Thursday, February 8. Strong westerly
winds prevailed on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday the wind and sea
increased, and the vessel was hove to. On Monday the weather moderated, and
we made a few miles. On Tuesday the wind and seas steadily grew stronger.
The barometer was 27.90, and a very high sea was running. We were about 450
miles from Queenstown at that time.
"On Wednesday at about 1:20 a. m., a tremendous sea struck our vessel,
carrying away the foremast, all the ventilators, the fore and main winches
and pipes, all rails, the cabin, captain's room, bridges, steward's room,
pantry, bath-room, steward's store-room, boatswain's store-rooms, all the
passengers' rooms, the boatswain's and carpenter's rooms, all the boats and
rails aft, and the deck-house abaft the mainmast; it stove in the front of
the wheel-house, breaking the steering gear and bursting in the main
hatches. The deck was burst open, and the vessel keeled over from the shock.
The water poured in the ship in an immense volume, putting out the fires in
a few minutes, stopping the engines and leaving her laying in the trough of
the sea. All hands were ordered to bail out the water by buckets, but sea
after sea poured in, filling her fore and aft. After daylight we got sails
spread over the hatches and all other openings to try and keep out some of
the water, but there being nothing to support these, they soon gave way. The
remainder of the day was spent by the crew in bailing out the water and
working the pumps.
"The sea was heavy, and despite all exertions the water gained on us; the
sails over the hatches and openings giving way constantly and requiring
frequent fixing. On Thursday the weather moderated a little, and we
succeeded in boarding up the hatches. Our only hope was to keep the vessel
afloat until we fell in with another steamer, as we knew we never could
reach land. We tacked sails over the boarded hatches, keeping up the bailing
steadily. One pump was kept going, the others being broken or choked up and
of no use. That night we had to give up working the pumps, as the sea was
breaking heavily over the vessel, and there was no shelter for the workers.
On Friday the weather again moderated and all hands were called to the
pumps, and the damages to the hatch coverings were repaired as far as
possible. They were the last boards and sails that we had that we tacked on,
and our main hope was to keep them intact."
"About noon a steamer hove in sight, bearing right down on us. It proved to
be the Republic. We still kept on bailing and pumping and flying a signal of
distress. Her captain, P. J. Irvine, stood gallantly by us and sent off a
boat which saved a portion of the crew. In launching it one of the sailors
of the Republic lost his life, being washed overboard. No attempt was made
to launch another boat, as the sea were running too high and there was no
immediate danger of the Glamorgan sinking.
"About 8 p. m. the sea had moderated a great deal and the Republic again
lowered her boats, and all hands were safely taken off our vessel, four
boats making two trips each. When we arrived on board of the Republic we
were provided with warm, dry clothing. For three days our clothing had been
saturated with water and we could not make a change. Every kindness was
shown us by all on board the Republic. The injured were promptly attended to
by Dr. Isdell, under whose care they improved rapidly. For food when we
were water-logged, we had coffee and crackers, the latter, however, being
saturated with salt water.
THE LIST OF THE LOST AND SAVED
"The first sea that struck the vessel on Wednesday morning---the
commencement of the gale---carried away the following: Captain Robert Court,
A. P. Robillard, Second Officer John Barret, Second Steward D. Williams, and
J. Jerrard, Seaman 'Andy' Cullen, a stowaway, and another stowaway whose
name was unknown. Cullen I believe, or at least he so said, left Dublin
because he was connected with the Phoenix Park tragedy. He said that he was
wanted by the British Government to identify some one connected with the
affair. He seemed very nervous and anxious.
"Those saved are, J. May, first officer; W. A. Swarbrick, third officer;
William Palmer, boatswain; J. Gillard, carpenter; J. Whalan, Theodore
Anderson, C. Anderson, E. Anderson, G. Boyle, C. Horn and John Morgan,
seamen; J. Cantlay, chief engineer; R. Affleck [?], second engineer; C.
Clarke, third engineer; William Davey, fourth engineer; J. Ryan, watchman;
F. Lee, J. Breen, W. Clark, J. Doyle, R. Gill, M.Cunningham, P. Riley, J.
Houston, S. Cook, B. Clinton and Thomas Brennan, firemen; W. Ward, chief
steward; R. Wilson, chief cook; Peter Brooks, second cook; J.Fogg, messroom
boy; W. J. Bernheimer, refrigerator man; H. Cook, J. Curran, H. Beach,
Patrick Milligan, C. Holbrook, Henry Malone, Lewis Susan, J. Davenport, G.
Patterson, F. King and J. McGreal, cattle men, and Thomas Dorr, a stowaway.
All of these were British subjects excepting W. J. Bernheimeir, H. Cook, J.
Curran, Patrick Milligan, C. Holbrook, Henry Malone, Lewis Susan, J.
Davenport, G. Patterson, F. King and J. McGreal, who were Americans sent
over to England with cattle.
"When we left the vessel," continued the Chief Engineer, "she was gradually
careening over on her side, the water pouring into the hatchways. She was
low down in the water and could not float for any length of time. The
captain and second officer were on the lookout when the sea struck us, and
we cannot tell how they were lost. The captain was married, and has a family
of nine children in England. The others that were lost were also on deck at
the time the first heavy sea struck us."
A TALK WITH CAPTAIN IRVINE
Captain Irvine, of the Republic, gives the following account of the rescue:
"When we sighted the disabled steamer," he said, "I immediately steered for
her to render any assistance necessary. The sea was running very high, and
it was dangerous to lower the boats. But nearing the ship I ordered our
boats to be sent to the disabled vessel. The first, under command of Chief
Officer Barrett, was knocked against the side of the ship and a hole was
stove in her. The chief officer and a seaman named F. Forrester were thrown
into the water. The officer grabbed a trailing rope and was rescued, but
Forrester floated away, and though every effort was made, it was impossible
to save him."
Stanley Pearson, the purser of the Republic, was seen by a TRIBUNE reporter
last night. He tells the following story: "We sighted the Glamorgan about
noon, on Friday, the 16th. She showed a flag of distress. It was in latitude
50° 31' north, longitude 20° 10' west. We bore right down to her and found
her in a sinking state---in fact, she was a complete wreck. It was blowing
a heavy southwest gale, and the sea ran very high. The first boat, under
control of Chief Officer Barrett, which was lowered after we came close to
the wreck, was knocked against the ship and destroyed. The next boat,
commanded by W. J. Bowman, the second officer, was more successful, and
reaching the wreck, succeeded in rescuing three men. She was disabled in
returning to the Republic, but no lives were lost. Another attempt was then
made to reach the sinking vessel, but it was impossible to do so owing to
the high sea, the trips made having been at the risk of the lives of the
officers and crew. We then laid by until night, when the weather moderated
and we succeeded in saving all that were left on board. We brought them to
this city."
The Glamorgan was 321 feet long with 36 feet breadth of beam and 28 feet
depth of hold. She was built in 1872, at Renfrew, Scotland. She had a
displacement of 2,558 tons. She was owned by Glynn & Sons, of Liverpool,
and was last surveyed in Boston in 1880.
-30-