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The COSPATRICK emigrant ship, destroyed by fire at sea
The COSPATRICK emigrant ship, destroyed by fire at sea

The COSPATRICK emigrant ship, destroyed by fire at sea

Maker (Established 1842)
Date1875
Object number00006224
NameEngraving
MediumWood engraving on paper, handcoloured.
DimensionsSheet: 216 × 270 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionAn engraving from the Illustrated London News showing the COSPATRICK at sea. The title reads 'The COSPATRICK emigrant ship, destroyed by fire at sea'. The COSPATRICK was destroyed by fire bound from London to Auckland. There were only three survivors from a passenger list of 429 and a crew of 44. HistoryThis image is taken from The Illustrated London News. The accompanying article recounting the tragedy read: Burning of the Emigrant-Ship COSPATRICK at Sea From the Illustrated London News, January 2, 1875 "The most terrible catastrophe of the old year was the destruction by fire of the emigrant-ship COSPATRICK, and the consequent loss of over 450 lives, in the early morning of Nov. 18. The COSPATRICK was a teak-built sailing-ship, of 1200 tons, constructed at Moulmein, in India, and classed A1 at Lloyd's until 1883. She was 190 ft. in length, 34 ft. in breadth, and had 23 ft. depth of hold. Purchased by her present owners, Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., of 34, Leadenhall-street, from the late Mr. Duncan Dunbar, she was now making only her second voyage under the flag of that house. Formerly employed in carrying troops to and from India, and occasionally engaged in the conveyance of coolies, she had also on a previous occasion made a voyage from England to New Zealand with a large party of emigrants. She had been for many years under the command of Captain Elmslie, her late chief officer, who retained his position when the vessel was transferred to her new owners, and who was in chief command on the present voyage. The COSPATRICK left Gravesend on Sept. 11 last, carrying 429 emigrants, sent out through the General Agency of New Zealand, and bound for Auckland. There were 177 male adults, 125 women, 58 boys, 53 girls, and 16 infants under twelve months. Her crew was composed of 43 persons-officers, men, and boys, all told. There were also on board four independent passengers, making in all a total of 476 souls. The fire broke out in latitude 37 deg. South, and longitude 12 deg. East-one account has it west. A telegram from Madeira in the Daily News says that at midnight on Nov. 17, when the second officer left the deck, everything was apparently all right, but at half-past twelve he was awoke by the alarm of fire. The captain was on deck immediately, and all hands attempted to get the vessel before the wind, but without success. The flames came up the fore hatch within a quarter of an hour, and in less than half an hour the fire was nearly all along the deck. A special cablegram in the Daily Telegraph goes on to say that the flames and smoke were driven aft, setting fire to the boats which were placed in the fore part of the vessel, and thus effectually prevented their use. The excitement on board now became terrible, and the passengers rushed to the quarter boats, which were on the davits hanging over the side, and crowded into them. It is estimated that about eighty people, most of them women, thus got into the starboard boat, and remained there till the davits bent down over the side and the boat's stern dipped into the sea. Then it capsized, and all its occupants were immediately drowned alongside the vessel. Just afterwards the fore, main, and mizzen masts all fell over the side in quick succession, killing many of the emigrants and adding to the terror of the rest. But the worst had not yet come; for suddenly the stern of the vessel blew out with a loud report under the poop deck, and completed the destruction of the ship. Two boats under the command of Mr. Romaine and Mr. Macdonald had meanwhile been filled, and reached some little distance from the COSPATRICK; but Captain Elmslie, his wife, and Dr. Cadle remained on board the vessel until she went down. When the last moment had come the captain threw his wife overboard, and then leapt into the sea after her. At the same time the doctor jumped overboard with the captain's little boy in his arms, and all were drowned together. The two boats kept together for a couple of days. They were then separated by bad weather. The missing boat contained the chief officer, the ship's butcher, five seamen, and twenty-five passengers. She has not since been heard of, but it is hoped that she may have reached the island of Tristan d'Acunha. In Macdonald's boat thirst soon began to be severely felt. One man fell overboard while steering. Three others died after becoming mad. On Nov. 23 four more died. The survivors were then suffering so intensely from hunger and thirst that they drank the blood and ate the livers of two of the dead. Other deaths followed; and when, on the 27th, two more of the men died, one was thrown overboard, but nobody had strength enough to life the other. Ultimately five men were all who were left alive in the boat, and of these two had gone mad. They died soon after being rescued by the ship BRITISH SCEPTRE. Macdonald, Thomas Lewis, and James Cotter, the three survivors, were most kindly treated on board the BRITISH SCEPTRE, which landed them, on Dec. 6, at St. Helena. Thence they left in the NYANZA for Southampton, touching, en voyage, at Madeira, whence the foregoing particulars of the lamentable calamity have been telegraphed to England. We learn from the mansion House that the Lord Mayor will receive subscriptions in aid of the dependent relatives and families of those who have perished." SignificanceThe loss of the COSPATRICK and 470 people was one of the most disastrous events of its time in British and New Zealand maritime history.