Shields Barque – (LARN) Very little cargo found despite carrying 800 tons of cargo coal and oil products. Lyme Regis Lifeboat rescued 14. Wrecked opposite the Fleet Coastguard Station. Limited information in; Farr: p22. & Check Southern Times: 30/11/1872.
‘Cassibelaunus‘ – 1872
LOSS OF THE CASSIBELAUNUS
THE TIMES 28 NOVEMBER 1872 ISSUE 27546
THE GALE
PORTLAND – WEDNESDAY MORNING
New has just been received of the loss of another ship on the Chesil Beach, between Fleet and Abbotsbury, with the loss of all lives. Another ship, a schooner, was in danger last night off the Bridport coast, but as far as can be at present learnt she has got out to sea. The drinking and pillaging on the beach where the Royal Adelaide went down is still going on. Several persons have been found dead on the beach, one being a boy from the effects of drink washed ashore. Two men last night taken to the Passage House at |Portland almost dead from the quantity of spirits they had partaken of; one died soon after his removal, but the other was brought round. Several respectable persons have been apprehended with things stolen from the wreck. In their possessions, and will be taken before the Magistrates. Only two of the bodies- and old man and a little girl (passengers): have been washed ashore. Mr Frank CUMMING, son of the Rev Dr CUMMING, was one of the passengers saved. A little girl named GORDON was drowned. The Shipwrecked Mariners Society, through their agent, Mr R DAMON of Weymouth, have been most zealous to providing for the wants of the shipwrecked passengers and crew. Mr Henry EDWARDS, M. P. for Weymouth, has placed £70 in the hands of the Mayor for distribution.
NIGHT
The ship that went on shore last night opposite the Coastguard Station at Fleet proves to be the CASSIBELAUNUS, of North Shields, COWELL Master. She drove on shore about midnight, but happily with on one onboard, her crew of 14 men having been saved by the Lyme Regis Lifeboat. She was a complete wreck on the beach. No one saw her come ashore. No cargo has been seen, and the supposition at first was that she was a derelict. The Captain of the Royal Adelaide has made his deposition at the Custom House. He says he mistook his course, thinking he was off Lulworth instead of in the West Bay, as the weather was so thick. He could not wear ship, and, finding she must go onshore, anchored about half a mile off in ten fathoms of water, but the ship would not ride and drifted on shore. He estimated the loss on the vessel to amount to £2000, and the cargo to £30000. He believes that about 62 persons in all were saved. He attributes the loss of the ship to the hazy weather and the violence of the gale. Some more men have died from the effects of drink on the beach. The bodies of a Gentleman named MACANNISTER and the child BOUYAN have been washed ashore from the Royal Adelaide.
Further details have been received from Lyme Regis, Dorset, regarding the loss of the CASSIBELAUNUS . It appears that on Tuesday morning a small boat was discovered a few miles at sea, drifting before the gale, which was blowing strongly from the southwest, accompanied by a heavy sea. The Lyme Regis lifeboat. WILLIAM WOODCOCK, belonging to the National Institution , was immediately manned, and went out through the broken water to meet the ships boat, and she was successful in saving the crew of 14 men. They belonged to the Bark CASSIBELUNUS, of North Shields, 521 tons register, loaded from that port to Genoa, with about 800 tons for coal. On the night of the 22nd, when in lat. 45.17N and Long 9.16W, she was struck by a very heavy sea, which completely disabled her, carrying away stanchions, bulwarks, cookhouse, scuttle hatch, turns of main-yard, backstays etc, and causing her to leak so badly that the crew were kept constantly at the pumps. Notwithstanding all efforts the water gained upon them, and the ship bore up for Falmouth but, in consequence of the weather, she was unable to make that port, and was kept running before the gale off the Start Point., when it became necessary to abandon her, as she had more than six feet of water in the hold, and appeared to be going down rapidly. The Long Boat was got out, but almost instantly is was stove alongside, and had to be abandoned with all the poor fellows clothes, the men having barely time to jump onboard again. They then got into the pinnace, which was in a very unsatisfactory state, and left the ship drifting before the gale until they were off Lyme , where they were seen and rescued by the Lifeboat. Great praise is due to BRADLEY, the Coxswain, and his crew for the smartness they exhibited in getting their boat out and reaching the other boat, which would, in all probability, have drifted into the broken water and been swamped had the lifeboat been delayed a few minutes longer. (ks)
Day of Loss: 26
Month of Loss: 11
Year of Loss: 1872
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