ACASTA
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
DateOctober 1845
Object NameBARQUE
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 128' x breadth 25' x depth 16'
gross tonnage: 385 tons
gross tonnage: 385 tons
Object numberABDSHIP001035
Keywords
Yard Number: 147
Fate: unknown, last in Lloyd's 1870 (A36).
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Barque rigged, 1 deck and a half poop deck, 3 masts, standing bowsprit, square stern, carvel built, no galleries, female figurehead.
Owners:
1845: Registered in Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
Benjamin Moir, merchant, 26 shares; Henry Patterson, banker, 16 shares; Alexander Bell shipowner, 8 shares - all Aberdeen.
Other shareholders; George Davidson, merchant, 4 shares; Benjamin Robertson, shipmaster, 4 shares; David Bell, merchant, Glasgow, 6 shares.
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
1856-60: Trail & Co., registered at London
1862-63: Brodie & Co., registered at London
1864-71: Falconer & Co., registered at London
Masters:
1846-52: Master Robertson
1853-55: Master D. Bruce
1857-58: Master T. Ahier
1859-61: Master Holliday
1862-66: Master R. Alexander
1867-71: Master G. Lumsden
Voyages (from Lloyd's):
1847-49: London - Singapore
1850-52: London - Ceylon
1853-55: Aberdeen - China
1856: London - Launceston (Tasmania)
1857-58: Clyde - West Indies
1859-61: London - New Zealand
1862-63: London - West Indies
1864-66: London - Algoa Bay (Port Elizabeth - S. Africa)
1867-71: London - St. Helena
General History:
10/05/1848:
Deaths - at Cape of Good Hope about end of January last, William Weir, Mate of barque ACASTA, of Aberdeen, in 51st year of his age.
(Aberdeen Journal)
21/05/1855:
Barque ACASTA, from Shanghai to London, spoken 2 May, Lat 44.28N, Long 30.54W (Mid Atlantic between Newfoundland and Bay of Biscay).
(Glasgow Herald)
16/01/1857:
Barque ACASTA, Capt. Ahier, arrived in River Clyde from the Mauritius on afternoon of New Year's Day, she was in charge of Daniel McCormick, an old and experienced deep-sea pilot. He dropped anchor within the buoy off the West Harbour [Greenock] and ran a hawser out to the buoy to keep ship steady so that she might not interrupt the channel... generally the ship was tailing down the river. About 5 o'clock following morning the Irish mail steamer ELK arrived from Belfast and in approaching quay struck ACASTA on port quarter. Capt. Ahier was charged in Police Court of breach in Harbour Act on grounds light was not properly displayed. Great no. of shipowners were present, who seemed to watch proceedings with great interest. Issues were whether bye-laws of harbour applied in the channel, whether Capt. Ahier was responsible when pilot in charge and whether light shown was sufficiently visible. Bailie's judgement was that, as mate of ELK had admitted he was the only one on look-out on forecastle deck, this and the steamer going at too great a speed was the cause of the collision. Capt. Ahier, being a stranger, had put himself in charge of an old and experienced pilot.
(Caledonian Mercury)
21/04/1864:
ACASTA, barque, spoken 4 February 34S, 16W [Mid Atlantic on Meridian of Cape of Good Hope].
(Glasgow Herald)
Notes: Contract cost £3,905 (Builder's List held in the Lloyd's Library in the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
For diagrams of ACASTA see;
David R. MacGregor (1973), "Fast Sailing Ships 1775-1875" (Nautical Publishing Co., Lymington), pp. 116, 120-21.
1818
