SCOTTISH PRINCE
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
DateJuly 1878
Object NameBARQUE
MediumIRON
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 210' x breadth 32'6" x depth of hold 18'
registered tonnage 950 tons
registered tonnage 950 tons
Object numberABDSHIP001185
Keywords
Yard Number: 297
Official Number: 79622
Fate: wrecked on Southport Spit, Gold Coast, Queensland, 3 February 1887.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Barque rigged, 2 decks, poop deck 44', forecastle 28'
Owners:
1878-87: McIlwraith, McEachern & Company, "The Scottish Line" registered at London.
Masters:
1879: Master J. Moore
1879-81: Master G. Scale
1882-84: Master Mowat
1884-87: Master Little
General History:
08/07/1878:
A splendid sailing ship, of 950 tons register, was launched on Saturday of afternoon from the yard of Messrs A. Hall & Co., shipbuilders, Footdee. The vessel is 210 feet in in length, 32 1/2 feet in breadth, and has 18 feet depth of hold. As she left the ways the ship was gracefully in named the SCOTTISH PRINCE by Miss M'Ilwraith. Taking the highest class at Lloyd's, the SCOTTISH PRINCE has been built to the order of Messrs er Ml'Ilwraith, M'Eachran, & Co., Leadenhall Street, London, for their "Scottish" line of packet ships trading to Queensland, and is sister ship to the SCOTTISH LASSIE, which was built by the Messrs Hall for the same firm last year. The SCOTTISH PRINCE is specially designed for the conveyance of passengers, and every attention has been paid to the arrangements for the comfort of passengers. She is provided with a distilling apparatus, and has patent steam winches for the discharge of cargo, and all the latest improvements for the working of the ship.
(Aberdeen Press and Journal)
02/09/1879:
London, 30 Aug - SCOTTISH PRINCE, barque, arrived from Rockhampton (Queensland), 24 April.
(South Australian Advertiser)
04/02/1887:
Brisbane, 3 Feb. - barque SCOTTISH PRINCE missed stays at 3 o'clock this morning and went ashore in 2 fathoms water of the Southport Bar. A local crew boarded her, but Captain declined to land the people. 3 boats manned are lying by in case of emergency. 35 passengers are aboard. A kedge anchor has been placed out in case she floats off at high tide. Expected she will be got off. Was bound from Glasgow to Brisbane.
(South Australian Advertiser)
05/02/1887:
The TWEED, river pilot boat, landed passengers from stranded barque SCOTTISH PRINCE this morning.
(Melbourne Argus)
07/02/1887:
Further unavailing attempts made to float barque SCOTTISH PRINCE. Wind shifted to south east and drove her further inshore. Steamers OTTER and GUNGA attempted to tow her off, but GUNGA'S hawser parted and fouled the screw. Weather has since been very unfavourable, seas breaking heavily over the ship, which it is believed will now be abandoned.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
08/02/1887:
Steamers GUNGA and OTTER have returned to Brisbane from stranded barque SCOTTISH PRINCE, bringing the crew and captain - when they left, the barque had 26 in. water in her hold. Mainmast was expected to go overboard at any moment. Vessel has now been abandoned and there is little chance of cargo being saved. Captain Little and two of the sailors at first refused to leave the ship, but afterwards signalled for a boat from the GUNGA. A boat was lowered and manned with great difficulty, Captain of barque threw 30 gallons of oil into the water and quietened the sea which had been boiling over the deck, boat then took them to GUNGA.
(Newcastle Morning Herald)
18/02/1887:
Brisbane - Marine Board of opinion SCOTTISH PRINCE was being navigated much too close to the shore, that none of necessary precautions appeared to have been adopted, but on contrary appeared to have been navigated by rule of thumb. Discrepancies between chart and log book could not be explained in any satisfactory way. Board was of opinion attempt had been made to make log book and chart show vessel ought to have been in some other position than she actually was when she grounded. Log book was most carelessly kept and entries on log slate were not correct. Board therefore considered that vessel was lost through gross carelessness and most slovenly navigation and certificate of William Little, the Master, was cancelled. Certificate of A. F. Knowles, 1st Mate, is suspended for 6 months for making deficent and contradictory entries in log slate and log book.
(Newcastle Morning Herald)
Queensland Museum provided the following details:
A three masted iron hulled barque, the Scottish Prince was built by Alexander Hall & Sons in 1878.
She was an old trader to the colony, was the property of McIlwraith, McEachern & Company, and consigned to the firm D.L Brown & Coy in Australia.
She was wrecked in 1887 under the command of William Little, carrying a general cargo and migrants in the final stages on a voyage from Glasgow.
Now a popular attraction for divers, the wreck - along with the nearby wreck of the Cambus Wallace (a Glasgow built iron barque wrecked in 1895), are known as the 'whiskey wrecks' because of the enormous quantities of whiskey which locals 'salvaged' from them at the time and still evident in-situ. The Museum has a large collection of objects in its collection (including full whiskey bottles!) related to this wreck including the ships bell.
Museum of Tropical Queensland (mtq.qm.qld.gov.au)
Notes: Contract cost, £12,235 (Builder's List in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
1841
