View source for Cromartyshire (ship)

{{short description|Three masted iron sailing ship built in 1879}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}} 
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= StateLibQld 1 148951 Cromartyshire (ship).jpg
|Ship caption= ''Cromartyshire'' under tow in the [[Avon Gorge]]
}} 
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header= 
|Ship country= United Kingdom
|Ship flag= {{Shipboxflag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|Ship name= ''Cromartyshire''
|Ship namesake= [[Cromartyshire]]
|Ship owner= *1879: Thomas Law & Co
*1883: James Law
*1886: James & William Law
*1893: William Law
|Ship operator= 
|Ship registry= [[Glasgow]]
|Ship route= 
|Ship ordered= 
|Ship builder= [[Lithgows|Russell & Co]], [[Port Glasgow]]
|Ship original cost= 
|Ship yard number= 19
|Ship laid down= 
|Ship launched= 6 August 1879
|Ship sponsor= 
|Ship completed= August 1879
|Ship maiden voyage= 
|Ship identification= *UK [[official number]] 82253
*[[code letters]] SQLV
*{{ICS|Sierra}}{{ICS|Quebec}}{{ICS|Lima}}{{ICS|Victor}}
|Ship fate= 
|Ship status= 
|Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type= [[cargo ship]]
|Ship tonnage= {{GRT|1554}}, {{NRT|1462}}
|Ship displacement= 
|Ship length= {{cvt|248.8|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{cvt|38.1|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught= 
|Ship depth= {{cvt|22.8|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship decks= 1
|Ship sail plan= 3 masts, [[Full-rigged ship|full rig]]
|Ship speed= 
|Ship capacity= 
|Ship crew= 
|Ship notes= iron hull
}}
|}

'''''Cromartyshire''''' was an iron-hulled [[Sailing ship|sailing]] [[cargo ship]] that was launched in [[Scotland]] in 1879. She was named after the county of [[Cromartyshire]] in the [[Scottish Highlands]].

In 1898 she survived a collision with the [[French Third Republic|French]] [[Transatlantic crossing|transatlantic]] [[Ocean liner|liner]] {{SS|La Bourgogne||2}}, which sank with great loss of life. ''Cromartyshire'' also survived a fire off [[Cape Colony]] in 1901. She was wrecked on the coast of [[Chile]] in 1906.

==Building==
The shipbuilder [[Lithgows|Russell & Company]] was founded in 1874 in [[Port Glasgow]] on the [[Firth of Clyde]]. Its early customers included the Law family of [[Glasgow]], who owned a fleet of sailing ships that they named after [[shires of Scotland]]. Between 1879 and 1884 Russell & Co built four iron-hulled, three-masted ships for the Law family.

The first was yard number 19, launched on 6 August 1879 as ''Cromartyshire''.<ref name=SBS>{{cite web |url= https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=19470 |title=Cromartyshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref> She was followed by yard number 20, launched on 1 November 1879 as ''Peeblesshire'';<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?&ref=19471 |title=Peeblesshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref> and yard number 29, launched on 21 September 1880 as ''Wigtonshire''.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?&ref=19476 |title=Wigtonshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref> The fourth was yard number 93, launched on 23 September 1884 as ''Haddingtonshire''.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?&ref=19505 |title=Haddingtonshire |work=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref> ''Peeblesshire'' and ''Wigtonshire'' were [[sister ship]]s, each just over {{convert|200|ft}} long. ''Haddingtonshire'' was larger, and ''Cromartyshire'' was the largest of all.

''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s registered length was {{cvt|248.8|ft|abbr=on}}, her [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] was {{cvt|38.1|ft|abbr=on}}, and her depth was {{cvt|22.8|ft|abbr=on}}. Her [[tonnage]]s were {{GRT|1554}} and {{NRT|1462}}.{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1880|loc=CRO}} She was a [[full-rigged ship]].<ref name=SBS/>

==Ownership and registration==
''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s first owners were Thomas Law & Co, who [[Ship registration|registered]] her at Glasgow. Her [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] [[official number]] was 82253 and her [[code letters]] were SQLV.{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1880|loc=CRO}}{{sfn|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1880|p=230}} By 1883 her principal owner was listed as James Law.{{sfn|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1883|p=248}} This had changed to James and William Law by 1886,{{sfn|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1886|p=277}} and William Law by 1893.{{sfn|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1893|p=422}}

==Collision with ''La Bourgogne''==
[[File:La Bourgogne, ca. 1895.jpg|thumb|The liner {{SS|La Bourgogne||2}}]]
On 8 June 1898 ''Cromartyshire'' left [[Dunkirk]] with a cargo of coal for [[Port of Philadelphia|Philadelphia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Ship Cromartyshire. |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The New York Times |date=7 July 1898 |page=2 |access-date=2 February 2024 |via=Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/07/07/102117507.html?pageNumber=2}}</ref> Her [[Master mariner|Master]] was [[Sea captain|Captain]] Oscar Henderson, and his wife and children were travelling with him. On 2 July the [[Compagnie Générale Transatlantique]] (CGT) liner ''La Bourgogne'' left [[Port of New York and New Jersey|New York]] for [[Port of Le Havre|Le Havre]]. She carried 503 passengers and 222 crew.<ref name=NYT-1898-0707a>{{cite news |title=La Bourgogne sinks at sea |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The New York Times |date=7 July 1898 |pages=1, 2 |access-date=2 February 2024 |via=Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/07/07/102117503.html?pageNumber=1}}</ref>

Early on the morning of 4 July ''Cromartyshire'' was sailing through fog, about {{convert|60|nmi|km}} off [[Cape Sable Island]], Newfoundland. Visibility was only about {{convert|20|yard}}. She was under reduced sail, making only about {{convert|4|to|5|kn|km/h|0}}, and sounding her [[foghorn]] every minute. On her [[Forecastle|fo'c'sle]] she had a seaman as lookout, accompanied by her [[Chief mate|Chief Officer]]. Henderson and his [[Third mate|Third Officer]] were on her [[Poop deck|poop]].<ref name=NYT-1898-0707a/>

''La Bourgogne'' heard ''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s foghorn, and answered with her [[steam whistle]], but neither ship's lookouts could see the other ship. At 05:00 hrs ''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s bow struck the [[Port and starboard|starboard]] side of ''La Bourgogne'' at an oblique angle. Captain Henderson said the steamship was going at "terrific speed".<ref name=NYT-1898-0707a/><ref name=NYT-1898-0707e>{{cite news |title=The news in Paris. |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The New York Times |date=7 July 1898 |page=2 |access-date=2 February 2024 |via=Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/07/07/102117507.html?pageNumber=2}}</ref>

[[File:Cromartyshire, crushed bow 1898.jpg|thumb|''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s damaged bow after colliding with ''La Bourgogne'']]
Captain Henderson ordered ''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s crew to prepare her boats to be lowered, and went forward to inspect her bow. The impact had brought down the topmast and main topgallant of ''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s foremast, and torn off her bow, but the collision [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]] just abaft her bow was intact. Her [[Port and starboard|starboard]] anchor was swinging on its chain, and threatened to puncture what was left of her bow. Henderson set his crew to clearing the wreckage. Henderson saw the rocket and flare that ''La Bourgogne'' fired, and he had several distress rockets and flares fired from ''Cromartyshire'', but the two ships still could not see each other.<ref name=NYT-1898-0707a/>

At about 05:30 hrs the fog thinned enough for Henderson to see two of ''La Bourgogne''{{'}}s lifeboats being rowed toward his ship. This was the first he knew that the steamship had sunk. ''Cromartyshire'' rescued the occupants of the two boats, stood to, and launched its own three boats to rescue other survivors, who were found on life rafts or clinging to wreckage. From the 725 people who had been aboard the liner, ''Cromartyshire'' found only 163 survivors. At about 15:00 hrs she sighted a westbound steamship, [[Allan Line]]'s ''Grecian''. The sailing ship raised the [[International maritime signal flags|signal flags]] "HC", indicating that she had rescued survivors and needed assistance. Survivors were transferred to ''Grecian'', which at 18:00 hrs took ''Cromartyshire'' in tow. They reached [[Port of Halifax|Halifax]], [[Nova Scotia]] on 6 July.<ref name=NYT-1898-0707a/>

==Legal cases==
[[File:Deloncle, Louis.jpg|thumb|upright|Louis Deloncle, [[Master mariner|Master]] of ''Le Bourgogne'']]
A panel comprising the Wreck Commissioner at Halifax and two other sea captains investigated the collision on behalf of the Canadian government. Their report, published by 29 July 1898, exonerated Captain Henderson and his officers. They found that ''La Bourgogne'' was not following the [[sea lane]] indicated on the [[nautical chart]] for that part of the North Atlantic, and was steaming at great speed. They found that had her Master, Captain Louis Deloncle, "adopted the rules laid down... his vessel could not have been in the position indicated by the disaster". Further, the panel reported that "many of the principal steamship companies do not follow the routes laid down and assented to by all the parties in interest and apparent good faith."<ref>{{cite news |title=The route of La Bourgogne. |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The New York Times |date=29 July 1898 |page=6 |access-date=2 February 2024 |via=Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/07/29/102089458.html?pageNumber=6}}</ref>

William Law sued CGT in the Admiralty Division of the [[High Court of Justice]] in London for the damage to his ship. CGT sought to quash the writ on the grounds that it is a foreign corporation. On 9 August 1898 [[Francis Jeune, 1st Baron St Helier|Francis Jeune]], President of the Admiralty Division, ruled that the English court has jurisdiction, and he rejected CGT's plea.<ref>{{cite news |title=Suit against La Bourgogne. |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The New York Times |date=10 August 1898 |page=10 |access-date=2 February 2024 |via=Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/08/10/102566210.html?pageNumber=10}}</ref> On 12 January 1899 the Admiralty Division found in ''Cromartyshire''{{'}}s favour and awarded William Law damages and costs.<ref>{{cite news |title=La Bourgogne to blame. |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The New York Times |date=13 January 1899 |page=7 |access-date=2 February 2024 |via=Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1899/01/13/117910517.html?pageNumber=7}}</ref>

==Later career==
[[File:Cromartyshire (ship, 1879) arrived in Portland (Oregon) Harbor on November 15, 1900 - art from the Morning Oregonian, November 16, 1900, page 1 (cropped).jpg|thumb|A sketch of ''Cromartyshire'' from ''[[The Oregonian]]'' newspaper in 1900]]
In 1901 ''Cromartyshire'' was sailing from [[Leith]] in Scotland to [[Port of Port Elizabeth|Port Elizabeth]] in Cape Colony. On 1 September she caught fire off [[Mossel Bay]]. Her crew abandoned her, but she stayed afloat, and was later retrieved.<ref name=SBS/>

In January 1906 she was sailing from [[Port of Antwerp|Antwerp]] in [[Belgium]] to [[Talcahuano]] in Chile. On 18 January she ran aground off [[Vlissingen]] in the [[Netherlands]]. She was refloated, discharged her cargo at Vlissingen, and on 12 February reached [[Middelburg, Zeeland]] for repairs. She then reloaded her cargo at Vlissingen, and on 27 March left for Chile.<ref name=SBS/>

==Wreck==
On 22 October 1906 ''Cromartyshire'' left [[Antofagasta]] in northern Chile partly laden. She was to sail north to load further cargo at [[Iquique]], but on 24 October she went ashore and was wrecked. The site of her wreck is recorded as ''"Tetus Point on Printabu Island"'',<ref name=SBS/> but no headland or island with those names exists.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?205156 |last1=Allen |first1=Tony |last2=Lettens |first2=Jan |last3=Alvarado |first3=Jaime |date=2 October 2019 |title=SV Cromartyshire (+1906) |publisher=wrecksite |access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |year=1880 |title=Lloyd's Register of British & Foreign Shipping |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] of Shipping |url= https://archive.org/details/HECROS1880/page/n288/mode/1up |via=[[Internet Archive]] |ref={{harvid|''Lloyd's Register'' 1880}} }}
*{{cite book |year=1880 |title=Mercantile Navy List |place=London |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Cromartyshire&year=1880&steamsail=Sail&submit=Enter |via=Crew List Index Project |ref={{harvid|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1880}} }}
*{{cite book |year=1883 |title=Mercantile Navy List |place=London |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Cromartyshire&year=1883&steamsail=Sail&submit=Enter |via=Crew List Index Project |ref={{harvid|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1883}} }}
*{{cite book |year=1886 |title=Mercantile Navy List |place=London |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Cromartyshire&year=1886&steamsail=Sail&submit=Enter |via=Crew List Index Project |ref={{harvid|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1886}} }}
*{{cite book |year=1893 |title=Mercantile Navy List |place=London |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Cromartyshire&year=1896&steamsail=Sail&submit=Enter |via=Crew List Index Project |ref={{harvid|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1893}} }}

==External link==
*{{commonscat-inline|Cromartyshire (ship, 1879)}}

{{1898 shipwrecks}}
{{1901 shipwrecks}}
{{1906 shipwrecks}}

[[Category:1879 ships]]
[[Category:1901 fires]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1898]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1901]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1906]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Sailing ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ship fires]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Chile]]
[[Category:Windjammers]]