EMPRESS OF THE SEA

Location

Quarantine Station, Port Phillip Bay

VHR Number

S237

Date lost

19/12/1861

Year of construction

1853

Statement of Significance

The Empress of the Sea is historically and archaeologically significant as it was one of Donald Mackay's famous wooden clipper ships ie: representative of a particular design or type. It was also associated with both the Black Ball and White Star Lines of Australian Packets, which carried thousands of immigrants from Britain to Australia.

Physical Description

Construction Material Wood

Propulsion Sail

Number of Masts 3

Length / Breadth / Depth 240.0 Feet / 43.0 Feet / 27.0 Feet

History

Builder Donald McKay

Built Date 1853

Built Port / Country Boston, Massachusetts / USA

Details
Clipper ship Hull: seasoned white oak, hard pine Main yard 93-1/2 feet in length; female figurehead. Crew incompetent. Capt. Bragge went ashore at Queenscliff to obtain 10 men at Geelong; away over night. Vessel caught fire about 4 am. Pump handles missing, buckets could not quench fire. The gold, passengers and cargo were got off, then vessel was run ashore. Burnt to the copper (21-23 ft mark) and sank in 18-20 ft of water. Goldman, the German quarter-master who had previously been convicted of killing a fellow policeman, was under suspicion but nothing was proved. Sold for 3,750 pounds. Salvagers of gold awarded 20,000 pounds Chartered to White Star Line at time of loss. Tonnage space: 189.8 x 39.2 x 23.7 feet. Co-efficient:O.64 Original inspection of site by MAU (M.Staniforth) identified the site as the Sea. Record voyage London-Melbourne 66-1/2 days - 1861 For five years vessel made speedy voyages to many ports before purchase by James Baines for Australian Black Ball Line. On second and last voyage to Australia, arrived 6 August 1861. Delay in departure may have been caused because of difficulty in obtaining a crew due to desertions to goldfields. Confusion over name (' Sea ' and 'Seas ') has arisen because there were two vessels with similar names, entering Melbourne at about the same time.

Voyage Details

Date Lost 19/12/1861

Voyage from Melbourne to London

Cargo
Full cargo, incl. 2,016 oz. gold, valued at 80,000 pounds;wool, sheepskins, tallow, wheat, flour, copper ore, whale bone, whale oil

Owner James Baines Black Ball Line (5/9/1860) , under charter to White Star Line at time of loss.

Master of Vessel Capt. W. ( Bully ) Bragg(e)

Cause of Loss
Caught fire at Queenscliff at 4 am. when the officer of the watch attempted to extinguish the fire they found fire pump handles missing and buckets ineffective. Fire became out of control and the ship was sailed from anchorage and ran ashore at Point Nepean. Ship rolled over onto starbouar side by force of the tide and the shifting ballast. The port side was burnt "to the copper" (UID 72)

Further Details

Number of Passengers 12

Comments on Passenger
12 saloon passengers

Number of Crew Members 45

Comments on Crew Members
Goldman (german crewman suspected of the arson)

Physical Description
Construction Material	Wood
Propulsion	Sail
Number of Masts	3
Length / Breadth / Depth	240.0 Feet / 43.0 Feet / 27.0 Feet

Builder	Donald McKay
Built Date	1853
Built Port / Country	Boston, Massachusetts / USA
Details	Clipper ship Hull: seasoned white oak, hard pine Main yard 93-1/2 feet in length; female figurehead. Crew incompetent. Capt. Bragge went ashore at Queenscliff to obtain 10 men at Geelong; away over night. Vessel caught fire about 4 am. Pump handles missing, buckets could not quench fire. The gold, passengers and cargo were got off, then vessel was run ashore. Burnt to the copper (21-23 ft mark) and sank in 18-20 ft of water. Goldman, the German quarter-master who had previously been convicted of killing a fellow policeman, was under suspicion but nothing was proved. Sold for 3,750 pounds. Salvagers of gold awarded 20,000 pounds Chartered to White Star Line at time of loss. Tonnage space: 189.8 x 39.2 x 23.7 feet. Co-efficient:O.64 Original inspection of site by MAU (M.Staniforth) identified the site as the Sea. Record voyage London-Melbourne 66-1/2 days - 1861 For five years vessel made speedy voyages to many ports before purchase by James Baines for Australian Black Ball Line. On second and last voyage to Australia, arrived 6 August 1861. Delay in departure may have been caused because of difficulty in obtaining a crew due to desertions to goldfields. Confusion over name (' Sea ' and 'Seas ') has arisen because there were two vessels with similar names, entering Melbourne at about the same time.


Date Lost	19/12/1861
Voyage	from Melbourne to London
Cargo	Full cargo, incl. 2,016 oz. gold, valued at 80,000 pounds;wool, sheepskins, tallow, wheat, flour, copper ore, whale bone, whale oil
Owner	James Baines Black Ball Line (5/9/1860) , under charter to White Star Line at time of loss.
Master of Vessel	Capt. W. ( Bully ) Bragg(e)
Cause of Loss	Caught fire at Queenscliff at 4 am. when the officer of the watch attempted to extinguish the fire they found fire pump handles missing and buckets ineffective. Fire became out of control and the ship was sailed from anchorage and ran ashore at Point Nepean. Ship rolled over onto starbouar side by force of the tide and the shifting ballast. The port side was burnt "to the copper" (UID 72)

Number of Passengers	12
Comments on Passenger	12 saloon passengers
Number of Crew Members	45
Comments on Crew Members	Goldman (german crewman suspected of the arson)

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