Loss

Date 1 February 1880

Event ID 585677

Category Documentary Reference

Type Loss

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/585677

Portaskaig [Port Askaig], Feb. 2, 7.55 p.m., barque, no name, no crew, and apparently no cargo, ashore at Coul, west of Islay: total wreck strewn on shore in gullies. People will not save for salvage.

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 20,521, London, Tuesday February 3 1880.

Castletown, Scotland, Feb. 2, 6.55 p.m., ship EMPIRE, of Aberdeen, Captain Symes, Liverpool for Pensacola (ballast), sprung a leak off Tory Island and became waterlogged: crew abandoned her in their own boats, and were picked up by Liverpool ship COLLARS LEITH and landed yesterday at Pentland Firth.

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 20,521, London, Tuesday February 3 1880.

Erratum, the vessel abandoned off Tory Island was probably the COLONIAL EMPIRE, from Liverpool for Pensacola, and not the EMPIRE, as reported in yesterday's List.

Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 20,522, London, Wednesday February 4 1880.

Portaskaig [Port Askaig] (Islay), Feb. 4, 11 a.m., a lifebuoy and leaves of logbook, marked "COLONIAL EMPIRE, of Aberdeen", found amongst the wreck of vessel at Coul, Islay: also handkerchief marked "W. N. Gulher" and trunk-lid "Mrs [Report received incomplete].

NMRS, MS/829/70 (no. 4938).

(Classified as wooden barque, in ballast: date of loss cited as 1 February 1880). Colonial Empire: this vessel stranded North of Machrie [Machir] Bay, [on the] West side of Islay. Capt. Symmers.

Registration: Aberdeen. Built 1861. 1304grt. Length: 60m. Beam: 12m.

(Location of loss cited as N55 47.00 W6 29.00).

I G Whittaker 1998.