Reference
Date 19 April 2012
Event ID 936825
Category Documentary Reference
Type Reference
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/936825
UKHO Identifier : 001883
Feature Class : Wreck
State : DEAD
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 57.06667,-7.27500
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 57.06640,-7.27590
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Position Quality : Unreliable
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 10
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : POLITICIAN (BOW SECTION)
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 143.6
Beam : 17.7
Draught : 12.5
Tonnage : 7939
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : GENERAL (INCLUDING BANKNOTES AND WHISKY)
Date Sunk : 05/02/1941
Contact Description : Partial wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Original Detection Year : 1941
Original Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **EX-LONDON MERCHANT. BUILT IN 1923 BY FURNESS SHIPBUILDING CO. LTD, HAVERTON HILL-ON-TEES. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY CHARENTE SS CO LTD. FOUR BOILERS, SCREW ENGINE, 2 STEAM TURBINES FOR 1004HP, SINGLE SHAFT. MACHINERY BY J BROWN & CO. LTD, GLASGOW. PASSAGE LIVERPOOL FOR NEW ORLEANS. RAN AGROUND ON ROCKS IN FOG AND HEAVY WEATHER. REPORTED TO BE CARRYING 243,000 BOTTLES OF SPIRITS. THIS LOSS WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE NOVEL 'WHISKY GALORE' BY COMPTON MACKENZIE. (SIBI).
**CHARENTE SS CO LTD WAS A SUBSIDIARY OF THOMAS & JAMES HARRISON, LIVERPOOL. PRESENTLY OWNED BY SS POLITICIAN PLC. (K MCDONALD, DIVER MAGAZINE, NOV '04).
Surveying Details : **AGROUND IN 570400N, 071630W, APPROX.
**WK SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP WHERE SHE LAY AGROUND BUT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. (LLOYDS).
**17.11.70 APPROX 4 TONS OF BRASS & COPPER (VALUE �1600) RECOVERED FROM WK LYING IN CASTLE BAY IN APRIL 1970. (LL 13.5.70).
**H1309/75 8.1.75 SEARCHES IN AREA TO THE SE OF RU HITHINISH ON ERISKAY BY A TEAM OF DIVERS FAILED TO LOCATE ANY TRACE OF THIS WRECK. HOWEVER, PART OF THIS VESSEL (STERN SECTION) WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND IN THE SOUND OF ERISKAY. BOW SECTION WAS NOT LOCATED. (ASADA 'EXERCISE WRECK HUNTER', REPORT). SEE [1889] IN 570604.5N, 071620W. AMENDED TO DEAD.
Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY [SEE 1889]
Date Last Amended : 10/12/2004
