Dartmouth Patriot, 18 May 1901 Edition

No. 3

We must chronicle now one of the most disastrous wrecks in the history of Halifax Harbor. We can perhaps give it best by quoting from the newspaper of the time as far it is of general interest. The wreck referred to is that of H.M.S. "La Tribune" wrecked on Thrum Cap shoal, November 23, 1797.

 "La Tribune was one of the finest frigates in His Majesty's service, mounted 44 guns and had been lately captured by Captain Williams in the unicorn frigate. She was commanded by Capt. S. Barker, and sailed from Torbay the 22nd September, as convoy to the Quebec and Newfoundland fleets. In Lat. 49.14, Long. 17.29 she fell in with and spoke His Majesty's Ship Experiment from this place, out 12 days. She lost sight of all her convoy October 19th, in Lat. 46.16 Long. 32.11. On Thursday morning last, they discovered this Harbor about 8'clock. The wind being E.S.E. they approached it very fast, when Captain proposed to the master that they should lay the ship to till they could obtain a pilot; the master replied, he had beat a 44 gun ship into the harbor - that he had been frequently here and that there was no occasion for a pilot, as the wind was fair.' Confiding in these assurances Captain Barker went below and was for a time employed in arranging some papers he wished to take on shore with him. The master in the meantime taking upon himself the pilotage of the ship and placing great dependence upon the judgment of a negro man by the name of John Casey, (who had formerly belonged here) whom he had placed forward to conduct the ship. About 12 o'clock the ship had approached so near the Thrum Cap shoals, that the master became alarmed and sent for Mr. Galvin the master's mate, who was sick below. On his coming on deck he heard the man in the chains sing out 'by the mark five' the black man forward at the same time singing out 'steady.' Galvin got on one the carronades to observe the situation of the ship, the master in much agitation at the same time taking the wheel from the man who was steering with an intent to wear ship, but before this could be effected or Galvin able to give an opinion, she struck. Capt. Barker instantly came on deck and reproached the master with having lost the ship. Seeing Galvin also on deck, he addressed him and said (as he knew he had formerly sailed out of this harbour) that he was much surprised that he could stand by and see the master run the ship on shore. Galvin informed the Captain he had not been on deck long enough to give an opinion. Signals of distress were instantly made and answered by the military posts and the ships in the Harbor. Boats from all the military posts, from His Majesty's ships and from the Dockyard proceeded to the relief of La Tribune. The military boats and one of the boats from the Dockyard, with Mr. Rackum, boatswain of the ordinary reached the ship; but the other boats, though making the greatest exertions were not able, the wind being so much against them, to get on board. The ship was immediately lightened by throwing all her guns, except one retained for signals, overboard and every other heavy article, so that at about half-past eight o'clock in the evening the ship began to heave and about nine she got off from the shoals. She had before at about five or six o'clock lost her rudder, and on examination it was now found that she had seven feet of water in the hold. The chain pumps were immediately manned and such exertions made that they by advice of Mr. Rackum the Captain ordered to let go the best bower anchor. This was done but it did not bring her up. The Captain then ordered them to cut the cable, and the jib and fore topmast staysail were hoisted to sail by. All this time the violent gale, which had come on from the southeast, kept increasing and carrying them to the western shore. In a short time the small bower anchor was let go, at which time they found themselves in about thirteen fathoms of water. The mizzen mast was then cut away. It was not about ten o'clock, the water gaining on the ship, little hope remained of saving the ship or their lives. At this critical period Lieut. Campbell quitted the ship. Lieut. Nooth was taken into the boat out of one of the ports. Lieut. James of the Royal Nova Scotia Regiment, not being found was so unfortunate as to remain and to the great distress of his worthy parents and friends shared the general fate. From the period when Lieut. Campbell quitted the ship all hopes of safety had vanished, the ship was sinking fast the storm was increasing with redoubled violence, the rocky shore to which they were approaching resounding with the tremendous noise of the billows which rolled towards it, presented nothing to those who might survive the sinking of the ship, but the expectation of a more painful death from being dashed against those tremendous precipices, which even in the calmest day it was almost impossible to ascend. Dunlap, one of the survivors, informs us that at about half-past ten, as nearly as he could conjecture, one of the men who had been below came to him on the forecastle and told him the ship was sinking; in a few minuses [minutes] after, the ship took a lurch as a boat will do when nearly filled with water and going down; immediately on which Dunlap began to ascend the fore shrowd, and at the same moment casting his eyes towards the quarter deck saw Captain Barker standing by the gangway and looking into the water, and directly after heard him call for the jolly boat. At the same time he saw the Lieutenant of Marines running towards the taffrail, he supposed to look for the jolly boat, as she had previously been let down with four men in her, but instantly the ship took a second lurch and sank to the bottom; after which neither the Captain nor any other of the officers were seen. The scene, sufficiently distressing before, became now peculiarly awful - more than 240 men, besides several women and children were floating on the waves making their last efforts to preserve their existence."

 Much more is given in the newspaper, but having given in detail the story from the time the ship struck to her sinking. I will give the rest of the story in a shorter space adding thereto some details of the wreck not given in the newspaper.

 We have seen that the crew were thrown into the water as the ship went down. Many gained the shrowds and masts but ere daybreak most of them had fallen off from cold and exhaustion. A boy from Herring Cove, where she foundered was the first to go off to her next morning. He rescued two men. Altogether 12 of the ships company were rescued.

 The great loss of life was due to several causes.

 When the guns were thrown overboard they were put over on the leeward side. It was not rough at the time the gale having justed started. But as the wind grew stronger, and the tide arose, the vessel surged and beat upon the guns. This caused the 7 feet of water in her hold when she got off.

 The captain's obstinacy was the main cause however. Knowing that the ship would founder he would not abandon her, nor would he allow anyone to save their lives. He complained that no commissioned officer had been sent to him from Admiral Murray to justify his leaving the ship to her fate. Even those who went on board from McNab's Island were not allowed to leave. One man, indeed, by the name of Grey got off by promised to bring help from the shore, but Alex. Hawthorne and another man from McNab's Island found a watery grave.

 A boat's crew from George's Island was thrown into the water by getting under the frigate's bow as she went off. Two sergeants and 4 privates were drowned. The remainder were saved by the crew from the Eastern Battery.

 Lieut. James of the Royal Nova Scotia Regt. was one of the lost. His body was found a few days later and buried at Halifax with military honors.

 Lt. Gen. H.R.H. Prince Edward officially gave his thanks to Lieuts. Haliburton, Campbell, and Nooth of the Royal Fusiliers, also to the men who manned the boats sent to the assistance of the frigate.

(To be Continued.)