George Bates, pilot of a Lydd steam tug, told the Cumberland Evening News on the 25th of February, 1928: “We first heard the news of the collision about 8:40 pm, the message stating that a Russian barque was in distress. I got my motor boat ready, and preparations were made to launch the Dungeness lifeboat, but another message came through, which led everybody to believe that no assistance was required. It stated that the S.O.S. was all clear. Naturally, the lifeboat was not launched, and I did not go out.” Ship Name: Alcantara 

Tonnage: 1682-Tons 

Ship Type: Single-Screw Steamship 

Nationality: Italian 

Year Wrecked: 1928

Location Wrecked: About Three Miles from Dungeness, English Channel

Reason for Wreck: Collision with the Tovarisch

Lives Lost: 24

Sources: 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/973021286/?match=1&terms=alcantara

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1263945262/?match=1&terms=alcantara

https://www.newspapers.com/image/813756186/?match=1&terms=alcantara

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1188644259/?match=1&terms=alcantara

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1143022549/?terms=alcantara

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Law_Times_Reports/ZEMyAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=tovarisch+alcantara+collision+court&pg=PA611&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Weekly_Notes/Rf1GpCh-qloC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=tovarisch+alcantara+collision+court&pg=PA252&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Law_Reports/7xnIeTZMNZ8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=tovarisch+alcantara+collision+court&pg=PA15&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lloyd_s_List_Law_Reports/7bUzAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=alcantara+italian+lloyds+1928&pg=PA183&printsec=frontcover

19-year-old Samuel J Evans, one of two apprentices who had been on the Jason, sat down with the newspapers to tell his story on December 6th, the day after the Jason had met with disaster. The New York Times of December 7th, 1893, reported: “We sailed,” said he, “from Calcutta last February with a cargo of jute butts for Boston. Two days after leaving port, we were nearly dismasted in a storm and had to put into Mauritius for repairs. During the gale, our mate was washed overboard and lost. After leaving Mauritius, we had fair weather up to the equator. Since Nov. 15, we have encountered easterly gales, with frequent snowsqualls.”

Ship Name: Jason

Tonnage: 1,512

Ship Type: Iron Hulled Schooner

Nationality: British 

Year Built: 1870

Year Wrecked: 1893

Location Wrecked: Cape Cod 

Reason for Wreck: Ran Aground in Storm 

Lives Lost: 24

Sources: 

https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70407/pg70407.txt

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1893/12/07/109271091.html?pageNumber=8

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/09/10/102472311.html?pageNumber=6

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lloyd_s_Register_of_British_and_Foreign/HxIIklya2Y8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=a+%26+jh+carmichael+lloyds&pg=PP454&printsec=frontcover

https://www.newspapers.com/image/881615955/?match=1&terms=jason%20shipwreck%20cape%20cod

https://www.newspapers.com/image/173917080/?match=1&terms=jason%20shipwreck%20cape%20cod

https://www.newspapers.com/image/533316952/?match=1&terms=jason%20shipwreck%20cape%20cod

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Just_a_Little_about_the_Lower_Cape_Perso/iJA1fqToXLMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=jason+cape+cod+shipwreck&pg=PP27&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_New_England_Magazine/Ta8VAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=jason+cape+cod+shipwreck&pg=PA257&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cape_Cod_Magazine/bUYVAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=jason+cape+cod+shipwreck&pg=RA8-PA14&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_American_Marine_Engineer/IhZGAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=jason+cape+cod+shipwreck&pg=RA2-PA34&printsec=frontcover

The Melbourne Argus on the 17th of March, 1933, had a very small article at the bottom of its seventh page: “Fears are growing that the Japanese cargo steamer Kinsen Maru has sunk with all hands. Nine ships unsuccessfully searched for lifeboats and wreckage yesterday. The Kinsen Maru, which was commanded by Captain M. Yerabu, had a crew of 33. She was carrying a cargo of 3,000 tons of zinc concentrates from Port Pirie and 3500 tons of meat from Melbourne.”

Ship Name: Kinsen Maru 

Year Built: 1905

Nationality: Japanese 

Tonnage: 4,717

Ship Type: Screw Steel Steamship

Year Wrecked: 1933

Location Wrecked: 400 Miles East of Bowen, North Queensland Coast

Reason for Wreck: Flooded and Sank Due to a Storm 

Lives Lost: 25

Sources: 

https://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/T-Ships/tiberius1905.html

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lloyd_Register_of_Shipping_1933_Steamers/HXCAEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=kinsen+maru+1933+lloyds&pg=RA1-PR120&printsec=frontcover

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223849420?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/193026562?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/193026167?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223852322?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160950527?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170283180?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/237073022?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4724256?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/113446912?searchTerm=kinsen%20maru

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22137266/1693178

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4723954

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/61379583

The Virginian Pilot from the 3rd of September 1933 contained various interviews related to the sinking of the Coldwater, as well as the complete story of what had occurred. “Courageous action on the part of Captain West was credited with the fact that there was no loss of life. ‘Captain West is the hero’ was the terse comment of Capt. Makepeace Ridley, veteran Dollar Line Captain in command of the liner. ‘To him goes all the credit. His courage, and prompt action by all members of his crew, were the reasons why all were saved. They rescued themselves, although we had a lifeboat overboard, ready to lend assistance.’”

Ship Name: Coldwater

Nationality: United States of America

Ship Type: Single Propeller Oiler Burning Steel Hulled Steamship 

Year Built: 1920

Tonnage: 5,110

Year Wrecked: 1933

Location Wrecked: 80 Miles South of Cape Hatteras 

Reason for Wreck: Collision in Storm 

Lives Lost: None

Sources: 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Merchant_Vessels_of_the_United_States/7uoWWE_b3iAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Coldwater+ship+1933&pg=RA1-PA1006&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lloyd_s_Register_of_British_and_Foreign/VTn0E0U_gQcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=president+wilson+dollar+line+lloyds&pg=PA1236&printsec=frontcover

https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=IPT19330902.1.7&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------

https://www.virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=VPTNL19330903.1.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN---------

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/09/05/99924772.html?pageNumber=35

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/09/03/105800373.html?pageNumber=3&login=google&auth=login-google

The Sydney Empire from June 21st, 1864, contained a detailed account of the fate of the All Serene, as told by the survivors: “She appears to have proceeded on her way without anything occurring worthy of notice until the 20th of February, when she experienced equally weather, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and rain. Although the most unmistakable indications of a storm were evident as early as three o’clock in the morning, yet very little preparation for it appears to have been made by Captain Meyers until noon, when he gave an order to have the royal and top-gallant yards and mast taken down.”

Ship Name: All Serene 

Tonnage: 1,000 tons 

Nationality: Australian

Ship Type: Wooden Sailing Vessel 

Year Wrecked: 1864

Reason for Wreck: Capsized in Storm

Location Wrecked: Fifty Miles from Tonga  

Lives Lost: 21

Sources: 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/150463471?searchTerm=All%20Serene

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60555517?searchTerm=shipwreck

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/39118694

https://files02.sl.nsw.gov.au/fotoweb/pdf/1381/138199810.pdf

The Malaya Tribune of the 8th of August, 1928, described what had occurred when the first typhoon of the season, which had so troubled shipping, made landfall in the Philippines: “High winds have lashed the sea into a fury. Telegraphic communications from Pettit Barracks at Zamboanga state that half the Army post there is under water. The sea wall that protects the barracks and part of the city had been undermined by the heavy seas and broken through in three places. One barracks building had been partly destroyed and another had one corner smashed in.” Ship Name: Cap Lay 

Year Built: 1921

Tonnage: 8477

Ship Type: Steel Hulled Screw Steamship 

Nationality: French 

Year Wrecked: 1928 

Location Wrecked: Near Hai Phong, Vietnam 

Reason for Wreck: Thrown into a Rock During a Storm 

Lives Lost: Estimated at Around 50 

Sources: 

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19290222-1.2.89?qt=captain,%20benteu&q=captain%20benteu

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19281228-1.2.59?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19280723-1.2.57?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19280802-1.2.44?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/pinangazette19280727-1.2.29?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19280809-1.2.102?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19280707-1.2.115?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19280822-1.2.87?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19280808-1.2.14?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19280720-1.2.66?qt=cap,%20lay&q=cap%20lay

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Casualty_Returns_1928/BLpgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=cap+lay+french+shipwreck+1928&pg=PA54&printsec=frontcover

The Glamorgan Monmouth, and Brecon Gazette and Merthyr Guardian of the 28th of November, 1840, described the storms that had wrecked havoc on the village of Pill, in North Somerset, where over half of the crew of the City of Bristol came from: “We have had a continuation of gales, accompanied by storms of rain, snow, and hail, throughout the week; scarcely a vessel has arrived but bears evidence of the dreadful weather they have encountered at sea, which at times increased till it blew a complete hurricane. Some idea may be formed of it, from the fact of a pilot skiff having been blown high and dry on “Nelson’s Point”; and that a boat was swamped near the same place, having six hands on board, and had it not been for timely assistance, there is no doubt, from the heavy sea then running, they would inevitably have perished.”

Ship Name: City of Bristol 

Year Built: 1827

Tonnage: 210

Ship Type: Sidewheel Paddle Steamship 

Nationality: United Kingdom 

Year Wrecked: 1840

Location Wrecked: Llangennith, Wales

Reason for Wreck: Ran Aground in a Storm 

Lives Lost: 27

Sources: 

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3393315/3393318/25/city%2BOR%2Bof%2BOR%2Bbristol%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3329940/3329943/11/city%2BOR%2Bof%2BOR%2Bbristol%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3633448/3633451/26/city%2BOR%2Bof%2BOR%2Bbristol%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3393315/3393317/11/city%2BOR%2Bof%2BOR%2Bbristol%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3393315/3393319

https://journals.library.wales/view/1272866/1276731/74#?sf=1&m=48&h=shipwreck&cv=73&xywh=-1246%2C1407%2C5257%2C2004

One of the people who had been on the Pregreso for her destruction told his story to the Marine Engineering Log for January, 1903: “I knew it was an explosion, but was not sure until later as to just what had happened. I can say, positively, that the cause of the explosion did not lie in the oil burners, which were working splendidly. We did not see anyone as we left the after fire room, and I think there was no one else in that particular portion of the ship. It was a hard struggle for us to reach the upper deck because of the dense smoke and the darkness that enshrouded everything.”

Ship Name: Progreso 

Year Built: 1884

Tonnage: 1919

Ship Type: Steel Hulled Steamship 

Nationality: United States of America 

Year Wrecked: 1902

Location Wrecked: San Francisco, California

Reason for Wreck: Explosion of Oil Tank

Lives Lost: 14 

Sources:   

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-tribune-dec-04-1902-p-5/

https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-dec-03-1902-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/honolulu-hawaiian-gazette-dec-12-1902-p-2/

newspaperarchive.com/newport-hoosier-state-dec-10-1902-p-3/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-dec-04-1902-p-1/

https://newspaperarchive.com/akron-daily-democrat-dec-05-1902-p-1/

https://newspaperarchive.com/spokane-press-dec-03-1902-p-1/

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Marine_Engineering_Log/x9ZHAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=steamship+progreso+explosion+1902&pg=PA1&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Journal_of_the_American_Society_of_Naval/lhq76w_0q-MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=steamship+progreso+explosion+1902&pg=PA272&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Engineering_and_Mining_Journal/uPxRojjmyUgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=steamship+progreso+explosion+1902&pg=PA818&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Marine_Review_and_Marine_Record/RGY-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=steamship+progreso+explosion+1902&pg=RA22-PA17&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reports_Containing_the_Cases_Determined/62RMAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=steamship+progress+explosion+1902&pg=PA519&printsec=frontcover

A C Buchanan, His Majesty’s Chief Agent for Emigration to Upper and Lower Canada, sent in his end of the year emigration report for 1834 with the following information: “Before concluding this report, it is with regret that I feel myself compelled to notice the increasing number of shipwrecks to emigrant vessels, particularly during the past season, attended with a very serious loss of life. The list shows the number of vessels lost last season to be 17, and the loss of lives to amount to 731.” He would follow this by blaming the use of “ardent spirits” on emigrant vessels, but his next paragraph seems to have placed the blame more accurately. “Public attention having been of late often directed to the subject of light-houses, as a means of additional security of navigation…” 

Ship Name: James

Tonnage: 363

Ship Type: Brig 

Nationality: British 

Year Wrecked: 1834

Reason Wrecked: Sprang Leak in Storm 

Location Wrecked: Off Great Bank, Newfoundland 

Lives Lost: 250

Ship Name: Astrea 

Tonnage: 300

Ship Type: Barque 

Nationality: British

Year Wrecked: 1834

Reason Wrecked: Struck Rock 

Location Wrecked: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia 

Lives Lost: 271

Sources: 

https://limericklocalstudies.ie/wp-content/uploads/obits/1834/06%2028%201834%20james.pdf

https://capebretonsmagazine.com/modules/publisher/makepdf_php-itemid-766.pdf

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4459875/4459877/7/astrea%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspaperarchive.com/saint-johns-newfoundl-and-patriot-jun-17-1834-p-3/

https://newspaperarchive.com/lancaster-examiner-and-herald-jun-12-1834-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/london-standard-jul-10-1834-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/albion-and-the-star-apr-20-1835-p-4/

https://newspaperarchive.com/london-standard-jul-08-1834-p-3/

https://newspaperarchive.com/christian-advocate-jul-14-1834-p-7/

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Nautical_Magazine/f09WAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=laidler+james+shipwreck+1834&pg=PA508&printsec=frontcover

The Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of the 2nd of January 1901 reported: “One of the most furious gales of recent years swept over this vicinity on Thursday night, but fortunately without effecting any really serious harm. Slates were swept off roofs, some trees were blown down, and debris of all kinds whirled about. But, at sea, and around the exposed coasts of Wales, the storm unhappily was attended by vastly more serious results.”

Ship Name: Ragna

Nationality: Norwegian 

Year Built: 1892

Tonnage: 1079

Ship Type: Steel Hulled Bark 

Year Wrecked: 1900

Location Wrecked: Trefin, Wales 

Reason for Wreck: Blown Ashore During a Storm 

Lives Lost: 3 

Sources:   

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lloyd_s_Register_of_Shipping_1901_Sailin/5mBjEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=ragna+norwegian+ship+1901&pg=PR296&printsec=frontcover

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4117217/4117221

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3634712/3634715/30/ragna%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4251683/4251690/42/german%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3747434/3747440/120/ragna%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3645300/3645301/1/ragna%2BOR%2Bshipwreck?from=search