The Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian reported on the 22nd of June, 1907: “The departure was made in the teeth of a terrible gale, but there was as much confidence in the ship as there was in the capacity of Captain Precious, the senior captain of the Great Eastern Company’s fleet. Both had weathered many a storm in the North Sea. Rarely, however, has the North Sea seen such a storm as that which burst over it the night of the terrible disaster.”

Ship Name: Berlin 

Ship Built: 1894

Ship Tonnage: 1775

Ship Type: Two Screw Steel-Hulled Steamship 

Nationality: United Kingdom 

Year Wrecked: 1907

Location Wrecked: Hook of Holland

Reason for Wreck: Trying to Enter Waterway in a Storm 

Lives Lost: 128

Sources: 

https://books.google.com/books?id=M90-AQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=berlin+shipwreck+1907+inquiry&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3433322/3433330/176/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4182008/4182010/58/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4182998/4183000/45/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4175434/4175437/70/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4183791/4183794/69/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3808228/3808231/46/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4175594/4175597/92/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4174054/4174056/55/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4175359/4175362/53/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3433296/3433304/166/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4175624/4175626/5/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3349484/3349492/176/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4173779/4173782/65/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3443725/3443729/71/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4173439/4173441/51/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3443725/3443732/131/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3349475/3349480/80/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60288245?searchTerm=shipwreck%20dutch%20england

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4175334/4175337/98/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4175414/4175417/92/eastern%2BOR%2Brailway%2BOR%2Bberlin

In his first-hand account of the sinking of his vessel, Captain Maclelland would write: “Everything seemed all right when we left the grounds off of Point Pelee late Saturday afternoon and started for Cleveland. It was blowing fairly hard but we were making out in good shape until about supper time. When I noticed we began to have a tougher time making headway and I wasn’t surprised when John Bourrie, the second mate, came in and said we were taking water over the side and down into the hold.”

Year Built: 1927

Nationality: Canada 

Tonnage: 1981

Ship Type: Steel hulled Sand Dredge 

Year Wrecked: 1936

Location Lost: Six Miles from Avon Point, Lake Erie 

Reason For Wreck: Capsized in a Storm 

Lives Lost: 19 

Sources: 

 https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-star-journal-oct-20-1936-p-12/

https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-light-jun-27-1937-p-82/

https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/s/sand-merchant

http://www.eriewrecks.com/shipwrecks/smerchant/smerchant.html

https://newspaperarchive.com/salt-lake-city-telegram-oct-19-1936-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-register-oct-20-1936-p-6/

https://newspaperarchive.com/somerset-daily-american-oct-19-1936-p-6/

https://newspaperarchive.com/mansfield-news-journal-oct-19-1936-p-1/

The Evening Express and Evening Mail reported the following on June 11th, 1903: “Two directors of the Fraissinet Shipping company, to which the Liban belonged, were present. One of them, M. Alfred Fraissinet, came forward and speaking with great emotion, said that this was not the time to discuss the responsibility for the loss of life, but that he courted full inquiry. He could only deplore the calamity and express his deep sorrow. A spectator here exclaimed ‘This is the first time we have seen the assassin weeping over his victim’s coffins’.”

Ship Name: Liban 

Nationality: France 

Year Built: 1882

Tonnage: 2308

Ship Type: Single Propellor Steamship 

Year Wrecked: 1903

Location Wrecked: Near Marie Island, France

Cause of Wreck: Collision with the Insulaire 

Lives Lost: Estimated to be around 100 people. 

Sources: 

https://thebhc.org/sites/default/files/BerneronCouvenhes_0.pdf

https://newspaperarchive.com/the-kaukauna-sun-jun-12-1903-p-3/

https://books.google.com/books?id=-GBjEAAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=ships+owned+by+fraissinet&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19030713.2.17.2

https://books.google.com/books?id=c6BEAQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=liban+insulaire&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=a-XRT2taVkoC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=insulaire+ship+fraissinet&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1903/06/08/102005986.html?pageNumber=1

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4134940/4134942/22/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9807149?browse=ndp%3Abrowse%2Ftitle%2FA%2Ftitle%2F13%2F1903%2F06%2F09%2Fpage%2F332733%2Farticle%2F9807149

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3415306/3415313/169/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4237224/4237226/14/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4134607/4134609/25/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4135055/4135057/35/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3639854/3639857/45/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3639845/3639852/56/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4134507/4134510/84/liban%2BOR%2Binsulaire

https://newspaperarchive.com/the-bloomsburg-daily-jun-08-1903-p-3/

https://newspaperarchive.com/brandon-brandon-times-jun-11-1903-p-1/

https://books.google.com/books?id=h3JMAAAAYAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=liban+insulaire&source=gbs_navlinks_s

On March 7th, 1934 the New York Times reported the following: “The observation was built in 1888, Mr Kuzmier said; adding that deckhands would testify that one side of the boat was so rotten that a rope had to be passed over the deck and fastened to the other side before she could be moored. The boiler leaked badly, he continued, and she had a bad list.”

Ship Nationality: United States of America 

Ship Type: Steam Yacht 

Tonnage: 122-Tons 

Year Built: 1888 

Year Wrecked: 1932

Reason For Wreck: Boiler Explosion 

Location Lost: East River, New York 

Lives Lost: 72

Sources: 

https://time.com/archive/6749932/catastrophe-second-greatest/

https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-sep-09-1932-p-1/

https://books.google.com/books?id=zrBnS478jOkC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=observation+ship+boiler+explosion+1932&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/58670791

https://newspaperarchive.com/billings-gazette-sep-10-1932-p-1/

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/10/100849525.html?pageNumber=1

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/10/100849525.html?pageNumber=1

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/18/105872152.html?pageNumber=23

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/10/01/105873415.html?pageNumber=1

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/03/22/105120424.html?pageNumber=6

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/03/24/105386423.html?pageNumber=13

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/10/100849570.html?pageNumber=4

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/13/100805481.html?pageNumber=23

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/03/18/105119251.html?pageNumber=25

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/03/14/95036934.html?pageNumber=4

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/03/09/94499078.html?pageNumber=10

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/03/21/99216153.html?pageNumber=29

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/03/07/93753454.html?pageNumber=7

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/04/05/95040422.html?pageNumber=17

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/14/100850890.html?pageNumber=23

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/10/100849545.html?pageNumber=1

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/03/23/105121504.html?pageNumber=32

The Grey River Argus on the 29th of September, 1908 reported the following: “The vessel lost at Cape Portland was the Loch Finlas, bound from Port Pirie to Callao. Residents state that at about 9:30 O’Clock on Saturday morning, a barque was seen coming from the direction of Boobyalla Bay. She struck the reef and within half an hour had disappeared.” 

Year Built: 1885

Tonnage: 2170 

Ship Type: Iron Hulled Barque

Nationality: United Kingdom 

Year Wrecked: 1908

Location Wrecked: A Reef on Foster Island, Australia

Reason for Wreck: Navigational Error in a Storm 

Lives Lost: 20 

Sources:  

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12668017?searchTerm=loch%20finlas%20lighthouse

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/151928318?searchTerm=loch%20finlas

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/151931327?searchTerm=loch%20finlas

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19080929.2.55?end_date=01-01-1910&items_per_page=10&page=6&phrase=2&query=loch+finlas&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1908&type=ARTICLE%2CILLUSTRATION

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA19080929.2.5.7?end_date=01-01-1910&items_per_page=10&page=10&phrase=2&query=loch+finlas&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1908&type=ARTICLE%2CILLUSTRATION

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19080929.2.29?end_date=01-01-1910&items_per_page=10&phrase=2&query=loch+finlas&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1908&type=ARTICLE%2CILLUSTRATION

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT19081001.2.49?end_date=01-01-1910&items_per_page=10&phrase=2&query=loch+finlas&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1908&type=ARTICLE%2CILLUSTRATION

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10187382

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12651556

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+1373/6/2

The Weekly Wisconsin on November 26th, 1856 reported the following statement by Le Lyonnais fireman Nestor Fabien: “We heard the concussion, but we did not know what it was. In five minutes time the water came rushing into the engine room, carrying the coal along with it. The fires were put out almost instantly. A number of us were engaged all through the night trying to stop the leak, but all to no purpose, and at last we were forced to go on deck.”

Year Built: 1856

Nationality: French 

Ship Type: Iron Hulled Screw Steamer 

Tonnage: 2,500

Year Wrecked: 1856 

Location Wrecked: 60 Miles North West of Nantucket Lightship 

Reason for Wreck: Collided with the Adriatic 

Lives Lost: Estimated 130 by Most Sources

Sources: 

https://books.google.com/books?id=x-E2AQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=clyde+built+ships+le+lyonnais&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=EaQFAAAAQAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=la+lyonnais+gauthier+ship+collision&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=LhgZAAAAYAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=adriatic+affair+lyonnais&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=pYQEAAAAQAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=adriatic+affair+lyonnais&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=wt5HAQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=gauthier+company+le+lyonnais+ship&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=H522z_6uhRIC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=adriatic+affair+lyonnais&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=b_9GAAAAcAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=Le+Lyonnais+1856+adriatic&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://newspaperarchive.com/louisville-daily-louisville-democrat-nov-17-1856-p-5/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-daily-tribune-dec-29-1856-p-5/

https://newspaperarchive.com/irasburgh-orleans-independent-standard-nov-21-1856-p-2/

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3078546/3078550/44/Le%2BOR%2BLyonnais

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4349212/4349214/2/Le%2BOR%2BLyonnais

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1856/11/18/77064562.html?pageNumber=6

https://newspaperarchive.com/pittsburgh-catholic-nov-22-1856-p-5/

https://newspaperarchive.com/london-reynolds-newspaper-dec-07-1856-p-16/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-daily-times-apr-24-1857-p-4/

https://newspaperarchive.com/macon-georgia-telegraph-nov-25-1856-p-3/

https://newspaperarchive.com/halifax-british-colonist-dec-18-1856-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/sunbury-american-nov-22-1856-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/pittsburgh-daily-pittsburgh-gazette-nov-19-1856-p-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/weekly-wisconsin-nov-26-1856-p-6/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-daily-times-jan-01-1857-p-1/

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3071715/3071719/14/Le%2BOR%2BLyonnais

Ship Name: Unnamed Shallop 

Ship Type: Longboat Converted to Shallop 

Nationality: British 

Year Built: 1803

Year Wrecked: 1803

Location Wrecked: Somewhere off the coast of South America

Reason for Wreck: Storm 

Lives Lost: 3

Sources: 

https://newspaperarchive.com/methodist-magazine-jul-01-1805-p-18/

https://books.google.com/books?id=SpyfNG6hVaMC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=robert+scotney+thomas+shipwreck&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://dn720300.ca.archive.org/0/items/b33088822/b33088822.pdf

https://books.google.com/books?id=v0UPAQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=shipwreck+narrative&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Ship Built: 1873

Tonnage: 2909

Nationality: United States of America 

Ship Type: Iron-Hulled Single Screw Steamship 

Year Wrecked: 1895

Location Wrecked: 30 Miles From Manzanillo.

Reason For Wreck: Foundered in a Hurrican 

Lives Lost: Over 160 People 

Sources:

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=FDE18950601&

https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=tuo18950530-01.1.4&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/238523093

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ndnp/curiv/batch_curiv_dogtown_ver01/data/sn85066387/00175037263/1895053001/0220.pdf

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/06/03/102515192.html?pageNumber=2

https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jun-03-1895-p-1/

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/05/30/102514872.html?pageNumber=1

https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INN18950601-01.1.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------

https://www.newspapers.com/article/san-francisco-chronicle-taylor-john-capt/9919801/

https://newspaperarchive.com/the-dakota-huronite-jun-20-1895-p-2/

https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=CCF18950606-01.2.24&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------

https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=TPL18950601.1.4&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------

https://newspaperarchive.com/los-angeles-herald-jun-15-1895-p-1/

https://newspaperarchive.com/san-francisco-call-jun-11-1895-p-5/

https://newspaperarchive.com/seattle-post-intelligencer-aug-20-1895-p-8/

https://newspaperarchive.com/san-francisco-call-jun-07-1895-p-1/

https://newspaperarchive.com/seattle-post-intelligencer-jul-07-1895-p-1/

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053320/1895-06-29/ed-1/seq-2/

https://newspaperarchive.com/london-st-james-gazette-may-29-1895-p-9/

The Straits Times on the 11th of July, 1911 reported the following news from the local magistrate’s court: “The full charge was that, on or about June 9, within the Settlement of Singapore, dangerous petroleum was loaded under deck on the steam vessel Karang, a vessel which was not constructed for the carriage of petroleum in bulk and which had not the confining bulkhead of the cargo holds constructed for iron or steel…”

Ship Name: Karang 

Ship Built: 1875

Ship Nationality: Singapore 

Ship Type: Steam Powered Iron Hulled Packet Ship 

Ship Wrecked: 1911

Location Wrecked: About 3/4ths of a mile from Tanjong Pagar Singapore 

Reason for Wreck: Fire in the cargo hold 

Lives Lost: None 

Sources: 

https://www.sgpbusiness.com/company/Labuan-Steamship-Co-Ltd

https://books.google.com/books?id=f2RjEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA95&dq=karang+labuan+steamship+company&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjG4ImVjLyIAxVQmYkEHQ6wHp0Q6AF6BAgIEAI#v=onepage&q=karang%20labuan%20steamship%20company&f=false

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19110711-1.2.63?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19110629-1.2.50?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19110706-1.2.28?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsecho19110826-1.2.27?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19111228-1.2.3?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/pinangazette19110612-1.2.30?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19110615-1.2.14?qt=ship,%20fire&q=ship%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19110612-1.2.18?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19110831-1.2.29?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19110617-1.2.51?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19111123-1.2.6?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsechomail19110616-1.2.46?qt=karang,%20fire&q=karang%20fire

On the 9th of September, 1803 Commander Flinders wrote to Governor King of New South Wales a letter that included the following passage: “I think it proper to notice to your Excellency that the great extensions of Lieutenant Fowler and his officers and company, as well the passengers belonging to the Investigator, in saving His Majesty’s stores, have been very praiseworthy; and I judge that the precautions that were taken will exonerate the commander of the Porpoise from the blame that might otherwise be attached to the loss of His Majesty’s armed vessel.”

Nationality: British

Ship Type: Private Merchant Vessel 

Tonnage: 450

Year Wrecked: 1803

Location Wrecked: Wreck Reefs in the Coral Sea

Lives Lost: 3

Ship Name: HMS Porpoise 

Nationality: British 

Ship Type: 10-Gun Sloop 

Tonnage: 308 Tons 

Year Wrecked: 1803

Location Wrecked: Wreck Reefs in the Coral Sea

Lives Lost: None 

Sources: 

https://transcripts.sl.nsw.gov.au/section/series-68-reports-concerning-wreck-hm-ships-porpoise-and-cato-1805

https://flinders.rmg.co.uk/displayResourced4e2.html?ID=1000&ResourceType=Essay

https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22588786

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/625783/5766

https://collections.sea.museum/objects/49045/cannon-ball-from-cato-or-hms-porpoise;jsessionid=06BB3EE6F7790DE36429577AA7248624?ctx=5d1b29f9-b406-464a-992e-bb14ccb6b30e&idx=24

https://silentworldfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Signals90_pp2-9_Wrecks-Reefs-guano.pdf

https://books.google.com/books?id=-iKaY4dvhBkC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=purpose+and+cato+shipwreck&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=dQJXAAAAcAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=purpose+and+cato+shipwreck&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=tQ48AQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=purpose+and+cato+shipwreck&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=s9IObFCc-BUC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=purpose+and+cato+shipwreck&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://books.google.com/books?id=Ax1JAAAAcAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=purpose+and+cato+shipwreck&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/15726/page/955