Vulcan - a general history

Completed March 1887; Official No. 92910: Code Letters KLGW:

Owners: 1887 T Robinson, West Hartlepool: 1890 T Robinson, Sons & Co, West Hartlepool

Masters: 1887-89 W Skinner: 1890-92 K Doyle: 1893-95 A.W. Yule.

Vulcan was on a voyage from Antwerp for Odessa with a general cargo including railway material when she sank after a collision with the British steamer James Turpie off Cape Gatte on 17 November 1895. Two lives lost.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Thursday, February 28^th, 1889:
WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER ASHORE. Lloyd's agent at Malta telegraphs that the British steamer Vulcan, from Sulina for Antwerp with grain, is ashore. She is owned by Mr. T. Robinson, of this port.

The Times, November 26th, 1895:
Five of the crew of the steamship Vulcan, 1,400 tons register, Captain Youle, arrived at Plymouth yesterday morning in the P & 0 Company's Arcadia. They proceeded to London. The Vulcan was on a voyage from Antwerp to the Bosporus with machinery & general cargo. About 12 45 am on the 16th inst., when off Cape de Gatt, she was run into by the steamship James Turpie, 1,140 tons register, of Shields. The Vulcan immediately began to settle down & sank shortly after wards. Two firemen, an Englishman & an Italian, were drowned. 
The Vulcan had experienced heavy weather in crossing the bay & one boat was carried away & another smashed by the collision. The crew prepared to launch the remaining boat, but, meanwhile, a boat had been lowered from the James Turpie, which picked up the crew with the exeeption of the two firemen, who were lost sight of in the darkness. The sea was very rough when the rescue was effected. The men, who had no time to save any of their belongings, were landed at Gibraltar, whence they were brought on by the Arcadia. The James Turpie was on a voyage from Messina & Palermo to New York with fruit. She has sustained considerable damage.”

The Times, November 30th, 1895:
“News reached West Hartlepool yesterday of the narrow escape of the crew of the steamer Vulcan, which sank in the Strait of Gibraltar, after collision with the steamer James Turpie, of  Newcastle, on Sunday morning. The latter vessel ran into the Vulcan on the port side, & the Vulcan at once began to sink. While the crew was getting out the lifeboat the mainmast came down, smashing the end of the boat & disabling several men. At the same time the Vulcan went down. Fortunately, most of the crew had lifebelts, aud managed to keep afloat for some time. 22 out of 24 men on board were picked up by the James Turpie, but the other two did not come to the surface. The Vulcan foundered seven minutes after being struck.

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