Brunswick - a general history

Official No. 84092: Code Letters VLQD.

Owners: 1881 John Bacon, Liverpool; 1887 J Wright, Liverpool; 1888 Julius E Guthe, Murdoch & Co, West Hartlepool;   1890 J Wood & Co, West Hartlepool; 1892 North of England SS Co (John William Crosby, John Magee & Co) West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1881-82 J Barnes; 1885-87 Edward Leatherland Rutherford; 1890 Protheros; 1891-92 A Simmonds; 1892 David Lothian (b. 1847 Robin Hood’s Bay C.N. 89180 Newcastle 1872); 1893 J Crofts; 1894-95 John Garrick.

Brunswick was in a collision with the cutter Medina off the coast of Ayrshire on 2 February 1885. The latter vessel sank.

Crew October 1895:

Edwards, George, chief mate

Garrick, John, master

Lindmann, Carl, carpenter

Mackenzie, Roderick, able seaman

Wilkes, John James, 2nd mate

Young, William, 2nd engineer

Wreck Report 30 September 1885:

‘The Medina was a sailing ship, cutter-rigged, of fifty-one tons registered tonnage. She was a wooden ship, built at Cork in the year 1836. Her official number was 12,267. The Brunswick is a screw steamer, with engines of 130 horse power, her registered tonnage being 903 tons. She was built at Sunderland in 1881, and is registered at Liverpool, her official number being 84,092.
The Medina left Ayr on the 2nd of February last, between twelve and one o'clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of fishing. Her crew consisted of the master and three men, and she appears to have been in good condition, sufficiently manned, and well found. She proceeded without anything material happening until about four o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, when the master, who was at the tiller, saw a steamer on the starboard side about three miles off. The Medina was then on the port tack and heading about S.W. by W., and Ailsa Craig bearing W. about three miles. The weather was fine and clear, with a fresh and increasing breeze, and it was broad daylight. The wind was about south. The captain of the Medina at this time gave orders to take in two reefs of the mainsail. Whilst this was being done, the ship then heading about W.S.W., one of the crew of the Medina called out, "The steamer will be into us," and in about two minutes a steamer, which proved to be the Brunswick, came into collision with the Medina. The Brunswick had left Troon about half-past one o'clock in the afternoon of the same day with a crew of twenty-one all told, her master being Edward Leatherland Rutherford, who holds a certificate of competency, No. 90,93l. She had a cargo of about 1,600 tons of iron and coal, and was bound for Savona, in Italy. All went well with her until about half-past four o'clock, when, with a fresh breeze, but smooth sea, in clear weather and in broad daylight, she came into collision with the Medina, the steamer being struck by the Medina on the port side about midships. The collision carried away the bowsprit of the Medina and stove in her stern. The water began to rush into her and the crew took to their boat. In the meantime the Brunswick had continued her course for a distance, variously estimated by the witnesses at from a quarter to close on a mile. She then laid to, and the Medina’s boat went towards her, when she turned and took the crew on board. The master of the Medina and one of his crew, with one of the crew of the Brunswick, went in one of the Brunswick’s boats to see if any effects could be saved from the Medina but she was filling with water and soon after sank. The crew of the Medina were afterwards transferred from the Brunswick to the "Telephone," a passing steamer, and landed at Greenock. At the time of the collision it was the mate of the Brunswick’s watch on deck, and he was on the bridge. He saw the Medina when three miles off, but took no steps to avert a collision till the Medina was within two ships' length of the Brunswick, when he ported the helm. The mate holds a master's certificate of competency, No. 07,419. There was no one on the forecastle, as the master states it was not his practice to keep a look-out on the forecastle in daylight. The master of the Brunswick was in the chart house at the time of the collision, and did not see it, as he had been there for eight or ten minutes before it happened. The master of the Medina, Alexander Jenkins, was sole owner of the Medina. He bought her about a month before the collision, and paid 300l. for her. He had in addition expended about 110l. upon her, and she was not insured. The master and some of the crew of the Brunswick allege that the master of the Medina was drunk at the time of the collision. The Court is, however, of opinion that he was not, as he and the crew had only had one glass of whiskey each that day, and that was at eleven o'clock in the forenoon. The master of the Medina may have been affected by the loss of his ship, and it is possible that this may have been mistaken for intoxication. The owner and also the master and mate of the Brunswick were in Court, and were represented by their solicitor. The master of the Medina and his crew were also in Court, but not represented by a solicitor.
After the completion of the evidence, the solicitor acting for the Board of Trade submitted the following questions to the Court, and to these questions the Court gives the answers subjoined;
1. Did both vessels comply with the regulations for preventing collisions at sea?
2. Was a good and proper look-out kept on board both vessels?
3. Were both vessels navigated with proper and seamanlike care?
4. Did the master of the Medina after the collision do his utmost to save his vessel?
5. Did the master and officers of the Brunswick do all they reasonably could to assist the Medina immediately after the collision?
6. Are the master of the Medina or the master and officers of the Brunswick, or any or either of them, in default for the loss of the Medina?

Answers;
1. The Medina did, but the Brunswick did not. The Brunswick having seen the Medina about three miles off, ought to have altered her course in time to have prevented the possibility of a collision.
2. A proper look-out was kept on board both vessels.
3. The Medina was, but the Brunswick was not navigated with proper and seamanlike care.
4. Yes. The Court thinks that as the vessel was sinking nothing more could have been done.
5. Yes, although the master and crew of the Medina make some complaints as to this, but the Court thinks there is no reasonable ground for them.
6. The Court is of opinion that William Edward Stacey, the chief mate of the Brunswick, was in default for the loss of the Medina in not having altered his course in time to prevent the collision.
The Court finds that none of the other persons referred to in the question were in default.
The Court therefore finds that the Medina was lost in consequence of the collision with the Brunswick, and that William Edward Stacey, the chief mate of the Brunswick, was in default for not altering the course of the Brunswick in time to prevent a collision, and the Court suspends his certificate, No. 07,419, for nine calendar months.
The Court acquits the master of the Medina and the master and the officers of the Brunswick, except the chief mate, of the charges made against them, and makes no order as to costs.

Bound from Middlesbrough with a cargo of iron ore Brunswick was grounded & wrecked on New Breakwater, Bilbao on 23 October 1895. The master’s certificate was suspended for three months for allowing the pilot to leave too early.

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