Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Seventeen Drowned In "chusan" Shipwreck At Entrance To Ardrossan Harbour

From The New York Times dated 5th November, 1874

SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE

A dispatch from Glasgow to the London Standard, dated 21st October, 1874, says: "The steamship Chusan, 953 tons, Captain Johnson, which cleared from Glasgow for Shanghai on the 6th inst, had her machinery disabled while passing out of the Channel, and was obliged to put into a port on the coast of Ireland.

Yesterday she was on her way back to the Clyde for repairs, but was overtaken by the storm early this morning, and being unable to contend with the gale was run for Ardrossan Harbour.

While endeavouring to take the harbour she was dashed upon the Crinan Rock, about fifty yards from the pier head, and almost immediately parted in two.
The crew, numbering fifty-one souls all told, were thus left to battle with the waves, and sad to tell, although they were so near the shore, there was no effectual means for their rescue.

When she struck, the fore-part of the vessel, with a number of the crew on board, floated in the old harbour, and the stern half sank, a part of the bridge being left above water.
A tug went to the assistance of the crew, who were clinging to the rigging, and rescued nine.

There was a very distressing scene witnessed in connection with the attempt to save Captain Johnson and his wife and wife's sister.
The three were lashed to a line thrown from the tug, but it was found impossible to haul them on board, and Captain Johnson cut himself free ; the two ladies were then hauled on board, but no effort that could be put forth could enable those on the tug to reach the Captain, who was swept out of reach and drowned.
The captain's children were also rescued.

The tug, after bringing to the shore the nine thus taken off the wreck, towed out the life-boat, the crew of which could with the greatest difficulty make headway against the storm, and, pulling around to the weather side of the wreck, a number more were taken off.
Others were also saved from the pier head.

The rock on which the ship struck is about 200 yards from the lighthouse pier, and three of the crew floated that distance on pieces of the wreck, and were hauled on to the pier by the Captain of the Newry.
Three others also floated close to the pier, but were swept away again and drowned.
The steward stripped himself and swam ashore and was saved.

The most melancholy scene of all was the spectacle presented by a poor fellow who got jammed at the stern of the vessel.
Four carpenters in a small boat, not withstanding the violence of the storm, went out and threw a line to him, but he was so fixed that they could not pull him off.
The sea rose and fell over him, hiding him for half-a-minute, then exposing him to the gaze of the crowds on the shore.
At last he was seen to fall on his side and was lost sight of altogether.

The total number of lives lost in connection with the melancholy disaster - one of the heaviest that has occurred on the Firth of Clyde for a long time - is seventeen.

The scene presented at Ardrossan Harbour was of the most painful nature, owing to the close proximity of the vessel to the land.

The Chusan was an iron ship, and is owned by the Chinese Navigation Company, of which Messrs Bowring Brothers & Co., London, are the agents.
She was built on the Clyde by Messrs Elder & Co., and was valued at ?80,000."

WEBMASTER'S NOTE :

A Chinese friend advises that the name should be pronounced "Chooo - san"

Miramar Ship Index information shows that the ship was British, owned by the Shanghai Steam Navigation Company, and built with an iron hull and propelled by paddles.
She was designed to carry passengers and cargo.
The ship was launched on 17th September 1874 by Elders Shipyard, Govan, Glasgow (yard number 178) and was on her maiden voyage to China, when, four weeks after being launched, she was wrecked at Ardrossan

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MONUMENT IN ARDROSSAN CEMETERY

A large, tall monument to commemorate the event and the dead was erected, and still stands, in Ardrossan Cemetery, Sorbie Road, Ardrossan.
The top of the monument is in the form of a broken ships mast, with a rope entwined, and shows the inscriptions "Faith" "Hope" "Charity"
Below the mast is a carving of the appearance of the ship.
And the inscription reads ;
IN MEMORY OF
GEORGE G. JOHNSON MASTER
WILLIAM MILLER, SECOND MATE
AND THE CREW IN THE
STEAM SHIP CHUSAN
WHO WERE DROWNED OFF THE HARBOUR
OF ARDROSSAN ON (the remainder of the line is worn away and unreadable)
2ND OCTOBER 1847

ERECTED BY SUBSCRIPTION

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