BC Archives Image P0P05442

Another Marine Disaster

Total Wreck the British Ship Sword-fish near Race Rocks

ALL Hands Saved

News reached town yesterday afternoon of the total wreck of the British iron ship Swordfish, 725 tons, Capt. J. Shandley, on Bedford Rock, near Beechy Bay, and some two miles west of Race Rocks. H. M.S. Opal, which had gone out for a cruise, described the Swordfish's boat with signals of distress flying, and bore down, took them on board and carried them to Esquimalt. The Swordfish was built in 1864. She was owned by W. J. Myers. Son & Co., of Liverpool, and was bound in ballast far Hastings Mills from San Francisco. She seems to have gone on the rock during a calm at 2 o'clock yesterday morning. Captain Shandley furnished us with the following acount of the disaster:

Left San Francisco on the 20th October in ballast, bound for Hasting Mills to load lumber for Australia. Entered the Straits at one o'clock on Sunday morning and beat about the Straits during the severe gale of that night. On Monday there were calms and variable winds; on Monday night saw Race Rock light and in the midst of a calm, between 10 and 12 o' clock the ship began to drift; at 121/2 o'clock wore ship to the westward, when the light breeze shifting from W. to E. round to South. She wore round to the southward and eastward again. Then she came round with her head to the S.S.E., coming to and falling off in the tide.Sounded and cou’d find no bottom. At one o'clock yesterday morning the ship was mill drifting, and at two o'clock she struck sternforemost on Bedfordrock, two miles west of Race Rocks, having drifted about five miles in two hours. She struck heavily. Kept the sail on and tried to pay her off; but it was of no use. The carpenter sounded the pumps a quarter of an hour after striking and! reported the ship half-full of water. The captain sent up rockets and burned blue lights, but got no assistance. Put the boats out and got a few effects into the boats, consisting of the chronometers. log book, and officers', and men's clothing. The crew were sent away in boats just before' daylight, and Captain Shanley, the chief officer, the carpenter,a boy and one man stopped by the wreck until she 'was full of water and the main beams broken. The sea was making a clean breach over the stern, the vessel sitting straight on the rock. The bows are out of water and three fathoms water were found under the bows. The captain thinks that a rock has gone through her bottom and caused a breach so extensive that she cannot be got off. The boats were picked up shortly after noon yesterday by H. M. S. Opal, and received every kindness at the hands of the officers and men. The distressed mariners were taken to Esquimalt, whence they were brought to Victoria. This morning the Dominion steamer Sir James Douglas will be sent down to the wreck with Captain Shandley and crew to save what is possible from her.