The Wanganui was an iron Brigantine Twin Boiler Screw steamer built by Gourlay Brothers & Co and launched in July 1863 for the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company for trade around the Wanganui region of New Zealand. The vessel served in this region up to 1873 when its ownership was transferred to Messrs Henry Houghton and Co., of Dunedin. In 1880 the vessel was transferred in to the Australian East coast service where it sank whilst entering Clarence River on 20 June 1880.
Ship description and construction
In September 1862 the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company was formed in the view of an increasing trade to Wanganui by the purchase a new screw steamer of approximately 200 tons burden, suitable, not only for ordinary requirements, in the conveyance of produce and goods between that place and Wellington, but also specially fitted up for the transit of cattle By December 1862 the vessel had begun construction with Captain Linklater (master of the local vessel Tyne) proceeding from New Zealand aboard the Asterope to bring the new vessel back out
By 30 July 1863 it was reported that, a fine new steamer was launched from the iron building yard of the Gourlay Brothers & Co with the vessel to be named by Miss Margeret Watt, eldest daughter of W. H. Watt, Esq., of Westmerethe the Wanganui, and is to be commanded by Captain Linklater for service in New Zealand coastal trade.
The vessel was an iron single deck and the bridge ship with 2 masts rigged as a Brigantine with dimensions
Length from foredeck of stem to sternpost was Length overall Main Breadth to outside plank Depth of Hold
Draft @ 160 tons dead weight Draft forward aft
The vessel had a and a when first manufactured
Propulsion The Wanganui was powered by two steel boilers and this steam was fed into two compound steam engine manufactured by the shipbuilder Gourlay Brothers & Co
The vessel was recorded as able to achieve a speed of 9 knots, but also recorded as capable of up to 10 knots by its single 3 blade screw
Externals and interior When the vessel first arrived in New Zealand its appearance was described as a remarkably fine boat and by far the finest of her size that we have yet seen in New Zealand waters.
her lines being remarkably beautiful, and conveying the idea of great strength, as well as of perfect symmetry. On boarding her one has the idea of being in a gentleman's yacht, so complete is her equipment, and so well finished in every detail. From her poop deck you descend into her saloon by a commodious staircase. The saloon is elegantly fitted up, having carved oak and gilt cornices, and the walls ornamented with fine paintings in panels all round. The left hand as you enter is a commodious cabin for the captain, and besides 9 berths partitioned off for passengers, there is sleeping accommodation in the saloon for no fewer than 34. There is also a ladies' cabin fitted up with six berths. The forecabin is a plain but decent apartment with 9 berths and sleeping accommodation' for 20 in all. Here are the cabins of the engineers and mates
additionally described as handsome and complete a steamer as is to be found in Australian waters The saloon of the Wanganui is roomy and tastefully fitted up with brilliant panels of stained glass and finely finished hand painting representing flowers and fruits. The couches are of crimson plush velvet, with ample sleeping room in the round stern and along the sides; and altogether, with the bright and variegated stained glass of the skylight
Maiden voyage The Wanganui left Glasgow on 20 October 1863 and arrived at Wanganui on the Friday 4 March 1864 after a passage of 136 days under canvas the screw steamer had arrived off the river on the Wednesday, but had been prevented from coming in on that day and had to stood off as an easterly wind had come up, which prevented the vessel from making the land till the Friday evening before it could enter the river
Once the vessel reached its new home port it had its screw shipped and all of its machinery and rigging put in order before making a short trip down the Whanganui River on the afternoon of Wednesday 30 March 1864 to test the working of the machinery. Several of the directors of the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company and other residents were on board. The company was highly delighted with their short trip which extended merely to the Heads as the state of the tide preventing their going out to sea. The machinery worked admirably, and it was observed that the noise made by the shaft of the screw was much less than is usual in such vessels. Before starting, Captain Linklater entertained the Directors at dinner.
Ship service history
Ownership by the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company 1864 to 1873 Wanganui Steam Navigation Company 1864 to 1866 One of the first voyages of the Wanganui in New Zealand on 12 April 1864 was from Wanganui to Nelson where while in charge of the harbours pilot, who ran the vessel up to the wharf with full steam on causing the vessel anchor to run foul of the Intercolonial Royal Mail Steam Packet Co SS Airedale's steering gear and carry away some of the Airedale's stanchions. The Wanganui suffered a broken iron plate in the bow. The damage done to both vessels was about £100.
The SS Wanganui, whist heading for Dunedin and having already arrived inside the Otago Heads got upon a bank on the seaward side of the cross channel. The vessel had previously shipped upwards of fifty passengers at Picton for Lyttelton and Dunedin. Having got on the bank at high water, there was some difficulty in re-floating the vessel until about fifteen tons of coals were taken out of the vessel via punts The vessel was not under charge of a pilot.
When arriving at Marlborough on Thursday 29 December 1864 the Wanganui fired its signal gun which then promptly burst and went literally in pieces. Some of the pieces of the gun and carriage went right through the bottom of one of the boats whist other pieces were lodged in the lower part of the bridge with the man who fired the gun having a narrow escape as a piece passed close to his head, striking the vessel below to the bridge, as he stepped behind a pillar. Three small pieces were carried clean through the steward's window, but without doing much damage.
In the 6 months between October 1864 and April 1865 the SS Wanganui completed 29 Trips between Wanganui consisting of 7 to Manukau 3 to Taranaki 15 to Wellington 1 to Dunedin 1 to Picton 2 to Waimate
In the following 6 months to December 1865 the SS Wanganui the trips consisting of 2 to New Plymouth (Taranaki) 18 to Wellington 1 to Nelson 1 to Picton
In May 1866 one of the crew members of the SS Wanganui was badly hurt whilst handling bullocks when they got very excited in the process of landing after having been carried by the steamer on a trip to Lyttelton.
In June 1866 at the half yearly meeting of the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company it was carried to reduce the insurance from the £8000 down to £5000.
1866 Death of seaman William Mathers
At about four o'clock on the Saturday afternoon of 28 July 1866 Alexander Pinkerton, chief engineer, of the SS Otago found a body floating near the boat steps of the Government wharf at Nelson. Mr. Pinkerton pointed out the body to Alexander Lindsay, a waterman, who took his boat and dragged the body to the shore, whence it was carried to the lockup. An inquest was held at the Custom House Hotel with the Coroner, W. W. Squires, Esq. presiding during which William Hobbs said, that the last time the SS Wanganui had been in harbor, he saw a man run down the road by the Anchor Inn, and break a window there. The chief officer of the Wanganui inquired after him and was told he had run on towards the wharf the mate paid for the window. Witness went on board the Wanganui, but did not see the man Dr Francis Longbourne Vickerman a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (M.R.C.S., London), described the appearance of the body, as having been immersed 14 or, 15 days and gave his impression was the man died from drowning. The Jury found, "That the deceased man, name unknown, was found drowned in the Nelson harbor, near the Government wharf. The evidence points to his being a seaman .belonging to the SS Wanganui steamship, supposed to have been missing since 10 July.
The inquest was later reconvened in mid-August when the SS Wanganui was back in Nelson where Robert Spark Low the Master of the SS Wanganui provided evidence. He indicated that the vessel had left at 6 o'clock on the morning of 10 July and that when he left port two men were missing from the vessel which had no right to go ashore. Their names were William Mathers and William Roach. Master Low said he had seen Roach in Wellington about three days later when he came back on board, but by then another man engaged and that he had never seen the other man (William Mathers) again On getting out to sea Master Low learnt from one of the firemen that he had heard a splash in the water as we lay at the wharf, and he told the ships pilot before he left the vessel. The fireman said he thought it might be either of the two men. He said he went with a light and looked but could not find if anyone was overboard. He heard no one cry out. He supposed it might be the man who was very drunk near the wharf the previous evening (Mathers). He was a short, dark man, with dark moustaches and beard
James Elliott the vessels fireman recounted that when they were at Akersten's wharf and that he saw Mathers going on shore about 8 o'clock in the evening of 9 July, and that he was very tipsy. He later saw Mathers in Nelson where he described him as “very drunk dancing in the bar of the Commercial Inn”. When coming down to the wharf at about 11 o'clock, he heard someone sing out someone has fallen overboard. He then got the ships lamp and searched, but saw no one and heard no splash. He looked over the side, but saw nothing. And had the mate get the lamps to look for the man. Elliott and the mate went up the road to Nelson, and not finding him gave information to the police, at the lockup, near the Government Wharf that they feared a man had fallen overboard and was drowned, and that we had searched for him in vain
1866 Larceny of first steward John McKenzie In early August 1866 John McKenzie (first steward) and Joseph Purcell (second steward), on board the SS Wanganui, were brought before the Resident Magistrate's Court at Wellington for Larceny. Having, on 30 July, stolen two loaves valued at two shillings. The result of the trial was that the second steward was discharged from custody before the case was concluded, and the first steward was reprimanded, as the company did not press for a conviction.
Just days later on 10 August 1866 John McKenzie alias John McDonald was again charged when Captain Robert Spark Low of the SS Wanganui alleged that he had stolen cheese of a value of £2 on or about the 27 July.
James Signall, a warehousemen in the employment of Messrs Taylor & Watt, deposed that a Port Cooper cheese weighing 29 lb was supplied for the steamer SS Wanganui. On being asked for an order (as usual) he replied that John McKenzie did not have one, but was told he would get one when the steamer returned from Wellington. In the meantime the article was entered against the Company.