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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

The Ben Venue

page 300

The Ben Venue.

Driven Ashore at Timaru, and was Totally Wrecked.

the Ben Venue, a handsome iron full-rigged ship of 1000 tons, was one of the fastest sailers afloat in the seventies. She made only four complete voyages to New Zealand and on her fifth visit she was totally wrecked at Timaru.

the Ben Venue was owned by Watson Brothers, of Greenock, and built by Barclay Curle in 1865. She belonged to the large fleet of "Bens," and had been principally employed in the Melbourne trade.

The longest passage made by the Ben Venue was in 1878. On this occasion she came out with a cargo, mostly railway
The Ship Ben Venue.

The Ship Ben Venue.

iron. She encountered a very heavy gale in the Bay of Biscay, and was hove-to for 24 hours. Cape Egmont was the first land sighted on the New Zealand coast. Here she struck another terrific storm, which came up suddenly, and nearly every sail was lost. When approaching Wellington Heads the pilot, owing to the rough weather, declined to put off, and the ship had to stand off with a fierce southerly blowing. During a lull she made another attempt to get in, but failed, and once more had to stand away from the coast. She was detained several days in the Straits, and eventually entered the port on February 26. the Ben Venue had twelve saloon passengers on board, who were closed up in their cabins for several hours during the storm. Among these were the Hon. Scotland and Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Shake-spear, who came on to Auckland and established a business.

The ship had a narrow escape of coming to grief in 1880. Captain Wilson, who has been master of the Northern Steamship Company's Waiotahi at Auckland for the past twenty years, sailed under Captain McGowan, and relates an incident which occurred when the Ben Venue was bound for Wellington. He states: "We had bad weather from the start, but nothing eventful happened until passing the Cape, when we encountered gale after gale. Early in June we overran our distance when approaching New Zealand. One night, at about 12 o'clock, with a heavy westerly gale blowing, we discovered ourselves under the lee of the Snares. All hands were called, and Captain McGowan decided to wear ship, and when we gotpage 301 round we found the Snares on our lee bow. We lost our mainsail, mizzen lower topsail and main lower topgallant sail, and were running under fore, main and mizzen topsails. The decks were awash, with the seas breaking over us; and it was doubtful if we could clear the island. The steering gear was smashed when wearing the ship. Captain McGowan stood on the poop quite calmly, lit his clay pipe, and sang out, 'If she touches, boys, every man for himself.' The ship by a miracle got clear, and we eventually reached Wellington on June 8th."

On a previous occasion Captain McGowan had another narrow escape just before making land in the English Channel. He had made a remarkably fast passage Home—72 days to the Channel—and when going in stays the main and crossjack interlocked, and the ship was completely dismasted. The vessel was soon after picked up and towed safely into port.

Fast Sailing.

The "Otago Daily Times," referring to the rapid passage made by the Ben Venue in 1881, states:—"Although the ship was detained in the Channel by heavy gales until February 18 (she sailed from Gravesend on February 11, taking her final departure from the Lizard) the passage occupied only 77 days, or 67 land to land. After leaving land on this voyage the ship met with strong N.W. winds across the Bay of Biscay, and crossed the Equator on March 7. On the 12th she fell in with the S.E. Trades, which were fresh and true for six days, and on the 25th the first of the westerlies was met with, and the Cape rounded on the 31st. Moderate and fresh favourable winds marked the progress of the ship across the Southern Ocean, with the exception of one heavy gale from the S.E., with high and confused sea, during which the ship rolled and laboured heavily. Tasmania was passed on April 19, and the Snares sighted on April 26. The ship was becalmed for twenty-four hours on the coast, and anchored at Port Chalmers on the 30, only 77 days port to port. The easting was run down between the parallels of 50 and 52 South latitude. Captain McGowan, who is in command, was in Dunedin twelve years ago as chief officer of the Jessie Readman."

The Ship a Total Wreck.

The end of the Ben Venue came when she was driven ashore at Timaru in 1882. She arrived in the roadstead on May 5, and at midnight on the 13th the sea began to make, and rapidly increased in force. Early in the morning of the 14th revealed running broken rollers for several miles out. The ship had two anchors down, and at 8 a.m. one of the cables parted, and she had a heavy list to starboard. The wind had dropped considerably, hut a fearful sea continued to roll in. The "Ben" then began to drift, and owing to the heavy seas no boat could go from the shore to her assistance. She began to settle over, and the crew, who were below shifting cargo, were called on deck and put into boats. They remained beside the vessel until she got into broken water, when they made for the ship City of Perth. The abandoned ship meanwhile swung
Captain McGowan.

Captain McGowan.

round gracefully with the heavy seas, standing towards the shore with as much steadiness as if steered and handled by the crew. On came the ship to the shore, on which she was hurled broadside with great violence, and soon lay a hopeless wreck in Caroline Bay. Later the City of Perth also dragged her anchor and landed on the beach, close to the Ben Venue (see illustration).

Fearful Seas.

Captain McDonald at the inquiry held on the wreck stated: "About 1 a.m. the sea became very heavy, and the vessel, which was lying stern on to it, began to roll heavily. Several blind rollers, came on board, breaking in some of the stern windows and sweeping the poop. All hands were then called, and soon afterwards a very heavy sea struck her and broke her rudder. A boat waspage 302 swept off the skids—the seas at this time being something fearful—and the second anchor was let go. The ship fell off into the trough of the sea, and the coals in the hold (the ship had arrived with 500 tons from Newcastle, N.S.W.), although held by shifting boards, were thrown over to starboard-—giving her a heavy list. At 9 a.m. the starboard anchor cable parted with 135 fathoms of chain.

"The third anchor was got up and a steel hawser bent on, while at the same time the crew made an effort to trim the coals, but failed to make any impression. The third anchor, with great difficulty, owing to the lurching of the
Wreck of the Ben Venue and City of Perth at Timaru. the Ben Venue was a total loss, and the City of Perth (afterwards the Turakina) was refloated.

Wreck of the Ben Venue and City of Perth at Timaru. the Ben Venue was a total loss, and the City of Perth (afterwards the Turakina) was refloated.

ship, was let go. The second cable then parted, and as the ship was drifting and gradually settling over the crew were called on deck and manned one of the boats. When the vessel got into broken water we abandoned her and made for the City of Perth."

The hull of the ship and cargo were insured for £13,500 in English offices. The wreck was sold, after some portions had been salved, for £150.

Captain Mcgowan.

Captain McGowan, or as he was frequently known "Mad McGowan," was a skilful seaman, and one of the most capable men afloat. He was a great personality, with strong likes and antipathies, and a most caustic wit. Greatly liked by those who knew him intimately, he commanded a large circle of friends in both London and the Clyde ports; and his word on matters of his profession carried weight. He carried sail in southern latitudes fearlessly, and could get the last foot out of his ship. He knew instinctively what his command would stand up to, and when to drive her. In the tropics he was more anxious, andthough he carried on when possible, was much on deck. When racing other ships he had the most uncanny skill in getting extra pace. He would sit on the weather rail and work his ship for all she was worth, inspiring the greatest enthusiasm among the crew.

"Mad" McGowan was the strongest advocate for adequate berthing accommodation, for his men. He superintended the building of the Gogo-burn, and took command of her from the stocks after leaving the Ben Venue. The sailors' quarters on the Gogoburn provided for two and four berth cabins in the deck house, and, says one of the officers who sailed with McGowan in this ship "they were comfortable berths too." This ship carried three mates, a boat swain, sailmaker, four quartermasters, ten A.B.'s, two ordinary seamen and four apprentices. The men had to receive three hot meals a day, and the cook hadpage 303 to report every meal to the officer of the watch for inspection. He may have been "Mad McGowan," but he was thoughtful and capable to the last yarn, and was an insistent advocate for reform when reform was unpopular with owners.

Some of the sailors who had been in the Ben Venue when the ship was lost at Timaru arrived Home a few months after the Gogoburn was launched, and when making her second voyage to Australia they were taken' on by McGowan.

Three or four men who sailed with McGowan, including Captain Wilson of the Northern S.S. Company, and Mr. S. Philpott (now with Jagger and Harvey) are residing in Auckland.

One of the officers who sailed with him, and now residing in New Zealand, relates:—"When lying in port at Glasgow McGowan posted a notice up in the rigging when shipping a crew 'No Irish need apply.' Next day Irishmen pelted the sign with refuse and dead cats and rotten fruit lying alongside the dock. Capt. McGowan said nothing, but when he bailed he had a crew half Irish and half niggers (American blacks), men of very fine physique, powerful men and good sailors. After shipping the crew the starboard watch was composed of whites and the port watch of American blanks. There was keen rivalry between the two, which resulted in continuous fights in which the Irish invariably suffered."

the Ben Venue made five passages to New Zealand as under:—

To Auckland.
Sailed. Arrived. Captain. Days.
Oct. 26, '75 Feb. 2, '76 McGowan 95
To Wellington.
Nov. 16, '77 Feb. 26, '78 Hurry 100
Mar. 5 June 8, '80 McGown 94
To Port Chalmers.
Feb. 11 Apr. 29, '81 McGowan 77
Land to land 67
To Timaru.
* May 5, '82 McDonald
*

Ship Of Same Name.

Later another Ben Venue was launched at Glasgow, a vessel of 2033 tons; and in November, 1891, when on a voyage from London to Sydney, she went ashore at Sandgate, near Folkestone, when being towed down the Channel.

* Via Newcastle, N.S.W.