South Australian

A composite full-rigged ship built in 1868 by W. Pile & Co., Sunderland. Dimensions: 201'0"×36'0"×20'1" and tonnage: 1078 GRT, 1040 NRT and 897 tons under deck. Rigged with double topsails and a main skysail.

1868 February: Launched at the shipyard of W. Pile & Co., Sunderland, for Devitt & Moore, London. Assigned the official British Reg. No. 60837 and signal HFJC. Employed in the Australian passenger and wool trade. Almost always going out to Adelaide.
1868-1873: In command of Captain David Bruce.
1873-1875: In command of Captain John Bruce late of the same owner's ship City of Adelaide.
1875-1876: In command of Captain W.H. Bisset late of the same owner's ship St Vincent.
1876-1877: In command of Captain Alex. Bruce late of the same owner's ship City of Adelaide.
1877-1881: In command of Captain John Bruce late of the same owner's steam ship Glenelg.
1881-1887: In command of Captain J.H. Barrett late of the same owner's ship St Vincent.
1883 November 14 - February 20: Sailed from Melbourne to London in 98 days with a cargo of wool.
1887 January 1 - April 23: Sailed from Melbourne to London in 112 days with a cargo of wool.
1887: Sold to Woodside & Workman, Belfast.
1889 February 14: Sunk in a collision ten miles WNW of Lundy Island, North Devon, on voyage from Cardiff to Rosario with a cargo of railway iron. All but one of her crew of 23 men were saved.

References:

Square-rigged ships, general references.
Course, A.G.: Painted Ports. The story of the ships of Messrs Devitt and Moore.
Hollis & Carter, London, 1961. 8vo, x, 230 pp, 6 plates.
Lubbock, Basil: The Colonial Clippers.
Brown, Ferguson & Son, Glasgow, 1948 (2nd).

Updated 1997-05-07 by Lars Bruzelius

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives.