More Australian gold lost at sea...!




The "Omar Pasha"

- By Pascal Kainic -



story from contemporary periodicals such as Lloyds List, the Times of London and other newspapers

This First class Australian clipper ship of  1124 tons, captain Gray, was en her way from Brisbane to London on January 29, with forty-nine passengers of all classes, and a full cargo of wool, cotton, and other produce.

She was Burnt down and abandoned at sea on 22nd of April 1869, in 28° south, 43° west. managed by 52 crew and with passengers on board; some were saved by the Italian bark "Anita Tagliavia" going to New York, in all 64 passengers and 34 crews.

On February 1 she was towed to sea by the Francis Cadell, and was cast off by the steamer off Cape Moreton.

at 11.15 a.m. She then had a fine fair wind, and went away with every prospect of making an excellent run, and sustaining the reputation she had so well earned as a crack ship, when in George Thompson.

We again hear of her after she had doubled the Horn, for she was spoken by the Margaret Falconer on March 24, in 37° S. latitude, and 30° W., longitude.

She was then making good running, with a fair wind, and reported " all well."

Now, when all were expecting to receive news of her arrival in England, after a speedy and prosperous voyage, intelligence comes that she has been burnt at sea.

The particulars to hand are very scanty, but they convey the cheering intelligence that the disaster has been unattended by loss of life.

Our telegram simply says that the ship Omar Pasha took fire, and that she was abandoned when she was within ten days' sail of England.

The passengers and crew were all saved, and were taken from the burning ship by the Zealandia, a Black Ball liner, from Callao, which was bound to Cork, most likely for orders.

The passengers and crew were, at any rate, landed at that port. That is the whole of the news we have at present as to this Bad disaster.

The Omar Pasha was owned by the firm of Cruickshank and Ring, of Leadenhall-street, London.

She had formerly belonged to the celebrated line of Aberdeen clippers, trading to the colonies under George Thompson and Co.'s flag. When in that employ she made some excellent passages both out and home again, and her passage to Moreton Bay from London was one of the best of that season.

passenger list and manifest :

Passengers - Miss E. Matthews, Mr. and Mrs. A. Nicol, Dr. Carter, Messrs. E. Miller and E. Chatteri. Second Cabin.—Mrs. Huncock, Mr. and Mrs. Fogarty, Messrs. J. C. Wilson Croom, Masters W. and J. Fogarty.

Steerage - Mary Ann Davenport, Elspeth Macintosh, Sarah Appleyard, Mrs. E. Dix, Mary Welsh, Alice Newman, Mrs. Beasley, Mrs. Yates, j Mrs. Walkerley, Messrs. Joseph Wildey, Wm. Davenport, Wm. Boles, J. Bertwhistle, Wm. Macintosh, C. H. Launders, Frederick Hoodsor, Wm. Clempson, Wm. Murray, Kavanagh, D. Eginton, P. Dunn, Robt. Macleod, J. Newmap, W. Stirling, T. Beasley, Wm. Rice, Masters Wm. Davenport, Wm. Macintosh, Frederick Hooiison, Robt. Dix, Walter Yates, R. Walker ley, J. Walkerley, Misses Catherine Davenport, Eliza Hoodson, and M. Walkerley.

Exports for London - 27 bales wool, G. E. Forbes; 7 bales 1 pocket wool, G. Raff and Co.; 1 case, A. Raff; 120 bales wool, Clarke, Hodgson, and Co.; 24 bales wool, William Turner; 41 bales wool, I Morey and Mitchell; 82 bales wool, D. Gunn; 80 bales wool, Gore and Co.; 92 bales wool,W. F. Fitzgerald; 68 bales wool,  Farlane and Sons; 70 bales wool, J. Munro; 162 bales wool, Wienholt Brothers; 98 bales wool, J. Ferrett; 19 bales wool, Moore and Turnbull; 79 bales wool, A. Wienholt; 367 bales wool, Bell and Sons ; 129 tierces beef, M. H. Davis; 52 bales wool, Hetherington and Keys; 95 bales wool, P. J.C.Wildash; 480 bales wool, Kent and Wienholt; 41 bales wool, Cochrane and More; 48 b»gs cotton seed, Bryant and Tooth ; 59 balee Tool, Hodgson and Ramsay; 2 bales cotton, Orr and Honeyman; 10 bales wool, P. Devine; 1 pocket wool, Armitstead and Parr ; 5 bales 1 pocket wool, J. Ivory ; 1 case preserved meat, D. L. Brown and Co.; 1 case, H. Box, Son, and Co.; 160 bales wool, Gore Brothers; 2tl bales wool, G. F. M'Dougall; 77 casks tallow, 677 hides, William Baynes; 26,960 treenails, Bright Brothers ; 12 bales wool E. Goertz and Co.; 139 bales wool, North British Australian Company; 29 bales wool, 1 tmnk, Cribb and Foote; 1 case jam, G. Bond; 52 bales wool, R. L. Jenkins; 4840 treenails, 7 cases, F. E. Bigge; 40 bales wool, G. Clarke, j

Full cargo: 2797 bales 3 pockets wool, 2 bales cotton, 128 tierces beef, 77 casks tallow, 677 hides, 1 case preserved meats, 48 bags cotton, 31,800 treenails, 11 packages sundries... and £ 30.000 of gold specie

After the foundering of the "
Blue Jacket" The loss of these 2 ships with all the gold they had on board is a loss of more than £ 200.000 for the insurance companies.




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