# Maju (iron ship)

Maju was an iron full-rigged ship built in 1874 by Brown & Simpson, Dundee, as Yard No. 28. Dimensions 6201'5"×32'1"×21'2" and 953 GRT, 918 NRT. Equipped with Napier's patent windlass and Low and Duff's patent pumps.
Maju, whose name means ‘Successful’ in Malay was a fully rigged iron ship built for Killick Martin & Company, Captained by John Smith shipwrecked with the loss of the vessel and all hands on her maiden voyage in 1874.
Captain John Smith had previously been captain to another Killick Martin & Company ship, John C. Munro was given the job to supervise the building of Maju in Dundee. Prior to this he had commanded the winner of the 1870 tea race the Lahloo

## Specification

Keel 8" x 2.4"; Frames 4.5" x 3" x 0.5" angle; Spacing of frames 23"; Floors 24" x 0.5"; Single Plate Keelson, 14" x 0.7" with rider plate and 4 angle irons; garboard strake 35.5" x 0.6"; gunwale plate 38" x 0.8"; Deck 3.5" Pine.
3 bower anchors; 1 stream anchor; 2 kedge anchors; 270 fathoms of 1.8" chain cable; 90 fathoms 0.9 chain cable; also hawsers.
Napier's patent windlass; 1 capstan and 2 winches; Low and Duff's patent pumps; rigging wire and hemp; 4 pairs of scuppers and 5 pairs of freeing ports; 2 no 24' long boats; 1 no 23' long boat 1 no 18' long boat; carried 47 sails, incl double suits of some.
Size of hatchways: main, 15' 3" x 8' 6"; Fore, 6' x 6'; quarter, 7' 8" x 7' 1".
Fore and main masts and their lower yards, and bowsprit are of iron.
Fore lower mast, 77' long; 26" diameter at deck .
Main lower mast, 79' 0.5" long; 26" diameter at deck.
Bowsprit 37' long; 19' 05" diameter at bed.
F and M lower yards, 73' long; 17" diameter at slings.
Mizen lower masts, 69' 0.75", made of wood.
outside painting; 1 coat read lead, 1 of oxide, 2 coats anti-fouling compositions; inside cement in bottom to bilge, then 1 coat oxide, 2 coats red and white lead.

## Owners

Registered as of no 213 in 1874 at London
The shareholders in the vessel were Killick Martin & Company with 40 shares, Edward Boustead, Merchant with 16 shares, William Lowther Nicholson, Shipowner 8 shares.

## Key events

27 August 1874
Launched at the shipyard of Brown & Simpson, Dundee, for Killick Martin & Company.
The ships christening ceremony was performed by Miss Margaret Ann Smith, the eldest daughter of the ship's Captain John Smith.
16 October 1874
Sailed from Dundee on her maiden voyage bound for Rangoon with a cargo of coal.
21 October 1874
Wrecked near Barvas, Hebrides, in a gale.
Maju sank about 12 miles west from Stornoway. She was identified when 7 bodies, 3 Lower Masts and a piece of the boat's stern were washed ashore.
All 24 of her crew drowned, they were:
John Smith, captain, native of Fife,
Wm. Aitken, chief mate, Edinburgh
Chas. S. Scantleburgh, second mate, Cornwall
David Taylor, carpenter, Dundee
John Waters, sailmaker, Kirkcaldy
John Waterston, steward, Anstruther
Wm. Henderson. cook, St Andrews
Henry Smith, A.B., Hull
David Hosie, A.B., Carnoustie
J.S. Eleridge, A.B. Boston, England
George Caithess, A.B., Westhaven
George Drummond, A.B., Tayport
S. Haesbrook, A.B., Ostend
Charles Seven, A.B., Sweden
William Allen, A.B., Portsmouth
Thomas Guy, A.B., Dundee
Frank Langley, A.B. Jersey
Charles Wallace, A.B., Youghal
Thomas Murray, O.S., Dundee
John Milne, O.S., Aberdeen
Reuben Kerr, apprentice, Edinburgh
William Brown, apprentice, Edinburgh
Duncan Paul, apprentice, Edinburgh
Daniel Henessy, apprentice, Dundee
Captain John Smith's body was recovered and he is buried at Riccarton, Ayrshire. Eleven members of the crew are buried at Barvas, Lewis.