The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-26
THE BOY CAPTAIN.
William Shotton of the
Trafalgar.
HOW HE SAVED THE SHIP.
Captain Edison Spins a Yarn
About the Lad.
DEATH OF HIS SHIPMATES.
With a SciIor's Aid the Youngster
Brought the Ship Safely Into
Melbourne.


brought the ship Trafalgar from the
tropics to the Australian coast, aided only
by an ancient mariner whose years of ex-
perence before the mast had initiated him
into the com lications of navigation suffi-
ciently to enable him to box the compass
and figure in logarithms."
Captain E. P. Edison of Sydney, now
visiting this city, saw the "boy captain"
at Melbourne and spoke of him yesterday.
The story of the Trafalgar has been told
briefly by telegraph. but Captain Edison
saws that it did not come from Shotton's
own lips.
''Shotton brought the Trafalgar into
Melbourne on December 16, much to the
establishment of the shipping men," said
he. THE boy Immediately re. orted to
Llo7ds' surveyor and told his story in an
innocent sort of way. making no special
reference to himself nor taking any par
tlcular credit for his bravery.
1.-THE vessel left Batavia on October 20.
1t was not until two weeks later that the
strange disease that caused such terrible
calamity to the crew manifested itself.
THE weather was close and sultry, and
a number of the Trafalgar's men com-
planned Of feeling feverish and sick at the
stomach.
Captain Edgar opened the medicine
chest and doled out auinine to the in fected
seamen. The drug did them no good
Three men died in dreadful agony, vomit-
ing black substance which led Captain
Edgar to believe that the vessel was cursed
with cholera epidemic
sac, ,l,,I1 I'D in fha a In nd
forecastle, the dead bodies buried at sea as
quickly as possible. and everything done
to prevent return of the disease among
the crew.
"These efforts were of no avail. Several
more of the men were taken sick, and on
about the 18th of November Captain Ed
gar and First Mate Roberts were stricken
by the strange malady.
"a Iair wind sprang up, but 1t did not
blow away the plague. 1t only served to
help the ship away from the dreadful spot
that seemed to have been cursed for her.
''Oa the morning of the 18TH of Novem-
Der Captain Edgar came on deck. Young
Shotton was at the wheel.
1.-The captain had risen from his bunk in
his nightclothes and almost fell up the
com panion-way to the forward part of the
poop deck.
"He called to the second officer and said
that he was dying. A sailor and the Off
Ger rushed to his aid and helped him back
to his stateroom. An hour later he was
dead.
Later in the day First Officer Roberts
raised himself on his elbow and cried out,
Help me, l am sinking! Oh, God. is there
no boat lowered?' and then be turned on
his SIDE, murmured something about home
and expired.
"Shotton and the second officer wore thus
left in command of the ship.
1.-The second officer was not feeling we'll.
the dread fever having entered bis system,
and he could not stand watch.
1.-THE crew actea admirably and with the
courage of heroes. Several of their num-
Der were laid low, but those who were not
ill did double duty cheerfully.
''Sady the ships com pany assembled
aft on the night of the 18th. and in the
dim glimmer of light afforded by the stars
the burial ceremony was read by Shutton
and the bodies of Captain Edgar and Mate
Roberts consigned to their graves In the
sea.
when the morning of the 18th dawned
the second officer had passed beyond NOR
tai aid and another seaman had expired.
"But luckily the wind had freshened to a
gale. 1t blew fresh vigor into the surviving
crew and carried the vessel toward its des-
tination rapidly.
"Shotton took command. He was aided
by an old man-of-warsman named Lewis.
who helped him figure out the position Of
the vessel and shape her course toward the
Australian coast.
Not q man of the crew mutinied.
Everything worked Systematically, and
the Trafalgar got into port without fur
ther disaster.
"The medical profession of Sydney and
Melbourne" said Captain Edison. 'had
quite a discussion over the cause Of the
peculiar fever that ragged on the Trafalgar.
Some of the physicians thought that it
must have been the cholera, while others
declared 1t to be yellow fever.
"Shotton was highly complimented by
the owners of the Trafalgar, and will be
made first or second officer.
HE is manly little fellow. the son OF
a well-to-do Englishman.
1.-THE story of the boy captain created
the biggest kind of sensation In Mel
bourne, and Shotton received much de.
served praise as hero"
Captain Edison is the man who was sue
cessful in extricating the Argentine light
house steamer from the rocks at or neal
Cape San Diego about nine years ago
The captain secured the contract from the
Argentine Government and made big
success of the wrecking ven lure.