The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-08
TIE SINKING Of
Tie Birkenflead
Story OF the Loss of q British Troop.
ship on the Coast of Africa.
By ROBERT W. SISE.


In the closing days of the year 1851
the English troopship Birkenhead sailed
from Cork in perfect trim and in charge
Of an able and gallant commander with
63l souls on board. Two months later
her shattered hulk lay Mt the bottom of
the ocean Off the African coast and of her
human freight only 1913 remained alive.
While the disaster which interviewed was
one of the most terrible of the many
which lie at the door of old ocean, it Is
one of which Englshmen can never think
without pride, for those saved included
all the women and children on board. and
in the story of the loss of the Birkenhead
the horror of the disaster is obscured by
admiration for the men who cheerfuIly
yielded their lives to save those Of the
weaker ones and when all hope was gone
faced death steadfastly and without
Hiuching or faltering.
1t was u clear, bright morning In late
December, 1851, when the Birkcnhead
steamed out of the cove Of Cork and rap
idly dropped the Irish coast behind her.
Her cargo consisted Of troops destined to
relieve those at that time on the African
stations, the detachment being made up
of details from the Sercnty-cighth high.
landers, the Twelfth lancers and the
ForFthird, Scyenty-third and Nincty.
first of the line, commanded by Licutcn.
ant Colonel Seton Of the Seventy eighth
highlandprs. The soldiers were nearly
all I.,-titaj e. -
the colonies, and many Of them had their
families with them, there being some 10
women and children on the ship.
The BirkCnhead was Il stanch and well
equipped vessel, and Captain Salmond,
her commander, u thorough seaman, but
from the first there were forcbodiugs Of
disaster among her crew. for she was
what Is known as an unlucky ship. one OF
those unfortunate vessels with which
nothing seems TO go right, and had suf
fercl n series of small mishaps almost
from the day of her launch. Scnmen al
ways fear ship Of this kind, and, singu.
larry enough, their fear seems to be iusti.
fed to II certain extent for Of the great
ocean disasters large proportion seems
to have happened to these unlucky ships
Even in the early part of the voyage
the Blrkcnhcad appears to have justified
her reputation, for from the time of her
sailing until she had crossed the bay Of
Biscay she was butietcd by such sue
cesSl"p OF gales as was almost uiiprCce-
denied for that time of the year even in
that stormy ard boisterous region. She
suffered several minor accidents, but
managed to get through without putting
for rrpljrs Int cha rup int, hnI
weather, and from that time on had a
smooth and pleasant voyage to st. ST.
mons Bay, Cape Of Good Hope, her first
port Of call, where she arrived on Feb.
Is. 1852.
At this point Colonel Seton found in
strucIons from Sir Henry Smith, the
governor Of the Cape of Good Hope, re-
gariing the distribution of the troops on
board, aud waiting only one day to take
on fresh provisions and water, the Rir-
kcnhead started for Algoa Bay, the first
place at which she was to land detach-
mcnt
1t was beautiful evening on which
She steamed out of ST. Simon's Bay The
night was clear and still, and the surface
OF the water was unruted. although. as
always on that coast. there was a heavy
swell running in from the seward. The
which cou,I la ,Iairlr ssnn ~ n I;s,ana,
N ,hout tbree ,niIos t,Io l;,h,s md hon-
CONS Lnipg in rrIj v;ou a. h''"rl ,,"a
sbin al wos coim and tro,,o,i,,i,r oal,
thn n.o,ch ro,,o;,,aJ .,,.aI', i''' , ,h Iis
v,..el slid an nvor tha sn,o,. h. ,ot' e oi
mn.t y,itbovt counJ nxoont far th h", ,l,,th-
micol hnot ~ hnr or,,ros a,1 raI,,,'.
Unv tho disostor :, nnonnJ ~ ar,o ,,;u
.ynr Lrnw II l., oar,a;, thnt Cn,to;,,
s,lmond wos =, puII Mia sor,har ;ni,'na
tl,,u bc shou,J b,yo hnon hr, bow, ,ho
ui.t,E, u.os m,Io ,hrn,,,l, ,,.h,t M
Lpn,yn o,,ran. ~, ar,o. IN n,I,uIa,;nr w.
p;vcr .yrIoirod ,o a brr,,, o,,,,,, ,,,or.
t;,I On such , ni,ht ,hnra rn,,i1 '"o,,
IN h. mn cyc,,ss far srch n, orr,r W., i,
w,s n,an md ohnut . o,oonL l., ,ho
nnrn;,,, NJ tho 9th tbo pirlorboad
drnro w;,h,,t yornin, ,no,, ,',', % ,,, ~,
manv suhmcrred rocks runniry out iran,
Paint no,gur
TnT,,rtun,tcIv Cor oil ON boora ,ho
rock was one of the farthest on, from