The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-03
WRECK FOUND
Of a British Warship Missing
Eight Years in
The PACIFIC OCEAN

The Condor, Wit, a Crew of One
Hundred and Forty Men, Sailed
From Esquimalt and Has Never
Been Heard From Since Sailing
Until Found a Short Time Ago.
The wreck of the British sloop of
war Condor, whose fate and that of
the 40 officers and men forming
her company have been one of the
mysteries of the sea since Decem-
ber 8, 1901, has been located, SUBJ
merged in comparatively shallow wa
ter. about one and half miles off
shore at Long Beach, midway be-
tween the southern entrance to Berk-
eley Sound and the settlement Of
Calyouuot, on the west coast of VAN
couver Island. The wreckage is
about fourteen miles distant from
| the village of Clayoquot and seeming
I
" rests upon an uncharted reef, OF
which there are many in the vicini-
ty of Long Beach and Wreck Bay,
which adjoins it.
The news of the discovery Of the
long missing sloop of war was
brought from the coast by Bonney-
castle Dale, an English naturalist
and journalist, who has communi-
Gated his discovery to the British
Admiralty He regards the evidence
of identity as incontrovertible, and
it is expected that immediate inves-
LEGATIONS will be made by the admi-
rality upon his report. The principal
obstacle in the way of salvage oper-
ations is believed to be the prevail
ing heavy swell-met within this To-
cality in the calmest weather.
A surface wave beyond the line OF
the barrier reef that fronts the bay
marks the spot where the vessel is
supposed to lie. A few weeks ago a
spar stamped with the admiralty
mark, with nitches patched with cop
per in naval style, after being Wis
ible four days, floating attached to
the wreck beneath, drifted ashore.
Upon the same beach some time ago
there drifted jib boom spar stamp
ed Condor" life buoy similarly
marked and several signal rocket
cases marked with the name of the
ill-starred vessel, mute testimony OF
the whereabouts of the long missing
sloop.
About mile and half out from
Long Beach the surface ripples over
the ship that is supposed to be the
sepulchre of one hundred and forty
officers and men Of His Majesty S
navy. At high tide 1t is hardly visi-
BILE but at extreme low tide the sea
boils about the obstruction. Halt
a dozen residents of the west coast
who have gone out to the spot in
smooth water and at low tide declar-
ed that the hulk of the submerged
ship is plainly visible.
On the morning of December 3
1901, the sloop of war Condor, in
Company with II. NJ. S. Warship, left
Esquimalt, the former never to re-
turn. The Condor was bound for
Honolulu and Tahiti heavily laden
with coal for long cruise and carry
ing large consignment OF mails fol
the British inhabitants in the isolat-
ed South Sea#Island.
In the straits strong southeast
gale prevailed and the war ships
parted company, the Warspite con-
tinuing on her way south and the
Condor starting to carry out gun
practice at the entrance to the straits
prior to making for Honolulu
Whether this gun practice was car
ried out has never been ascertained
Outside the straits that fateful night
a terrified storm was raging, which
compelled every vessel in the region
TO fight for life, and in this storm
the Condor was seen for brei
moment, laboring heavily and flying
signals of distress, by Captain James
Boyd, now of the Bank line steamer
Aymeric. and then in command OF
the south bound lumber ship Spring
bank.
Naturally the name of the strug-
Cling waship was not made out, but
there was no doubt of her identity
in the minds of Captain Boyd and
his officers. They did not so tc
the supposedly disabled gun boats
assistance. Indeed, they gave her
scant thought or attention at the
time, as they were having all they
could do to save their own ship and
their lives. This was the last seen
Of the Condor or any of her com
pany. The Condor never reached
Honolulu and gradually her name
passed into history as identified with
one more of the tragic mysteries OF
the sea.
Toward the end of that December
a stern sQiff and lifebuoy with the
name III. NJ. Condor on were
picked up in the neighborhood OF
Wreck Bay Theories are numerous
as TO the fate OF the vessel and the
40 lives she carried.
Tho cama nirht uoC rpSuoncihls