The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-09-21
Seven Master Thomas w. Lawson
Lost On Sicily Isles Back in 1907
By JOHN BUNKER
In The Maine Coast Fisherman

SSMD0E, 1870, Tie seven HldSI
schooner Thomas W. Lawson broke
in two and sank on rocks of the
Scilly Isles near the south west
coast of England.
Only three men survived the
wreck of this huge loren After,
the largest schooner ever built.
One of them was Edward L.
Rowe, at that time of Wiscasset,
Maine, and now a retired employee
of Gorton-Pew Fisheries in Glou-
cester.
At his home in Annisquam on
Cape Ann, Mr.. Rowe can recall
that dramatic incident as though
it was yesterday. The scene is WV
i'd to him after the many interven-
ing years, but he prefers not to
remember it, for Is men were
swept to their deaths from the
decks and rigging of the Lawson
that stormy day.
But Mr.. Rowe does like to talk
about the Thomas w. Lawson her
self, for she has a prominent place
among the famous ships of all
time.
CrOwninshield Design
This vessel was the inspiration
of Capt. John F. Crowley of Bos-
ton, who headed the Coastwise
Transportation Company, and the
celebrated yacht and shipdesigner,
B. B. Crowninshield of Boston,
who designed several large schoon-
ers.
She was named after Thomas w.
Lawson, president of the Bay State
Gas Company, and one of the fl
nancial hackers of Coastwise
Transportation.
It was in 1902 when she slid
down the ways of the Fore River
Ship building Company's yard at
Quincy, Mass, with her launching
being literally noted by the prom
inent magazines of the time as a
major event in the shipping world.
Overall she measured 375 feet,
with a so foot beam and depth
of % feet nine inches. Designer
Crowninshield provided space in
the steel hull for 1000 tons of
bulk cargo.
Mr.. Rowe stood on her deck as
she went down the ways at Fore
River and he remembers it as one
of the great thrills of his life. She
took three months to fit out, dur
ing which time he made several
trips on the big George W. Wells,
the famous six master.
Had Electric Lights
Her outstanding features, as re-
membered by Mr.. Rowe and by
Axel Larsen, first mate on the ship
for several trips, were the seven
huge spars, her towering white hull
and the engine room forward un-
der the fo-castle head. From this
room was supplied the heat for
cabins and crew quarters and it
housed a dynamo which provided
electric lights throughout the ship.
Needless to say, this last feature
was a revolution in windjammer
conveniences. All hauling and
hosting was done by steam, anoth-
er big boost for the man before
the mast. Very high bulwarks kept
her dry on deck even in exception
ally bad weather.
After a few years, the Lawson
was converted into a bulk oil car
rier, with tanks being fitted
throughout the cavernous interior
of her holds. 1t was in this service
that she loaded 2,003,063 gallons
of engine oil at Philadelphia for
London in November, 1907. She
cleared under the command of Cap
tain George w. Dow of Melrose,
Mass, but originally of Hancock,
Me-, and with a crew of 18 men
which included two Swedes, two
Norwegians, two Danes, an Aus
trian, a Russian and an English
man. Edward Rowe was deck en-
gineer.
Gave Up Mates Berth
Axel Larson, who has left some
interesting "reminiscences of the
vessel, decided, shortly before sail
ing to turn over the mates job
to someone else. He lived to be-
come foreman rigger of Bethle-
hens Atlantic yard in Boston.
On the Grand Banks of New
found1and, the Lawson sailed into a
terrific storm, losing most of her
sails under winds Of 80 and 80
miles an hour velocity. After few
days she was down to bare poles
but still made several knots as
the wind got behind her huge spars
and hull, pushing her eastward.
Observations were impossible
and as the gales continued una
bated, Capt. Dow had no certain
idea Of their position. On the aft
ernoon of December 18th, they
came to anchor off one of the Scilly
Isles, letting 60 both bow anchors
and about $50 tons Of chain on
each anchor.