China Wreck candidates: John Sidney and Medway
In the eponymous chapter, I detailed Joan Charles's
justification for identifying the wreck as the D.H.
Bills, which disappeared with all hands in 1880,
while transporting 37 tons of earthenware from
England to Wilmington, North Carolina. A tremendous
storm that struck the U.S. eastern seaboard
coincided with the vessel's estimated time of arrival.
Charles hopefully presumed that the D.H. Bills
was carrying old china that had been kept in
storage for a number of years - old or outdated
stock that we might call "remainders" today.
Charles was cautious. Instead of claiming
categorically that the D.H. Bills was the China
Wreck, she stated only that the vessel was a
good "candidate." Another candidate that she
originally considered was the John Sidney.
However, she eventually disqualified the John
Sidney because, according to her research, that
vessel sank in 1870 - effectively predating the dates
of manufacture of some of the china.
My longtime subscribers may recall that, in my
previous newsletter, I wrote about serendipitous
research: discoveries made on a topic (or shipwreck)
while researching another topic (or shipwreck). While
researching shipwrecks of Massachusetts for my next
book in the Popular Dive Guide Series, I happened
upon a newspaper article from October 30, 1872,
which mentioned the loss of the sailing vessel
John Sidney. My mind is a storehouse of
shipwreck names. The name jumped out at me. I
don't always remember the circumstances that
surround a familiar name; sometimes I cannot even
place the name in geographical context. I just know
that it is a shipwreck. In such cases, I always copy
the information, then check my files at home.
In this case, however, I had no difficulty in making
the association, for the article specifically stated
that the John Sidney "struck on October 24
on McCrie's Shoal, 12 miles from Cape Henlopen,
during a gale, and filled. The crew were saved and
landed at Lewes, Del. The vessel and cargo will be a
total loss, as she was breaking up on the 25th and
the cargo floating away. Some 36 bbls [barrels]
whiskey washed ashore, and were secured." She was
bound from Liverpool to Philadelphia, under the
command of Captain Bartlett. The vessel was listed
as a steamer that grossed 1,002 tons; her port of
registry was Richmond, Maine.
The newspaper also noted the loss of another vessel
in the same gale, on nearby Hen and Chickens Shoal
(farther south and close to the beach). She was the
bark Medway, from London. She was lost on
the "night of Oct 25th." Also lost at the same time
and in the same gale was the bark
Liepabakarka. She ran aground on Cape May,
New Jersey, while transporting a cargo of coffee from
Rio de Janeiro to New York.
These nuggets of information comprised the tip of an
informational iceberg that was buried in other
repositories (some of which were located within my
own library). Once again I resumed research on the
China Wreck.
From other sources, I corroborated the correct date
of the loss of the John Sidney: October 24,
1872. She was carrying iron and "general
merchandise." I also ascertained from registry
records that she was not a steamer, but a full-rigged
ship. (This lends credence to the old motto: don't
believe everything that you read in the newspapers.)
She measured 169 feet in length. The
Medway measured 129 feet in length.
Other sources verified the circumstances of these
losses, and provided additional information. All
twenty-four members of the John Sidney
rowed ashore safely in lifeboats. The
Medway's crew were not so fortunate: four
men perished when their lifeboat overturned,
while "the Captain and part of the crew landed
safely" at Lewes. "Two of the missing crew were
picked up by a pilot-boat. One dead body was found
in the boat."
What does this new information lead me to conclude?
Could the China Wreck be the remains of either the
John Sidney or the Medway?
Both
vessels had metalled hulls. This means that the
wooden hull was strengthened by means of iron
straps. This fact is consistent with iron strapping
found on the wreck site.
The John Sidney stranded on McCrie's Shoal,
which is two to three miles northeast of the wreck
site. The Medway ran aground on Hen and
Chickens Shoal, which is eight miles southwest.
Sources indicate that both wrecks "broke up"
or "went to pieces." These descriptions imply that
either hull could have drifted or been driven to where
the China Wreck lies today.
The wreck site is located fairly close to where the
John Sidney stranded, and in a direction in
which the vessel would have drifted or been driven.
However, the wreck measures approximately 125 feet
in length, far short of the length of the John
Sidney - unless the vessel broke in two, and the
missing section disintegrated or remains buried under
the shoal.
The length of the Medway is almost identical
to the measured length of the China Wreck.
However, it is unlikely that the Medway would
have drifted in a northeast direction, and for such a
distance.
Both wrecks are contenders, with the John Sidney
having my personal vote between the two. A
cargo manifest would be helpful.
By the way, some of the floating barrels of whiskey
that were "secured" were actually "imbibed."
