Advance (1874) facts for kids
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The Sydney Mail from the week of 20 June 1902 shows pictures of the Advance wreck.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Australia |
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| Name | Advance |
| Owner | Captain Charles Ingstrom |
| Port of registry | Sydney |
| Ship registration number: | 43/1897 |
| Ship official number: | 70205 |
| Builder | John Thompson Tolaga Bay, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Completed | 1874 |
| Fate | Wrecked 12 June 1902 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Composite schooner |
| Tonnage | 59 GRT, 51 NRT |
| Length | 21.94 m |
| Beam | 5.943 m |
| Depth | 1.950 m |
| Crew | 4 |
The Advance was a type of sailing ship called a schooner. It was built in 1874 in Auckland, New Zealand. Sadly, it was wrecked on June 12, 1902, when it hit rocks at Henrys Head, Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia. At the time, it was sailing empty from Wollongong to Newcastle.
Contents
About the Ship
During the 1870s, many ships were being built around Auckland, New Zealand. This was because there was plenty of good wood for shipbuilding. The Advance was a wooden schooner that weighed 51 tons. It was built in Tolaga Bay in 1874.
The Advance made its first trading trip in January 1875. It sailed from the Port of Auckland to Gisborne. On board, it carried passengers, 20 tons of coal, wood, flour, and other goods.
Ship's Journeys
The Advance often sailed between ports on the East Coast of New Zealand. These ports included Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton. At first, Mr. John Trimmer owned the ship. Later, a company called Keans and Company bought it. For several years, Captain Kennedy was in charge of the Advance.
When the Advance moved to Australia, it became a well-known schooner. It was used to carry coal along the coast. For many years, it sailed between Sydney and the coal mines in the north and south.
Adventures in New Zealand
In early 1879, one of the Advance's crew members got into trouble. He was found to have not followed the captain's orders.
In May 1880, the Advance was sailing from the Thames to Kaiapoi. It was carrying a large amount of timber. The ship drifted onto the North Spit near Christchurch. It lost its rudder and part of its keel. However, the ship was not badly damaged. It was moved from the sandbar without much trouble.
In April 1881, the Advance had another close call. It was leaving the Grey River at Greymouth. A steam tug called Dispatch was towing it. The tow ropes broke, and the ship drifted towards the breakwater. It was moving too fast for its anchor to stop it. The crew tried to raise the sails, but the wind had died down. The Dispatch managed to get the Advance in tow again. The ship had some water wash aboard, but it was not seriously damaged.
Adventures in Australia
Charles John Ingstrom became the owner and mate of the Advance on July 7, 1896. The ship was officially registered in Sydney, Australia, in 1897.
Stranded at Lady Robinsons Beach
On July 26, 1897, the Advance was anchored in Botany Bay. It was near the entrance to Cooks River. A strong storm pushed the ship onto Lady Robinsons Beach. An investigation found that one of the ship's chains had broken. The other anchor had dragged along the seabed.
The ship was sold by the insurance companies. However, the former owner bought it back. The Advance was pushed far up onto the beach by the tide. It was so far from the water that a special channel had to be dug. Then, the ship could be pulled back into the water.
Saving Captain Gallant
In January 1898, the Advance helped rescue Captain Gallant of the ship Minora. Captain Gallant had been lost at sea for 24 hours. He had watched his crew disappear around him. Other ships had come close but did not help.
The Minora was a large sailing ship. It was about 10 or 12 miles (16 or 19 km) off the coast near Broken Bay. Two huge waves hit the ship, and it quickly filled with water. The front of the ship sank first. Within five minutes, the entire ship was gone. Some crew members jumped overboard. The rest went down with the ship. They managed to stay afloat for a few hours on pieces of wreckage. Before leaving the ship, the cook put a lifebuoy around Captain Gallant. Both men then held onto a floating plank.
During the night, a steamer ship was seen. It came close enough for the shipwrecked crew to shout to it. Captain Gallant could talk to a man on the steamer. The steamer asked, "Are you in a boat?" Captain Gallant replied, "No, send us your boat, we are on planking." A few moments later, the steamer moved away. It left the shipwrecked men behind.
During the day, three more steamers were seen. All were heading south. The first was the South Australian. The second was a ship from the Hawkesbury River. Both were too far away to hear voices. A few hours later, the City of Grafton passed very close to Captain Gallant and the cook. They tried hard to get attention, but the ship passed by without noticing them.
By the time the red light of the Advance appeared, Captain Gallant was the only one left alive. The Advance came very close to him. He made one last desperate effort to get attention. He shouted and screamed without stopping. Within 20 minutes, the Advance's boat picked him up. He was almost unconscious. All his strength was gone. He was pulled onto the schooner and taken to the captain's cabin. He was given some spirits (alcohol) and his limbs were rubbed to help his blood flow. He was given very small amounts of water to help with his terrible thirst. Captain Gallant then managed to sleep for a few hours. When he woke up, he was very weak. But he was able to tell his story of survival.
The Shipwreck Relief Society honored Captain E. Carlberg of the Advance. They praised him and his crew for their quick and kind actions. Captain Carlberg received a pair of binoculars. Each crew member received £3 (about $3.75 USD today). They also received a certificate from the society.
Captain Neate of the steamer Tangier was identified as one of the captains who did not help. He was publicly criticized for his "great indifference."
The Wreck
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The Advance had just unloaded coal at Swinburne's wharf in Botany. It began its last journey around 1 AM on June 12, 1902. The ship was empty, heading to Newcastle to pick up coal.
At 3 AM, the schooner, with its crew of four, sailed into rough seas off Henry's Head. The crew tried to turn the ship around. But a powerful wave hit it and threw it against the rocks. Almost immediately, the waves pulled it back. Then, they sent it onto the rocks again. The mate, Carlson, shouted that they could not launch the lifeboat. He said their only chance was to get to the rocks. Carlson later reported that the captain, Ingstrom, seemed confused. He might have been hurt by the main boom, which was swinging wildly.
The other three crew members—Carlson, Holm, and the ship's cook—reached the shore safely. They were injured, but not badly. They lit a fire and found shelter under a rock until morning.
When morning came, Captain Ingstrom's body was found floating in the water below. He had a large cut across his forehead. A coastguard from nearby La Perouse had seen their fire during the night. He picked up the injured men and took them to Little Bay Hospital. He also told the police about Captain Ingstrom's death. Gustavo Ingstrom, a sailor, was asked to identify his brother's body.
Captain Ingstrom was buried on Saturday, June 14. His body was taken to the funeral train. A few old friends followed it to his burial place at the Rookwood Necropolis.
When the Advance sank, it was worth about £300 (around $375 USD today). It did not have insurance.
Wreck Site
Henry Head, where the Advance struck, is a bold piece of land. It is about half a mile from Cape Banks. This cape forms the northern entrance to Botany Bay. The cliffs above are high and hang over the water. At the bottom, there are many huge rocks. It is interesting that another ship named the Advance was also wrecked here 18 years earlier. The circumstances were similar.
The day after the accident, only parts of the Advance could be seen. These included one mast, some planks, and a jumbled mess of ropes, sails, and gear. A few pieces of wreckage and part of the deckhouse were scattered on a nearby beach.
Images for kids
