SS Escambia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
| Name | SS Escambia |
| Owner | Escambia Steamship Co. Ltd. - Crow, Bogart & Rudolf, Liverpool |
| Builder | Mounsey & Foster, South Dock, Sunderland |
| Yard number | 91 |
| Launched | 21 April 1879 |
| Completed | 15 October 1879 |
| Fate | Capsized and sank on 19 June 1882 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage |
|
| Length | 291 ft (89 m) |
| Beam | 34.7 ft (10.6 m) |
| Depth | 24.5 ft (7.5 m) |
| Installed power | 210 nhp |
The SS Escambia was a large iron steamship built in Sunderland, England, in 1879. This ship was designed to carry goods across the ocean. Sadly, on June 19, 1882, the Escambia flipped over and sank near San Francisco, California. Twenty people lost their lives in this accident during a big storm.
Contents
The Ship's Last Journey
The Escambia was on a trip from San Francisco to Cape Verde, carrying a lot of wheat. She was about five miles offshore when she suddenly flipped over around 7 PM.
Why the Ship Sank
Reports from the ship's pilot explained some problems. Water that usually helps balance the ship in its special "ballast tanks" had been pumped out. This was done to make space for more cargo. Also, a lot of coal was stacked very high on the ship's deck, even as high as the bridge. The ship was also leaning to one side, called a "list to port."
When the sea became very rough, the ship rolled a lot. Water rushed onto the deck and into the ship, which stopped the engines. Without power, the ship couldn't move forward. It then turned sideways to the big waves and was quickly swallowed by the sea.
The Aftermath and Investigations
Out of the 24 people on board, only four were saved. This was a very sad event.
Official Inquiries
The United States naval court looked into what happened. They decided that the ship was lost due to the usual dangers of the sea. However, the United Kingdom Board of Trade was not happy with this decision. They ordered their own special investigation to find out more.
The Wreck Commissioner, who led the UK inquiry, found that the Captain was responsible. He had taken the ship to sea when it was not in a safe condition. The court believed he simply made a bad judgment call. Even though the Captain was blamed, he tried very hard to save lives after the ship capsized. Because of his efforts, the court did not take away his sailing license, and he was allowed to keep working.
A Story to Remember
The sinking of the Escambia became the subject of a story called "Without Ballast." This story was part of a book titled Stories Worth Re-reading, which was first published in 1919.
