Wreck of the Glenbervie, West Indiaman at Bristol ILN 1849-0106-0016

Wreck of the Glenbervie, West Indiaman at Bristol, 23 December 1848
WRECK OF THE " GLENBERVIE" WEST INDIAMAN. On Saturday morning, the 23d ult., the ship Glenbervie, 380 tons register, left Bathurst Basin, Bristol, for the purpose of proceeding to Newport, there to take in a cargo of coals on a return voyage to the Havannah. The captain at first took a pilot; but the crew being all his own countrymen, and not very readily understanding English, the pilot said he must have an assistant. The captain refused to comply, and the pilot, accordingly, would not undertake the charge of the vessel; when the captain told him that he might go ashore, for he (the captain) could manage without him. The pilot then left ; but the captain had not got his vessel much below the toll-gate, when she took the mud off Acraman's works, and soon heeled over, losing her masts, and blocking up the navigation. Every effort was made to raise her, but, for a long time, without success; we learn, however, that she has since been raised, and taken into Cumberland Basin to repair. The charge for an assistant pilot would have been 3s. or 4s.: the expense of raising and repairing the Glenbervie will cost, probably, more than as many hundred pounds, to say nothing of the inconvenience and loss of time. The vessel was grounded on a slip of mud and stones, represented by the dark mass abreast of her. She remained fast, as the tide was falling rapidly: and when the tide had almost left her dry, she fell over; her masts broken off by contact with the opposite bank of the New Cut. It should be observed that she ought not to have been taken down this river, or rather the New Cut-which is not the usual channel for large vessels, but for coasters and small craft only.
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Volume: 14 , Issue: 352, pages 16