RMS Quetta
Encyclopedia
The RMS Quetta was a merchant ship that wrecked on the Far North Queensland
coast on 28 February 1890. Of the 292 people aboard, 134 perished.
, to ease the passage of people and mail. The Quetta was specifically built for the Australia run, with refrigeration capacity for the frozen meat trade. The ship was launched in March 1881 and made her first voyage to Brisbane in 1883. The designation RMS
indicated the ship's role within the Queensland Royal Mail Line. Her sister ships were Manora and Merkara.
The ship was initially designed for 72 saloon (first class) and 32 steerage (second class) passengers, although this was later altered to favour steerage class due to the large number of migrants using the service. In five-and-a-half years service the Quetta made 11 London-Brisbane round trips; the twelfth would be her final attempt.
. Destined for Thursday Island, the ship turned into the Adolphus Channel
to round Cape York
. The pilot was experienced, the weather fine and visibility good, but at 9:14pm the ship struck an uncharted rock in the middle of the channel near Albany Island.
The rock ripped a hole through the plates from the bow to the engine room amidships, 4 to 12 feet wide. The ship sank in less than five minutes; at the time, the worst maritime disaster in Queensland's history.
At the time of the disaster the Quetta had 292 people aboard: a crew of 121, comprising 15 European officers, 14 from other trades and 92 lascars from India; 70 Javanese in temporary deck houses, travelling to Batavia
after working in the cane fields; and 101 other passengers.
The ship's cutter floated clear of the wreck and capsized, surrounded by a large group of Javanese and lascar seamen. Quartermaster
James Oates organised the baling of the cutter and it headed towards shore. Only one of the ship's lifeboats
survived: Number 1 starboard lifeboat controlled by third officer
Thomas Babb. It was damaged and largely awash. As it headed toward shore it picked up more survivors including Captain Sanders. Around midnight the two boats came together and those aboard were placed on the nearest island. Captain Sanders then ordered the cutter to search for more survivors.
After spending a night and day without food and water on Little Adolphus Island the main group of ninety-eight survivors were rescued by the Albatross, that along with the Merrie England had been dispatched from Thursday Island's Port Kennedy.
The Albatross took soundings and located the rock thought responsible for the disaster, about half a mile from where the Quetta lay. Relics raised during salvage attempts months after the disaster, and later, can be found in the Quetta Memorial Church on Thursday Island, which was consecrated in 1893.
She now lies on her port side in 18 metres (59.1 ft) of water and is a protected historic shipwreck under Australia's Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976
.
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
coast on 28 February 1890. Of the 292 people aboard, 134 perished.
Background
The RMS Quetta was part of the British India Line that travelled between England, India and the Far East. The Queensland Government negotiated to have a service between the United Kingdom and BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, to ease the passage of people and mail. The Quetta was specifically built for the Australia run, with refrigeration capacity for the frozen meat trade. The ship was launched in March 1881 and made her first voyage to Brisbane in 1883. The designation RMS
Royal Mail Ship
Royal Mail Ship , usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, a designation which dates back to 1840, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail...
indicated the ship's role within the Queensland Royal Mail Line. Her sister ships were Manora and Merkara.
The ship was initially designed for 72 saloon (first class) and 32 steerage (second class) passengers, although this was later altered to favour steerage class due to the large number of migrants using the service. In five-and-a-half years service the Quetta made 11 London-Brisbane round trips; the twelfth would be her final attempt.
Disaster
On the night of 28 February 1890 the ship's master was Captain Sanders, with Captain Keatinge aboard piloting the ship through the Torres StraitTorres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
. Destined for Thursday Island, the ship turned into the Adolphus Channel
Adolphus Channel
Adolphus Channel or Albany passage is a channel at the north eastern end of Cape York Peninsula, or south eastern portion of the Torres Strait in Queensland. It runs between the Albany Island to the south, and Mount Adolphus Island to the north...
to round Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
. The pilot was experienced, the weather fine and visibility good, but at 9:14pm the ship struck an uncharted rock in the middle of the channel near Albany Island.
The rock ripped a hole through the plates from the bow to the engine room amidships, 4 to 12 feet wide. The ship sank in less than five minutes; at the time, the worst maritime disaster in Queensland's history.
At the time of the disaster the Quetta had 292 people aboard: a crew of 121, comprising 15 European officers, 14 from other trades and 92 lascars from India; 70 Javanese in temporary deck houses, travelling to Batavia
Jakarta Old Town
Kota , is a small area in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is also known as Old Jakarta, and Old Batavia . It spans 1.3 square kilometres of North Jakarta and West Jakarta...
after working in the cane fields; and 101 other passengers.
| People aboard at time of the disaster | ||
|---|---|---|
| Group | No. aboard | Survival rate |
| Javanese passengers | 70 | 79% |
| Lascar crew | 92 | 78% |
| Saloon passengers | 26 | 19% |
| Steerage passengers | 75 | 86% |
| European officers | 15 | |
| Crew (other trades) | 14 | |
| Total | 292 | 54% |
The ship's cutter floated clear of the wreck and capsized, surrounded by a large group of Javanese and lascar seamen. Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
James Oates organised the baling of the cutter and it headed towards shore. Only one of the ship's lifeboats
Lifeboat (shipboard)
A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
survived: Number 1 starboard lifeboat controlled by third officer
Third Officer
Third Officer may refer to:*Third Officer , a rarely used rank in civil aviation companies*Third mate, a merchant marine rank*A rank in the Women's Royal Naval Service corresponding to Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy...
Thomas Babb. It was damaged and largely awash. As it headed toward shore it picked up more survivors including Captain Sanders. Around midnight the two boats came together and those aboard were placed on the nearest island. Captain Sanders then ordered the cutter to search for more survivors.
After spending a night and day without food and water on Little Adolphus Island the main group of ninety-eight survivors were rescued by the Albatross, that along with the Merrie England had been dispatched from Thursday Island's Port Kennedy.
The Albatross took soundings and located the rock thought responsible for the disaster, about half a mile from where the Quetta lay. Relics raised during salvage attempts months after the disaster, and later, can be found in the Quetta Memorial Church on Thursday Island, which was consecrated in 1893.
She now lies on her port side in 18 metres (59.1 ft) of water and is a protected historic shipwreck under Australia's Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976
Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976
The Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 is an Australian Act of Parliament designed to legally protect historic shipwrecks and any relics or artifacts from those wrecks...
.
Further reading
- The Wreck of the SS QUETTA, Hubert Hofer, 2004.
- "A Maritime History of Torres Strait", Sportdiving, No. 43, 1994.