Yatala (clipper ship) explained

Yatala was a British clipper ship that was built in England in 1865 and wrecked on the north coast of France in 1872. She spent her seven-year career with Anderson, Thomson and Co's Orient Line, sailing between London and South Australia.

Until the advent of in 1875, Yatala was arguably the fastest ship on the route.[1] Her only master was Captain John Legoe, previously of Celestial and .[2]

Building

Thomas Bilbe built Yatala at Rotherhithe on the River Thames, completing her in July 1865. She was a composite ship of, length, breadth, and depth .[3]

Anderson, Thomson and Co registered her in London. Her United Kingdom official number was 52737 and her code letters were HRKF.[4]

Career

The great race

On the eve of departure of Yatala for England after her second voyage to Port Adelaide it became clear that, a similar though somewhat smaller vessel, was to leave on the same day, and would most likely make a race out of it. Crowds of spectators made their way to Port Adelaide; supporters of Captain Legoe and Yatala staying at one hotel and those of Captain Bruce and City of Adelaide another. Yatala got away at 6 a.m. on 27 December 1866 but City of Adelaide was delayed some five hours due to some oversight.[5]

The pair were evenly matched, and at the Cape of Good Hope the difference had was only three hours,[6] but the larger Yatala reached The Downs a day ahead of City of Adelaide which lost a further day getting to the docks.[7] This was David Bruce's last voyage in command of City of Adelaide; he was succeeded by his son John Bruce.[8]

The seven voyages of Yatala

Year. Left Plymouth Arrived Adelaide Days Out
1865 4 August 27 October 84
1866 2 August 14 October 73
1867 10 August 15 October 66
1868 9 July 24 September 77
1869 7 August 23 October 77
1870 11 August 26 October 78
1871 6 July 2 October. 88

End of Yatala

On 18 December 1871, Yatala left Port Adelaide in company with the Elder Line clipper, which she beat to Cape Horn by a day. Beltana arrived in London safely after a tedious light weather run from the line, but Yatala ran ashore near Cap Gris-Nez shortly after midnight on 27 March 1872, when almost in sight of home.It seems that in the heavy weather that prevailed at the time Captain Legoe mistook the Cap Gris-Nez light for that of Beachy Head on the other side of the Channel. There were no deaths or injuries, the passengers sheltering at the nearby town of Audresselles. Much of the valuable cargo (mostly wool) was saved, but the ship subsequently broke up and was totally lost. The Board of Enquiry found Captain Legoe fully responsible but in view of his long and faultless service and high character, was given the relatively light sentence of six months suspension of his certificate.[9]

Legoe supervised the construction of at Greenock, Scotland, completed 1873, as a replacement for Yatala, subsequently serving as her master.[10]

Other vessels named Yatala

Yatala was also the name of:

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Well-known Clippers . . Adelaide . XCIII . 27,030 . 3 April 1928 . 10 April 2017 . 11 . Trove.
  2. News: Some famous Clipper Ships of Olden Days . . LXXVIII . 5,841 . Adelaide . 1 January 1921 . 5 April 2017 . 26 . Trove.
  3. Web site: Yatala . Shipping and Shipbuilding . Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust . 24 May 2022.
  4. Book: Mercantile Navy List . 1871 . London . Crew List Index Project . 24 May 2022.
  5. News: Sailing of Ships for England . . XXX . 6289 . Adelaide . 29 December 1866 . 3 April 2017 . 6 . Trove.
  6. News: Talk on the Flags . . XXV . 1333 . Adelaide . 20 April 1867 . 4 April 2017 . 2 . Trove.
  7. News: The Ocean Race . . XXV . 1342 . Adelaide . 22 June 1867 . 4 April 2017 . 2 (Supplement to the Adelaide Observer.) . Trove.
  8. Web site: Bruce, John - I2005 . City of Adelaide History and Genealogy . 9 August 2018 . 9 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180809025254/http://cityofadelaide.org/wiki/Bruce,_John_-_I2005 . dead .
  9. News: Loss of the Yatala . . Adelaide . 2 July 1872 . 4 April 2017 . 3 . Trove.
  10. Book: Apollonio, Spencer . The Last of the Cape Horners . Potomac Books . Washington, D.C. . 2000 . 978-1-57488-283-4 . 255.
  11. News: Loss of the government schooner Yatala . . XXIX . 5706 . Adelaide . 13 February 1865 . 11 April 2017 . 3 . Trove.
  12. Web site: The Names of Adelaide, South Australia . Pocket Oz Guide to Australia . 18 October 2021.
  13. Web site: War schooner 'Yatala' built at Port Adelaide for South Australian government; from 1848, does surveys, rescues . 19 June 2024 . Adelaide AZ.
  14. Web site: Journal of Edward Dowsett . 19 June 2024 . State Library of South Australia.
  15. News: Arrival of the Tug Yatala . . XXXV . 1911 . Adelaide . 18 May 1878 . 11 April 2017 . 20 . Trove.
  16. News: Steam to Sail: an Old Tug's Conversion . . I . 68 . Adelaide . 10 October 1923 . 11 April 2017 . 9 . Trove.
  17. News: Concerning People . . LXXXII . 21,923 . Adelaide . 13 February 1917 . 11 April 2017 . 4 . Trove.