Ozama’s Miscellaneous Voyages as Craigallion

 

Travels of a Steamer

Glasgow to Jamaica

“The steamer Craigallion, from Glasgow, arrived at this port (Kingston, Jamaica) on Saturday (December 10, 1881), after a long passage of 27 days, caused from the very severe weather which she experienced.” She was also shown as the steamer “Craigallion, McDowell, Hankey & Company.” John C. Fegan and Iles advertised “Hhds. P. and A. Blacks Porter” and “200 large sacks Liverpool salt” for sale “Ex S.S. Craigallion,”[1] (meaning cargo was being advertised as “sold direct from” the steamer).

From Icebergs to the Tropics

“Among The Icebergs — Speaking of the experience of the steamship Craigallion, which arrived from Glasgow Thursday (probably May 11, 1882), after an eighteen days passage, the mate said: ‘The rapidity of the changes from a sweltering summer’s heat to an Arctic frost caused no little amazement. ‘Icebergs on the starboard bow’ hailed by the lookout, followed by the report of others being seen, explained the mystery. Right in the track of vessels were seen monstrous mountains of ice, some of them pure white, others perceptibly marked by strong veins of blue. They were of various sizes, and with the field of ice, extended many miles. The sea broke against them, forcing torrents of spray up their sides. The sun had melted the upper parts of many of them into the most fanciful shapes, resembling crags, cliffs, and castles. Streams of water in picturesque cascades were flowing down into the sea, The huge masses seemed to be moving to the southeast, The vessel passed near enough to distinguish plainly the noise of the waves as they broke against the rugged sides of the bergs.”[2]

Kingston, Jamaica

The steamer “Craigallion (British) F. Correoso & Co.” was listed in the “Shipping Intelligence” section of the November 6, 1883, issue of the Gleaner, Kingston, Jamaica, under the heading of “Vessels in Port.”[3] She was again listed the same way on December 27, 1883, [4], December 29, 1883,[5] and January 2, 1884.[6]

A Death Aboard Ship

“The steamer Craigallion, Capt. Lapsley, arrived here (Kingston, Jamaica) from Colon (Panama) on Monday (December 24, 1883) morning, and brought 40 passengers, one of whom— a woman—died in sight of land. On the vessel coming up the harbor the body was taken possession of by her relatives.”[7] The “Shipping Intelligence” section of the same paper shows the British steamer Craigallion as arrived at Kingston, “8 days, Colon, ballast, F. Correnzo & Co.”

Jamaica to Baltimore

“The steamer Craigallion left this (meaning the port of Kingston, Jamaica) yesterday afternoon (January 2, 1884) for Baltimore.”[8]

Baltimore to Kingston

The steamer Craigallion, Captain Lapsley, arrived at Kingston, Jamaica, 7 days from Baltimore, on January 23, 1884, in “ballast, F. Coreoso & Co.”[9]

New Orleans for Livingston

On November 24, 1884, the Craigalion (sic) was reported at New Orleans as cleared “for Livingston.”[10]

Jamaica to New Orleans

“The str. Craigalion (sic) left Port Maria (Jamaica) on 4th instant (February 4, 1885) for New Orleans.”[11]

Sources

[1] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), December 12, p. 2, c. 1, 3, 5; December 13, 1881, p. 3, c. 4
[2] Salt Lake Daily Tribune, (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA), May 14, 1882, p. 6, c. 2 “Among The Icebergs” (from the New York Sun)
[3] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), November 6, 1883, p. 2, c. 3
[4] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), December 27, 1883, p. 2, c. 3
[5] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), December 29, 1883, p. 2, c. 3
[6] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), January 2, 1884, p. 2, c. 3
[7] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), December 26, 1883, p. 2, c. 3, 4
[8] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), January 3, 1884, p. 2, c. 4
[9] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), January 26, 1884, p. 2, c. 3
[10] St. Paul Daily Globe, (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA), Volume 7, #330, November 25, 1884, p. 5, c. 4
[11] The Daily Gleaner and DeCordova’s Advertising Sheet, (Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica), February 17, 1885, p. 2, c. 1 “Sailed from Outports”

More on the SS Ozama, Ex-Craigallion

Information on: Discovery of the Ozama
Information on: Construction & physical details
Information on: Steam engine and machinery
Information on: Towing history
Information on: Smuggling guns
Information on: Seizure & release
Information on: Miscellaneous Voyages
Information on: Wrecked in the Bahamas
Information on: Re-flagging as American steamship
Information on: Wrecked off Cape Romain, SC
Information on: The shipwreck as it is today
(private not currently available to general public)
Information on: Shipping money
(private not currently available to general public)

Image Files Relating to Shipwreck Ozama

Images: Sidescan images of Ozama wreck site
Images: Photos of artifacts found on the Ozama
(private not currently available to general public)
Images: Photos of people and work in progress
(private not currently available to general public)
Images: Maps & charts relating to Ozama’s history
(private not currently available to general public)
Images: Archaeological and technical drawings
(private not currently available to general public)

Ownership of Salvaged Gold & Artifacts

The above posts all deal with the steamer Ozama, which was shipwrecked off Cape Romain, South Carolina in 1894 and discovered and identified by underwater archaeologist Dr. E. Lee Spence in 1979 and 2013 respectively. He also discovered other abandoned wreckage in the same general vicinity. In 2012, the Federal District Court ruled that Spence was the “true and exclusive owner of the abandoned wreckage” (which includes the Ozama and all of the other shipwrecks that he had found in the specific area designated in his court filing), which means he is already the legal owner of any and all shipwreck gold, silver, cannons, hulls, engines, rigging, and other artifacts on those wrecks. To learn more about shipwrecks in general, check out Spence’s page on Facebook.


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