Sagitta
1886-1899
86' x 21' x 7'; 84 tons
93539
Sagitta's fleet in 189_
Timeline
1887 [1886 in register, see below] built Gosford, Brisbane Water, NSW [WJ Woodward, builder; see below]
1887 bought by Walter R Mogg for pearling, WA; trading as Mogg & Co
Brisbane Courier 17 October 1888
October 16 (6 a.m) schooner Sagitta, from Cossack for Koepang, via Pearling grounds.
Brisbane Courier 6 Feb 1889
AT Cossack Police Court, on the 14th ult., Walter R. Mogg, master of the schooner Sagitta, was charged by Dr. Frizell with committing a breach of the 13th section of the Quarantine Act by permitting certain persons to quit his vessel at Roebuck Bay, on the 1st of December, 1888, before pratique had been granted. He was fined £10 and costs. Captain Mogg was also charged with landing at Roebuck Bay on the 21st of November, 1888, 103 men without having first delivered to the Chief Officer of Customs, a list containing all the particulars of the labourers, and the medical certificate in respect of them. Hs was fined £20 and costs.
1890 James Clark and PP Outridge admitted as partners; Mogg Outridge & Co [for luggers in fleet, see below: later these became Aladdin's fleet]
Brisbane Courier 19 March 1890
BUSINESS NOTICE. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the DISSOLUTION of the PARTNERSHIP hitherto existing between S. G. GREEN, of Sydney, and W. R. MOGG, of Broome, Western Australia, trading as PEARLERS under the name of MOGG & CO. Broome, 1st June, 1889. ----------------------- W. R. MOGG and J. CLARK have this day entered into PARTNERSHIP as TRADERS and PEARLERS. The business will be carried on with the schooner Sagitta and luggers connected with her, under the style of MOGG & CO. Broome, 1st June, 1889. ----------------------- PERCY PITMAN OATRIDGE (sic) has this day been admitted as a PARTNER, and the business will in future be carried on under the name of MOGG, OATRIDGE & CO. Camden Harbour, 5th February; 19 March 1890.
1891 Sagitta and fleet to Thursday Island
16 Jan 1891 Brisbane Courier
ARRIVAL OF PEARLING VESSELS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA. [By Telegraph from our Correspondent Thursday Island, Jan. 15. A telegram states Mr. Mogg, of Bridge & Company, has arrived from Western Australia, with the schooner Sagitta, and five luggers. Mr. Geo. Smith is bringing eight luggers, with which to continue pearling at Thursday Island.
Brisbane Courier 25 March 1893
PEARLING FLEET IN A GALE. For some time past the North-west fleet, with a number of the Thursday Island fleet, in all 160 boats, havo boen working on what the shellers term a new patch in tho vicinity of Princess Charlotte Bay (says the Torres Straits Pilot). On the 23rd February the wind steadily freshened from the north-west, veering round to the north-east, but during the after- noon went back again to the north-west. With rain squalls and a falling barometer, late in the evening a large number of the small boats could be seen running for the Flinders Group. Tho wind lulled somewhat during tho night, but the sea kept up. On Wednesday it was blowing a north-west gale, and every one of the luggers put for the Flinders as fast as possible, all under reefed sails. At 9 a.m. tho barometer stood at 29.32. The wind increased in force and veered to the westward until 11 a.m., when it suddenly changed to south-west and blow with cyclonic force until 5 p.m. It then lulled off with light winds and fine clear sky. The boats were all more or less damaged. The Waratah suffered the most, she having two planks on her starboard side stove in. Only for this place of shelter some of the boats must undoubtedly have foundered. The schooner Olive reported that Captain Mogg and Mr. J. Bond with a boat's crew were missing, and every boat that could hoist a sail went out in search. All fears were, however, soon set at rest by Captain Mogg sailing in with the Sagitta at 10 a.m. Later in the day the schooner Sketty Belle arrived, bringing tho whole fleet together again. The Myrtle and the Hygeia, from New Guinea to Cooktown, fell into tho same cyclone on the 24th February. The Myrtle lost sails, boats, and bulwarks, etc., to the value of about £250, while the Hygeia got out of it with abont £70 worth of damage. The Myrtle had a particularly rough time of it.
1894 [?1896: see link; Mogg left in 1894] Edwin Munro became managing partner; Munro Outridge & Co
Brisbane Courier 27 June 1896
TO be SOLD, pursuant to a judgment of the Supreme Court of Queensland, made in an action James Clark, Percival Pitman Outridge, Edwin Munro, and Horace Bonar Munro, versus William Robert Mogg, with the appro- bation of the Judge, by Messrs ISLES, LOVE, & COMPANY, the persons ap- pointed by His Honour Mr. Justice Cooper, at their Auction Mart, Queen street, Brisbane, on SATURDAY, the Twenty-fifth day of July, 1896, at Eleven o' clock In the forenoon, in Five Lots : Lot 1. - The SCHOONER SAGITTA, of 83 tons registered tonnage, registered at the Port of Sydney, No. 93539, with all her appurtenances, equipment, sails, rigging, and gear (except diving gear, boats, guns, arms, and ammunition). Lot 2. - STORES and DIVING GEAR on board the above Schooner Lot 3. - The KETCHES Evelyn, Vagabond, Nina, Pegasus, Clyanthus, Baronia (sic), Lurline (sic), Marie, May, Morag, Iris, and Wallaroo, with all their sails, appurtenances, equipment, boats, rigging, and gear complete ; together with the gear, rations, and stores on board the above vessels. The gear includes Twenty-four Diving Dresses complete, Twelve Pumps with gear complete. The above Ketches are at present trading at and around Thursday Island and in the waters of Northern Queensland. Lot 4. - BOOK DEBTS of the late Firm, if any, unrealised at date of sale Lot 5 - ALLOTMENT of FREEHOLD LAND at Thursday Island, containing a Quarter of an Acre, being western half of Allotment 9, Section 9, County of Somerset, Parish Port Kennedy, and being the whole of the land, comprised in Certificate of Title No.N113428: volume 728, folio 168. Particulars and Conditions of Sale may be had at any time gratis of Mr. EDWIN MUNRO, of Thursday Island,the receiver in the above action, and of Messrs. UNMACK & FOX, the plaintiffs' Solicitors, Queen-street, Brisbane; and of the Auctioneers, at their Mart, Queen-street, Brisbane, at any time prior to the sale, and also at the time and place of sale. Dated this Nineteenth day of June, 1896. (LS.) W. A. DOUGLAS, Deputy Registrar. UNMACK & FOX, Queen-street, Brisbane, Solicitors for the Plaintiffs.
23 October 1896, 24 March 1897
Munro & Outridge bought out Mogg's assets
1897
Decided to replace with larger vessel. Aladdin purchased 30 March 1897. Sagitta sent to Brisbane for sale.
Brisbane Courier Fri 11 June; then 8 July 1897; 13, 14, 17, 20, 27 July; 7, 10, 12 August 1897
--------------------- FOR SALE The Top-sail Schooner SAGITTA. 84 Tons Register. In Good Order. BRYDON, JONES, & CO. --------------------- FOR SALE -Schooner SAGITTA, 84 Tons Register. Fast sailer. Built expressly for Timber Trade. Large Carrier on light draught. In first-class order. BRYDON, JONES, & CO. ---------------------
Brisbane Courier 13 August 1897
Sagitta, schooner, from Thursday Island, arrived and anchored inside of Cape Moreton yesterday morning.
Brisbane Courier 14 August 1897
August 13. SAGITTA, schooner, from Thursday Island, Brydon, Jones, and Co., agents.
Ca June 1898
Sagitta bought 'after some months' by the Outridge Bros and James Clark: called The Sagitta Pearling Co. 'Nine months in this ownership' [as she sank in March 1899 must therefore have been bought at latest June 1898]
1899
The schooner "Sagitta' 84 tons, James Clark, Outridge Bros., and other owners, Captain R. B. Murray, Alfred St. John Outridge, managing partner, Harold Arthur Outridge and Robert Cameron also on board, with a crew of 14 coloured men. Of the fleet of 10 luggers, 9 were anchored near—viz., Here's Luck, Kathleen, Estelle, Zoe, Zanoni, Zephyr, Sea Breeze, Nellie, and Sybil, Manned by 55 coloured men. The Mabel, another lugger belonging to this fleet, was not in the hurricane, having been undergoing repairs at Goode Island, and being at the time just on the northern edge of the cyclone. (Outridge memorial 1899
1899 Sagitta lost Cape Melville. Her luggers at that time:
Lost: Kathleen, Estelle, Zanoni, Zoe Wrecked, refloated: Zephyr, Here's Luck, Sea-breeze, Nellie, Sybil
(Source: 'Pearling Disaster 1899' [note: some of the timelines given in this do not fit the newspaper reports above; some dates too early])
Brisbane Courier 15 May 1899
THE LATE HURRICANE. LETTER FROM MR. JAMES CLARK. In a letter received from Mr. James Clark, dated Thursday Island, 1st instant, that gentleman says: You will have observed that Constable Kenny and his troopers buried thirty-seven bodies in the Cape Melville timber district,and the blacks must have passed those bodies going to and coming from the Flinders. On the other side of their camp at Cape Mel- ville my men and myself found and buried seven bodies, one of whom we had every reason to believe was the master of the lightship. Although they did not bury all the bodies they knew were cast ashore, they behaved very well indeed, and no doubt it is unreasonable altogether to expect that they should bury any body that may be wrecked. Wreckage, principally cabin and deck fittings of the lightship, can be found from Cape Melville to the bottom of Bathurst Bay, and on Boulder Rocks, and if any one had looked ashore they would have found it. Seeing that the range of hurricanes ex- tends at least 2deg. more to the northward than was generally supposed, it would be well, in my opinion, if the authorities altered the lightships so that they could be thor- oughly well battened down to exclude any water from getting below, and thus prevent a repetition of the disaster to the Channel Rock Lightship on the 6th March last. I hope this will be done this year. With reference to the disaster to the fleets at Bathurst Bay, their position was a most unfortunate one. It afforded perfect shelter from south-east winds to vessels of light draught, but when the hurricane came in from the north-west they were all on a dead lee shore In shallow water, with the larger vessels probably thumping on the bottom in the hollow of the sea, which was a raging mass of breakers two miles outside of the place the boats anchored in. Many of the boats' clocks stopped between 3 and 4, show- ing that they lived through most of the worst part, but the change of wind putting them on a lee shore brought about their destruction. The only vessel saved of the forty anchored in that place dragged into deep water, and this proves that a lightship or other vessel with good ground tackle properly battened down could safely ride out a hurricane such as that experienced. We recovered ten of the forty vessels lost by us. These were minus sails, masts, part of the pumping gear, and all more or less damaged. We found many others in three fathoms water, broken up and past repairing. Others were on the rocks, or on the beach, broken up into little pieces. The schooners Silvery Wave and Sagitta were broken up, and their wreckage strewn along the beach for miles. The Government, by their action in sending the steamers Victory, Warrego, and White Star, and in doing all they could in other ways to succour and assist those in distress, deserve the thanks of us all, and we are very grateful to them for doing all that could be done under the circumstances.
Munro family papers show letterhead of Mogg Outridge & Co fleet dated '189_' based on schooner Sagitta, with 11 luggers attendant:
† Boronia Clyanthus † Evelyn Iris Lubline † Marie May Morag † Nina Pegasus Vagabond † = also in list of Ariel's fleet at time of sale: 1916
SAGITTA | 4/5 March 1899 | Bathurst Bay | Schooner | Schooner lost during cyclone on 4 and 5 March 1899. Lost at anchor with her fleet of 9 luggers. Altogether, 54 luggers were sunk, 12 were wrecked or driven ashore, 5 large schooners lost, while 295 Aboriginal and 11 white sailors were lost during this cyclone.
http://web.aanet.com.au/bender/Ships%20named%20from%20R_S.htmMaster of schooner = Murray; died in hurricane
Source: Brisbane Courier 13 March 1899Name: Sagitta Later names {also Sail or Rego or Fishing No}: {A102} Material: Wood Rig: 2mst Sch~tps Rig changes & identification codes:
Type: Pearling Propulsion: Sail Designer: Year built: 1886/01 Yard or Job No: Builder: Woodward, William James Where built: Green Point,Brisbane Water,NSW Engines: Boilers/Gearing: Official Number: 93539 IMO Number: Dimensions (ft)— Length: 86.400002 Breadth: 21.700001 Depth: 7.0999999
Volumetric 'tonnage' measurements (1 ton = 100 cubic ft): Gross: 84 Underdeck: 84 Net: 84 Decks:
Mori FlapanDeck Erections: Number of funnels &location: 0 Number of bulkheads: Tanks, etc: Freeboard: Stem: Figurehead: Stern: PORTS and owners: SYDNEY '87 William R. Mogg: b92 Wm. Robt. Mogg & Jas. Clark: BRISBANE '98 b99 Percival P. Outridge & James Munro Fate/Status— Year: 1899/03/05 Type: Missing Details: Anchors dragged in cyclone 'Mahina' in Bathurst Bay, Cape Melville, Qld History and details: 1886/01/09 launched. Pearling mother ship. Sydney No.1 of 1887. Brisbane No.2 of 1898. 1899/03/04 anchored at Bathurst Bay with fleet of 10 luggers, lost with all hands, life buoy picked up 160 km down the coast. References (see http://www.boatregister.net/RANZS_References.htm): Aswd:Dun2:Jos1:Ker2:Mas1:MCH1:Mcl2:Mcp1:Naa1:Qsw1:Ranzs92 Weblink: Research notes: One ref sys b99 Jas.Clark &Outridge Bros (sic?) A PROBATE APPLICATION. The application for probate of the Will of Robert Brown Murray, master of the schooner Sagitta, which was adjourned by his Honour Mr. Justice Real on 20th instant for further evidence in proof of the death of the testator, came before his Honour again on Monday. The testator was supposed to have lost his life during the recent hurricane in the Torres Straits, when so many pearl shelling boats were wrecked. Mr. S. Pritchard, who appeared for the surviving executor, Thos. Lee, now read two additional affidavits. In one of these, by Captain Field Porter, of the schooner Crest of the Wave, the deponent stated that he was anchored near the Sagitta just before the hurricane arose, and he saw Captain Murray on board. Under stress of the storm they parted company, and the Sagitta was wrecked. Captain Porter subsequently made a search for some eight weeks, but could find no trace of Murray. Mr. J. Clark, from whom the second affidavit had been obtained, stated that he knew Murray was on board the Sagitta at the time of the hurricane, and that he had made a search among his own pearlshelling fleet, but had found no trace of the deceased. His Honour expressed himself as satisfied with the evidence of death, and granted probate of the will accordingly. captain porter brisbane courier1899