The vessel
The SS Orizaba was built by the Barrow Ship Building Company for
the Pacific Steam Navigation Company and was used for the Royal Mail service.
Designed for the fast trade, the vessel was considered to be a great improvement
on existing designs. It had three decks, was fitted with a triple-expansion
engine of 7 000 hp and was capable of a speed of 14 knots. The vessel could
carry 126 first-class, 154 second-class and 400 steerage-class passengers.
It was one of a number of vessels that established the tradition of Orient
Line ships on the Australia run and had names that began with 'O'. Detailed
plans of the vessel are available and reprinted in Engineering, October
8, 1886.
On 15 February 1905 SS Orizaba was 529.1 kilometres (286 nautical
miles) south of Rottnest Island, under the command of Captain Archer. The
following day thick haze was hanging over a calm sea and the vessel was
on a course toward Fremantle of south 70° east, at a speed of 14 knots.
Aboard the vessel were 160 passengers and 2 500 tons of general cargo. By
9 a.m. on the 16 th Rottnest Island had still not been sighted. When land
was sighted through the haze it was taken to be Buckland Hill, lying to
the north of Fremantle. At 11.20 a.m. breakers were seen off the starboard
side and when the haze lifted land could be seen on both sides of the vessel,
although Fremantle was nowhere in sight. The ship was stopped and soundings
taken all around which indicated a depth of between 6 and 8 fathoms. A new
course was steered as the vessel sought the open sea (Wolfe, 1986:2).
The wreck event
Just as the passengers were preparing for lunch SS Orizaba came
to a sudden halt, grounding on Five Fathom Bank. The engines were immediately
put full astern but the vessel stuck fast with its midship section resting
on a sand and limestone outcrop. Message of the wreck reached the harbour-master
and the tug Gannett arrived and took the passengers off, together
with the luggage and mail. The remaining crew and Captain Archer were all
off the vessel by 21 February.
Salvage
Salvage operations were begun immediately. The engine room had been flooded
but the holds had remained dry. On Friday, 18 February, 875 tons of dry
cargo had been removed from the wreck. On the following Monday, however,
the watertight bulkheads gave way and further salvage had to be undertaken
by divers
On 28 February an auction of the cargo was held. Items included 60 cases
of drapery, one case of electrical goods, 9 cases of merchandise and one
case of bicycles. Machinery, varnish, chemicals, glassware, books and tea
were also sold. The goods fetched £1 600.
Examination of the hull revealed that it would be a difficult process
to get the vessel off and the representative for the underwriters thought
there were insufficient resources within Western Australia to attempt such
a full salvage operation. In 1907 the remains of the hull were still visible
on the reef top.
The remains of the vessel were sold at auction for £3 750 and the
remaining cargo for £500. The present owner of the site is R. S. Barnett,
who purchased the wreck in 1970. He recovered the ship's bell in the same
year. |
Inquiry
At the inquiry into the stranding Captain Archer was charged with having
committed an error of judgement in attempting to take the vessel over Five
Fathom Bank. He was censored and ordered to pay half the cost of the inquiry
although the court noted that the haze and strong current had contributed
to the wrecking.
Site location
The site is on Five Fathom Bank between Cape Peron and Garden Island.
Site description
The wreck lies with its bow out to sea on a north-west by south-west
axis, in a depth of water ranging from 4 to 7 metres. Parts of the site
come within 3 metres of the surface. The area is subject to heavy swell
and diving conditions on the site can be hazardous. Three boilers are still
intact although one is gradually losing its shell. The boilers are the most
imposing feature on the site with the crank-shaft and conrods lying exposed
on the reef top.
The vessel's floors are still evident although all plating upwards of
the bilge has disintegrated. In the midship section the steering gear remains
obvious (McCarthy, 1980c:1).
Statement of significance
Historical and technical
The wreck site is of historical significance as the remains of a vessel
involved in the transference of mail from London to Albany, and it was owned
and run by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. It is representative of
many general cargo and pasenger vessels operating in the trade to Australia
during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The vessel's design is
of particular significance. At the time of its construction it incorporated
several new features including the triple-expansion engine. A type of steel
known as 'Siemens Steel' was used in the construction of the boilers.
Archaeological
Detailed plans of the vessel were made at the time of its construction.
However, examination of the remains could lead to a re-evaluation of the
historical record. The site could also be viewed in comparison to the remains
of wrecks of similar design found in other parts of Australia including
Gulf of Carpentaria, which sank at Wilsons Promontory in 1885, Catterthun
which sank in 1887 off Seal Rocks in New South Wales and Riverina,
wrecked off Ram Head, Gabo Island in 1887.
References
Engineering, October 8, 1886.
McCarthy, M., 1980c, SS Orizaba, unpub. Wreck Inspection Report, Department of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Maritime Museum, no report number.
Wolfe, A. 1986, SS Orizaba, Graduate Diploma Course in Maritime Archaeology Report, Department of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Maritime Museum.
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