Ladas

Official Number ?????

The Ladas was a barque built by Ritson & Co.at Maryport in 1894, and named after a racehorse that had won the Derby. She was operated by the Ritson company and commanded on her maiden voyage by Capt.Tom Messenger. It was his first command, having previously served as first mate in the Dunboyne. The maiden voyage was from Maryport to Corral, Chile, and the barque then sailed to Newcastle, NSW, in ballast. After initially heading west across the Pacific, light winds eventually forced the barque to turn east and take the route past Cape Horn.

From the West Cumberland Times - Saturday, 1st June 1895 :

 THE BARQUE LADAS - EXPERIENCE AMONG ICE

The barque Ladas, a new steel vessel on her first voyage, has arrived at Newcastle, New South Wales, from Corral (Chile). When leaving the ways at Maryport, the vessel refused to take the water, and a week was occupied in inducing her to enter her future element. The vessel is now but eight months out from home, and during that time, especially on the run to Newcastle, she has had an exciting experience, as will be seen from Captain Messenger's report, which is as follows :-

"Left Corral on February 7th with a fresh south-west breeze, which increased to a hard gale, and continued so until next day, when it moderated to a fresh breeze, still keeping from the south-west. On the third day it died out after the ship had run over 550 miles. A fresh breeze then sprang up from the north-west, and we bore away south for Cape Horn. On the 14th, seven days out, crossed the latitude of Corral. Cape Horn was passed on the 15th day out, and we signalled the barque Inversnaid, from Melbourne for London, 34 days out. On March 1st, in lat. 52deg.52min. south, long. 29deg. 22min. west, at 8 a. m., discovered ice. We hauled the ship up to the south-east, and stood on until 10 a.m. Then found the ice to be one continuous field, with mountains at apparently the extreme ends of it, for at least 10 miles. We steered in various directions, but at 7 p.m. found we were sailing right into another bay, as ice was all around. After running about 60 miles in a circuitous course to get clear of the ice, the vessel only succeeded in running into another bay. Up to 47 deg. south and 42 deg. east the vessel was sailing through ice and frequently came into collission with small bergs which did some slight damage. An anxious and trying time was spent by those on board, all of whom attribute the safe arrival of the ship to the true seamanship displayed by the captain. From the parallel of the Cape to the Leuwin, which was passed on April 2nd in 49 deg. south, we had fine west-north-west to west-south-west winds, and for several nights, with a strong west-south-west wind, the sky to the south was quite illuminated with the southern lights. We tried to get north for Bass Straights, but on reaching the parallel of the southern points of Tasmania, the wind came out north, then north-north-east and north-east, and drove us south again. The breeze, increasing to a strong gale. Lasted for two days and a half, putting us on the parallel of the south-west cape on the 8th, just 60 days out and 24 days from the parallel of the cape. The wind then shifted to the north-west, with a violent squall, thunder, and lightning, and then to the west. Cape Pillar was sighted on the evening of the 9th. All day on the 10th the light air kept from the south with bright clear weather, at noon Tasmanian land being visible fully 45 to 50 miles off. On Friday sighted Cape St. George ahead and at 2 p.m. had the lighthouse abeam, and at 8 o'clock had Sydney Head light abeam, having for a six hours' run covered a distance of 80 miles. Broken Bay light was passed at 10 p. m., the ship being under her maintop sails. At midnight winded to the eastward until 2 a.m. Saturday, and back to westward until 4 a.m. The gale had moderated and the sea fallen very much, so that at 4 a.m., having only a moderate to light breeze, we bore away for Nobbys light, and sighted it at half-past. Freshening with the daylight decided to run in near enough to make out the signal. Finding the bar dangerous hauled to the wind to reach out east. After beating about the vessel reached the harbour yesterday."

The Ladas was launched from the yard of Messrs. Ritson, Maryport, in August last year and pronounced by sea-faring men to be a fine lined vessel and likely to be a swift sailor. Information to hand from the captain fully proves that they were correct in their surmises. He states that she is an excellent sea going vessel and frequently during the voyage she covered from 14 to 15 knots per hour, and made remarkably smart passages from port to port. She is commanded by Capt. Messenger, of Crosby, and has a Maryport crew on board.

From Paul Jones "Seaside Notes" column in the same newspaper :

Messrs Ritson's barque Ladas has had an eventful voyage, having encountered terrific weather. However she behaved splendidly through it all, and this speaks well for the reputation of her owners as shipbuilders. When the vessel was launched she was greatly admired by the spectators, and the general opinion was that she would be a fast sailer. This opinion has been confirmed, as she has sailed, in favourable weather of course, from 14 to 15 knots per hour. When she left the port with a cargo of steel rails, a steamer was almost laden with a similar cargo and bound for the same place. The captain of the steamer stated he would arrive before the Ladas although he would be later in sailing. The Ladas, however, beat the other by a fortnight, which speaks volumes for her sea-worthiness. Messrs.Ritson are at present building two more vessels.

Capt.Messenger left to take command of the Midas and was replaced by Capt.Robert Dixon in 1896, who took the barque from Liverpool to Honolulu, then to San Francisco. Capt.W.A.Nelson, who had retired after finishing his command of the Acamas, then came out of retirement in August 1907 and took the vessel to Callao. He had to put into Montevideo before rounding Cape Horn, as his first mate, the only other navigator aboard, became deranged. Eventually the vessel made it to the Chilean port, and then loaded a return nitrate cargo at Taltal. The Ladas returned to Antwerp but failed to find a further cargo. After being laid up for nine months she was sold in 1909 to Norwegian owners (see Source 2).

The Ladas was wrecked at Hirtshals, Denmark on the 24th December 1923 (see Source 3).
 

Sources :

1. The maiden voyage of the Ladas is described in "Dear Daughter: the Messenger Letters" by Graham Hindle. The book includes a photo of a painting of the vessel.
2. The career of the Ladas under Capt.W.A.Nelson is described in detail in the book "Master of Cape Horn" by Hugh Falkus, which includes a sail plan of the vessel.
3. "Ships of West Cumberland" by Desmond G.Sythes (first published 1969, republished by The Friends of Whitehaven Museum, 1992) - information from Sheila Cartwright.
4. Report from West Cumberland Times transcribed by Keith Oglanby and posted to Rootsweb Cumberland-L List.