Aracan

Official Number
1080

The Aracan was a full-rigged ship built by Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank at Bransty, Whitehaven, launched on the 14th April 1854. She traded exclusively to China and India, most often to Calcutta, for the Brocklebank Line, and was one of the fastest of the vessels built at Whitehaven. Her masters are were Capt.Adamson (1854-5, to China and Bombay), Capts.G.Wise, Howe and Selkirk (1856-8, all to Calcutta), Capt.Selkirk (1858-63, to Calcutta), Capt.T.Potts (1864-8, to Calcutta), Capt.Jones  (1869-70, to Calcutta and China) and Capt.Harwood (to China in 1872).

The Aracan was lost after collision with a steamship on the 9th March 1874. She was outward bound from London for Singapore and Hong Kong, and collided with the steamship American sixteen miles off Portland Bill. Both vessels were damaged, and after drifting apart the sailing ship began to sink. The crew were taken off by the Union Co. steamship Syria, which took them, with the American in tow, to Southampton. The master of the Aracan was Capt.Charles Harwood, and no lives were lost on the Brocklebank ship.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Aracan
1854
864 
186.5 
32.0 
21.6 
3 
 
 
14 years A1 

Sources :

  1. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984)
  2. "From Cumberland to Cape Horn" by D.Hollett.
  3. "Brocklebanks 1770-1950, Volume 1" by John Frederic Gibson (1953) - includes photograph of a painting of this vessel.
  4. Mercantile Navy List 1857: Aracan, official number 1080, signal letters HGMW, port of registry Liverpool.
  5. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1873-4: Aracan, ship, 788 tons, built at Whitehaven in 1854, F&YM in 1874, official number 1080, owned by Brocklebank, registered at Liverpool, master Capt.C.Harwood, voyages Singapore - London and London - China.
  6. Loss reported in the Liverpool Mercury, 10th March 1874.