Illustration of J.P. Corry. Image Credit: Wikipedia
The British government officially dissolves the East India Company, cementing the control of the British Raj over India. In Britain, Belfast shipping magnate J.P. Corry joins the Lower House of Parliament, giving him an opportunity to shape British policy in India. He commissions Belfast shipbuilders Harland & Wolff to build him a massive sailing ship, capable of exporting India’s resources. Harland & Wolff launch the Star of Bengal, their largest ship for J.P. Corry yet.
“On Saturday was launched from the extensive iron shipbuilding yard of Messrs. Harland and Wolff, Belfast, the largest sailing ship which was ever built in Ireland, and one of the largest of the kind afloat. She is for the firm of Misters J.P. Corry and Company, of Belfast, and is the ninth of the splendid fleet of vessels which they have engaged in the London and Calcutta trade. Her name is the Star of Bengal.”
1893
Independent canneries throughout southeast Alaska agree to stop competing, and start working together. They form the Alaska Packer’s Association. For the first thirty years, its president is Henry Fortmann, the scion of a Scan Francisco beer family.
1899
Flag of Republic of Hawaii. Image Credit: Wikipedia
After years of sailing trade routes around the world for J.P. Corry & Co., the Star of Bengal is sold to San Francisco businessman, J.J. Smith and relocated to the Hawaiian Islands. Shortly after arriving in Hawaii, the Republic of Hawaii falls, and the United States annexes the Hawiian Islands.
In Wrangell, Tlingit fishermen appeal to the Governor of Alaska for help. They accuse Jacob Babbler, the superintendent of the Alaska Packer’s Association cannery in Wrangell of seizing traditional Tlingit fishing grounds.
“…J. Babler claims he owns the place and want to keep the other Indians away from there. J. Babler tried to buy it from Aaron, provided Aaron keep all the other Indians away from the salmon creek; that Aaron would not do so, the troubles come in. J. Babler break and saw down Aaron’s fence and got in on Aaron’s garden, using it for camp ground…. We Indians of Wrangell can say this much, that we never tried to keep any white man away from fishing in the creeks; they have always fished every place; but when they tried to keep us out and try to take the ground away from us, we think we have right to kick.”
1900
By an act of Congress, the Star of Bengal becomes a registered vessel of the United States of America.
“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioner of Navigation is hereby authorized and directed to cause the foreign-built ship Star of Italy and foreign-built ship Star of Bengal, owned by citizens of the United States or citizens of Hawaii, to be registered as vessels of the United States.”
June 6, 1900 Compilation of the Acts of Congress
1906
Alaska Packers fleet, Oakland Harbor, Oakland, CA, 1901 Nov 30
The Star of Bengal is sold the Alaska Packer’s Association.
“E.B. Smith has sold to the Alaska Packers' Association the American bark Star of Bengal, Captain Henderson, 1,694 tons. The Star of Bengal is due Astoria from Eleena. The vessel was in Tacoma last fall loading wheat for San Francisco.”
Tacoma Daily Ledger, October 24, 1906
1907
Star of Bengal at the Wrangell cannery. Colorization by Wrangell History Unlocked.
The Star of Bengal sails to the Alaska Packer’s Association cannery in Wrangell, Alaska. Captain Nicholas Wagner serves as captain for the voyage north and south. The steamship Chilkat tows the Star of Bengal between the ocean and Wrangell.
“Bringing the largest shipment of salmon ever taken from Fort Wrangel, the bark Star of Bengal, Captain Wagner, arrived today. The cargo amounted to 73,300 cases.”
The San Francisco Examiner, October 17, 1908
1908
April 24
The Star of Bengal leaves San Francisco under Captain Nicholas Wagner.
“A cook and waiter who arrived drunk to sail with the Star of Bengal were discharged also. The company has suffered severe losses through the intemperance of its employees and is trying to ship only temperate men.”
San Francisco Examiner, April 22, 1908
May 5, 1908
The Star of Bengal arrives at the mouth of Sumner Strait and is towed to the Wrangell cannery by the steamship, Chilkat.
September 18, 1908
On the final night in Wrangell, with all the cases of salmon packed aboard the Star of Bengal, the Wrangell cannery hosts a loud, raucous party for the men embarking on the voyage south the next day.
September 19, 1908
Morning: The weather is clear and calm. The Star of Bengal leaves the dock, under the tow of two steamships. The Hattie Gage, under Captain Erwin Farrer, tows off the port side. The Kayak, under Captain Patrick Hamilton, tows off the starboard side.
Afternoon: The ships move east down Sumner Strait, averaging 5 knots.
Evening: As the ships turn south, heading toward the mouth of Sumner Strait, night falls and the wind freshens from the southeast. As the ships exit the mouth of Sumner Strait, Warren Island sits to the east, and Coronation sits to the west.
September 20, 1908
All times approximate, based on different stories told by survivors.
1:45am: Captain Nicholas Wagner is summoned from his private quarters aboard the Star of Bengal, and observes the Star of Bengal is too close Coronation Island. The roaring wind, rain, and mist create hazardous conditions. The men can hear the waves breaking on Coronation Island.
2:30am: The steamship captains attempt to turn the Star of Bengal around, to bring the wind onto the ship’s starboard side. While the Hattie Gage heads east, the Kayak has trouble following. The waves are so high, the Kayak’s propeller and rudder are out of the water most of the time.
3:00am: The tack fails, and the Star of Bengal returns to its course, dragging directly toward Coronation Island. The steamships attempt to pull the Star of Bengal away from Coronation Island.
3:50am: In order to save the Star of Bengal, Captain Nicholas Wagner orders anchors dropped in 17 fathoms of water, with the rocky shore of Coronation Island not off. As the anchor chains pull back, the Star of Bengal rests in 10 fathoms of water.
Projected location of Star of Bengal, Kayak, and Hattie Gage as at the moment the steamships cut their hawsers. Image Credit: Wrangell History Unlocked.
4:00am: In 10 fathoms of water, with rocks dangerous close, the Kayak and the Hattie Gage each cut their hawser lines and flee for safety. The smokestack aboard the Hattie Gage is breaking lose, threatening to take out the boiler connected to it below deck. The Kayak’s engine spins out as the propeller bobs above the surface, forcing the engineer to constantly throttle the engine.
6:00am: At sunrise, the steamships Hattie Gage and Kayak are still too fearful of the waves to get close to the Star of Bengal. They proceed to hide in the lee of nearby Warren Island. Aboard the Star of Bengal, with no sight of the steamships, the crew gives up hope of the steamships returning.
6:30am: The men aboard the Star of Bengal unsuccessfully launch two if the ship’s six lifeboats. One lifeboat floats away, while the second is smashed against the great, iron hull of the ship.
7:10am: Captain Wagner orders breakfast for the crew of the Star of Bengal. Slowly, but steadily, the anchors of the Star of Bengal are dragging, bringing the ship closer to shore. The crew bring the Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino cannery workers on deck and everyone puts on lifejackets.
8:00am: As the weather gets worse, four men volunteer to take a lifeboat ashore with a lifeline. The lifeboat is destroyed as it reaches the shore, and the men nearly lose their lives. Fortunately, they secure the lifeline to a tree and rig up a breeches buoy between ship and the shore.
Marten Carstensen being thrown in the air, attempting to cross the breeches buoy. Illustration Credit: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 24, 1908. Colorization by Wrangell History Unlocked.
8:30am: Marten Carstensen, the ship’s carpenter, volunteers to cross the lifeline. As the ship rocks in the waves, the line repeatedly goes tight and slack, throwing him into the air, and submerging him underwater, until he is flown free 60 feet into the air, and lands in the water below. He is rescued by the four men who made it on shore.
8:45am: a wave lifts up the Star of Bengal and crashes the ship onto the rocks. The ship shudders. The bow begins to sink first, and the masts begin crashing down, one by one, from front to back. The ship breaks into thirds.
Men, salmon cases, oil drums, and wreckage are thrown into the rocky, narrow bight of Coronation Island.
9:30am: After 45 minutes, the ship is fully underwater, only the tips of the masts bobbing above the water.
For the rest of the day, the 17 white, 7 Japanese, 2 Chinese, and 1 Filipino survivor build a fire, eat canned salmon, and watch for bodies in the surf.
September 21, 1908
Having hidden from the storm in Shipley Bay, the steamships Hattie Gage and Kayak split up in the early morning.
The Kayak visits the survivors. Due to high waves, it does not come ashore. Two crewmen aboard a lifeboat get close enough to the beach to shout to the survivors.
Meanwhile, the Hattie Gage goes to Wrangell. On the way, it encounters the cableship Burnside. After a temporary stopover in Wrangell, the Hattie Gage steams overnight to return to the Kayak.
September 22, 1908
Honolulu Evening Bulletin, September 22, 1908
Thanks to the Hattie Gage’s visit to Wrangell, word of the Star of Bengal wrecking travels down the telegraph wires and reaches cities along the west. While the survivors still sit huddled on the beach, newspapers carry stories of the wreck as front-page news.
Early in the morning, the Hattie Gage reunites with the Kayak at Shipley Bay. The weather improves, allowing the steamships to approach Coronation Island and use two lifeboats to take all 27 survivors off the beach. It takes two hours.
The steamships travel back to Wrangell and arrive late in the evening. The survivors are put in the Wrangell Hotel.
September 23, 1908
US Cable Steamship Burnside at Seattle
Captain Nicholas Wagner and the white survivors accuse the steamship captains, Erwin Farrer and Patrick Hamilton, of cowardice for cutting their hawsers, and not coming back in the morning to rescue the men aboard the Star of Bengal. Captain Wagner claims there were two hours, from daylight 6am until 8am, when the weather was fair enough that the steamships could have gotten every man off the ship using a lifeline.
In Wrangell, Captain Wagner accosts Captain Farrer in the cable office, in front of cannery superintendent Jacob Babler and threatens to have him sent to prison.
The Japanese survivors go to Loring, while the two Chinese survivors join the white survivors aboard the steamship Humboldt, bound for Seattle.
September 27, 1908
Illustration of the wreck by survivor Frank Muir. Seattle Daily Times, September 27, 1908.
The Humboldt arrives in Seattle. The survivors pose for photographs and provide their stories to eager newspaper writers. The Seattle Daily Times features the only known interview with an Asian survivor of the Star of Bengal.
“One minute all men crowd together. Two minutes, maybe five minutes, no can see. All gone.”
Dong Wah, brother of Dong Hing, the two Chinese survivors of the wreck
September 30, 1908
The white survivors arrive in San Francisco via train.
October 1, 1908
Image Source: San Francisco Examiner, October 3, 1908
Captain Nicholas Wagner and the white survivors formally lodge their complaint before Steamship Inspect Service in San Francisco. In public hearings, Captain Wagner and the survivor testify that the steamship captains abandoned them in an hour of need, and could have saved everybody during two hours after daylight. This testimony may be lost to history.
October 15, 1908
Image Source: Seattle Daily Times, October 8, 1908
In his hometown of Seattle, Captain Erwin Farrer of the Hattie Gage testifies before the Steamship Inspection Service. He asserts he did all he could to save the Star of Bengal, and asserts Nicholas Wagner’s claims are unfounded. His son, Henry Farrer, served aboard the Hattie Gage as a pilot, also testifies, confirming his father’s story. Read the testimony.
“Capt. Wagner calls the master of the two tugs cowards and claims that had he been master of either of those tugs he could have gone right alongside of the wrecked Bengal and taken off every person aboard… I would have considered it suicide to have attempted to go alongside the Bengal with either of them.”
Captain Erwin Farrer Testimony
October 17, 1908
In San Francisco, the Steamship Inspection Service interviews white survivors of the Star of Bengal, as well as several crew members of the Hattie Gage and Kayak. Newspapers cover the testimony, offering tragic details alongside passionate condemnation of the steamship captains as cowards. The record of the testimony may be lost to history, but newspaper accounts survive.
November 16, 1908
A photo of the Wrangell Hotel, circa 1899. The hotel was situated along the waterfront, near the dock in Wrangell. Image Credit: Wikipedia
The investigation enters its final phase in Wrangell. Over a week’s time, two inspectors from Juneau, Whitney and Newhall, interview members of the Hattie Gage, Kayak, and Star of Bengal. The inquiry is held in the Wrangell Hotel, the same place the survivors were brought after being rescued. For the first time, Captains Erwin Farrer and Patrick Hamilton are present to cross-examine witnesses—including Star of Bengal survivors—under oath.
Because the wreck happened in Alaska, John Bermingham assigns the Juneau inspectors with the responsibility of gathering the final testimony, reviewing all the evidence, and rendering the first opinion in the case. Read the testimony here.
Total Alaska Salmon Pack chart, from 1899 to 1908.
On the last day of 1908, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an article entitled “ALASKA SALMON PACK LARGEST ON RECORD.”
“Of the 1908 pack, 50,000 cases, practically all pink, shipped on the Star of Bengal, and about 40,000 cases shipped on the Lucile, were all lost on the coast of Alaska. The pack for the season amounts to 464,000 cases more than the pack of 1907 and is more than 394,000 cases in excess of the 1906 pack.”
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 31, 1908
1909
January 14, 1909
Juneau inspectors Whitney and Newhall write a letter to Captain Erwin Farrer, exonerating him of all charges.
Letter exonerating Erwin Farrer
“Sir: We find that the charge of cowardice and neglect were not proven. You held on to the Star of Bengal as long as it was possible, and that after the anchors of the Star of Bengal were let go, you were powerless to give further assistance under the condition of wind, weathers and sea prevailing at the time. We hereby exonerate you from all blame in connection with the loss of the Bark ‘Star of Bengal’ and 111 lives.”
Signed, George Whitney and Frank Newhall, Local Inspectors, Juneau, Alaska
April 6, 1909
Juneau inspectors Whitney and Newhall revoke Captain Nicholas Wagner’s license, finding him negligent in the wreck of the Star of Bengal.
April 20, 1909
John Bermingham reverses the Juneau inspectors, and reinstates Captain Nicholas Wagner’s license. With the exoneration of all three captains, no person has ever been held criminally or civilly responsible for the wreck of the Star of Bengal. Read Bermingham’s final report.
1929
March, 1929
Cover of “Cradle of the Deep” by Joan Lowell, 1929.
Captain Nicholas Wagner’s daughter, Joan Lowell, publishes her first book, Cradle of the Deep. She claims it is the true story of being raised at sea, aboard her father’s sailing ship. She includes a center chapter, “The sea gives up its dead,” about the wreck of the Star of Bengal, told from her father’s point of view. Joan plans a stage play and movie entitled Star of Bengal. When the book is exposed as a hoax, Joan’s world comes tumbling down. Read the book here.
Chapter 11: The Sea Gives Up Its Dead.
San Francisco in April. High out of the network of masts and rigging of ships that made the waterfront look like a black spider web across the skyline, jerked the blue house flag, with its flying fish tails, of the famous Star, queen of the fleet of sailing ships in the Alaska salmon trade.
Joan Lowell, Cradle of the Deep
1961
The U.S. Geological Survey announces the name “China Cove” for the large, open body of water on the southeast end of Coronation Island.
2001
September
Historian, diver, and shipwreck explorer Steve Lloyd publishes a two-part series, The Wreck of the Star of Bengal, in The Sea Chest: Journal of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society:
“…In the history of Alaska seafaring, no shipwreck illustrates the disparity between valor and cowardice more dramatically than the loss of the three-masted bark STAR OF BENGAL on the beach at Coronation Island in September 1908.”
Author Steve Lloyd
2020
July
National Fisherman magazine publishes Wreck of the Star of Bengal by Wrangell fisherman, Gig Decker, about diving the Star of Bengal.
“Drifting down through the green-gray hazy water, the first thing I saw was the anchor chain. I was immediately taken by the size of the links. They were enormous. I followed them north to the bow of the wreck, which to my surprise was fairly well preserved…”
Author Gig Decker
2022
The Alaska Endeavour visits the site of the Star of Bengal wreck and recovers pieces of debris for testing.