Irish Wrecks On-Line - Housatonic SS (No. 520)

*Vessel Type:*	Steam Tanker	*Location:*	Co. Antrim
*Date of Loss:*	5th January 1908	*Place:*	The Maidens
*Cause of Loss:*	Ran aground	*Boat Dive from:*	Ballylumford
*Charted Depth:*	10 - 35m	*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 9
*Height of Wreck:*	Scattered	*Admiralty Chart No:*	2198 and/or 2199
*Hull Material:*	Steel	*Latitude (GPS):*	54 57.226 North
*Type of Seabed:*	Rocks	*Longitude (GPS):*	05 44.849 West
*Average Visibility:*	10 - 15m	*Diving Experience:*	Experienced

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Diving Information:

Lies off the North-East corner of Russell Rock.

Badly broken up. Bows are about 7m, boiler 35m.

Dive at slack High or Low Water, but last of ebb tide is best.

Subject to strong currents at other times - 6 to 8 knots in full flood.

Historical Information:

Owned by Anglo-American Oil Co. of London, she was built by Naval Construction & Armament Co. in 1893, and grossed 4,041 tons.

Measuring 347.4 x 45.6 x 27.2ft., she was powered by triple-expansion engines, generating 345nhp.

She was bound Barrow-in-Furness for New York in ballast when she struck Russell Rock.

One of the rockets that was fired, fell back on board and started a fire.

Thirty minutes later there was an explosion and the "Housatonic" slid off the rock and sank. Two crew were lost.

Captained by Captain J.B. Henry.

Took the crew 4 hours to get to the Maidens Lighthouse.

Source Publications:

"Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam 1824 - 1962"

by
Charles Hocking

London Stamp Exchange 1989 - ISBN: 0948130474

"Shipwreck Index of Ireland"

by
Richard & Bridget Larn

Lloyd's Register - Fairplay Ltd 2002 - ISBN: 1900839970

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 932 - 1997"

by
Edward J. Bourke Edward J. Bourke 1998 - ISBN: 0952302713

"Shipwrecks of the Ulster Coast"

by
Ian Wilson

Impact Printing 1997 - ISBN: 0948154993

"Underwater Ireland Guide to Irish Dive Sites"

by
Irish Underwater Council

CFT 1999 - ISBN: 0948283025

Other Sources:

Peter Steel

-
North Irish Lodge, Islandmagee (1999)

Last update - 31-Oct-2005