Brig 'Adventure' of Whitby - Protest
Brig 'Adventure' of Whitby - Protest

Brig 'Adventure' of Whitby - Protest

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Protest lodged by Christopher Walker, Master of the brig 'Adventure' of Whitby, dated 18th September 1834.

three-page hand-written draft document, with many corrections and redactions, detailing the eventful voyage of the 163-ton brig 'Adventure'.

The 'Adventure' sailed in Ballast from the Essex port of Burham [Burnham?] on the 20th April 1834 bound for the Baltic port of Memel in Prussia.

The vessel was "strong, staunch and in all respects well fitted and provisioned for the voyage".

The Memel pilot came on board on May 10th to take her into port, but a mixture of light winds and strong currents set her onto a point of sand within the bar.

The stream anchor was taken out, and with the aid of two fishing boats and their crews, the 'Adventure' was freed and taken into port to survey the damage.

Her bottom seams were open with much oakham hanging out, and the vessel was hove to on both sides to be recaulked.

With these temporary repairs completed, she was loaded with timber and sailed to Carmarthen, then took a cargo of coal to Rochester, and returned to Whitby in ballast, where she was re-surveyed and the damage found to be much greater than previously thought  [to the extent that it seems she was extremely fortunate to have completed the latter voyages safely!]


a 'Protest' was a written declaration, usually made by the master of ship, and attested by a Justice of the Peace, Consul, Notary Public, etc, stating the circumstances under which injury has happened to a ship or its cargo. Although a legal document, these protests vividly illustrate the events leading to the loss or damage sustained by the vessels