Hi folks, I am delighted with what has been sent to me already about the drowning at sea from the "Hong Kong", so thanks to you all. I have some further questions, please... 1. Does "founder" necessarily mean the ship sank? 2. What documents am I likely to find in TNA or NMM? I am hoping I may be able to see the ships log and crew/passenger list and the National Maritime Museum or wherever. I suppose that the Captain (who seems to have not been in the lifeboat which sank) might have grabbed the log before abandoning ship? If he wasn't able to do that, and if nothing was salvaged, then would there be documents relating to an inquiry which the maritime authorities required - either for the loss of the vessel or for the death of passengers? What are the names for such investigations / documents? Inquest? 2. The disaster was off the Horn of Africa, pretty much in the Indian Ocean. If the 12 bodies had been recovered, what would have happened to them? Would they have been buried in the nearest (Christian?) place onshore, or could they have been preserved and taken to England to bury? I suppose if the bodies had not been recovered, under cause of death it would say "missing, presumed drowned". Were death certificates issued in these cases? 3. I read an anecdote about the disaster that it was in a monsoon. Is it possible there was a storm in February in the north of the Indian Ocean, which may have contributed to the ship being a bit off course and hitting an uncharted rock? Do they have monsoons in February in the Indian Ocean? My distant memories of geography lessons are a bit shaky but I do feel doubtful. I have found www.theshipslist.com about the Milburn Line, and I have read the Milburn information on www.red-duster.co.uk. Here's what has been sent to me so far, thanks to Marj and Ted: > The steamship HONG KONG left Gravesend on 24th Jan.1875 bound for > Japan and reached Port Said on 10th Feb. On leaving Port Said, she > had on board 49 persons, of whom 9 were passengers. On the morning > of 22nd Feb.she struck a submerged uncharted rock and foundered > near Socotra off the Horn of Africa. The lifeboats were launched > and everyone safely transferred to them when the Chief Officer's > boat capsized drowning all 12 occupants including a lady passenger > and her 5 children. The rest of the survivors landed safely > (Dictionary of Disasters at Sea 1824-1962 by C. Hocking) > The ship was 1,881 gross tons and was built in 1871 for Watts, > Milburn & Co, London. > > The London Times of Feb 27, 1875 reported the loss of a passenger > steamer -- in part: > > "The Hong Kong, steamer, from London to Japan, struck on a sunken > rock off Abdel Kuri and foundered....In the list of passengers > furnished to us by the owners occurs the name of Mrs. Jane Walton, > with her children, Alfred, Esther, jane, Thomas, and Nellie, and > according to the brokers, this lady was going out to join her > husband at Yokohama...." > > The ship was owned by Messrs. Watts, Milburn, and Co., of 85, > Gracechurch-street, London. The loss was twelve drowned, including > Jane Walton and her five children. I would much appreciate hearing anything further from you! Sally in England