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While at anchor at Sandy Point,
Punta Arenas, Chile on Apr. 26, 1881 waiting to take on coal, an explosion occurred on the new screw sloop HMS Doterel, half a minute later a second more powerful explosion destroyed the ship and sent her to the bottom. The entire episode took about three minuets, but it would take over a year to discover what had caused the loss. When the few survivors returned to England they told of the explosions, but had no real explanation of the cause. The captain had maintained that the first explosion had been a boiler explosion or that there had been an explosion of coal gas in the bunker, this caused the explosion of the forward magazine and in turn the loss of the ship. Many questions about what caused the first explosion were raised, and one kept being brought up over and over. O'Donovan Rossa, an Irish terrorist living in New York, claimed that the Doterel was blown up by his group of dynamiters, a claim he made several times. He explained that the ship was sabotaged while at the Chatham Dockyard where she was built and that two other unnamed ships had been similarly rigged. He claimed that a "dynamite torpedo" which was shaped to look like a piece of coal, had been planted into the bunker at the shipyard, and that when it was finally used it caused the first explosion. Because of the design of the ship the forward magazine exploded seconds later. Almost every high official discounted this claim and it does not appear that it was ever taken seriously by anyone except Rossa. The inquiry which was held focused on the boiler and the possibility of a coal gas explosion, and finally in Sept. 1881 determined that it was a coal gas explosion and that no blame could be attached to the crew for the loss. There were few crew to blame anyway as less than twenty of the one hundred and fifty-six man crew had actually survived. The result was in and no further questions would be asked, however a strange twist of fate was about to happen. On Nov. 22, 1881 there was an explosion on the battleship HMS Triumph, a strange coincidence had her just off the coast of Chile at the time of the blast, but several hundred miles from where Doterel had gone down. A crewman opened a paint storage cabinet using a candle as light to find what he was looking for, the candle ignited fumes from a new chemical, xerotine siccative, which caused a powerful explosion killing two men and burning several others, a third man died a few days later. This in itself was just another unfortunate shipboard accident and not much was thought of it. The next day on board HMS Indus at Devonport Caulker's Mate Ford, a survivor from Doterel, was watching a man paint a chest and noticed a distinct smell. He asked the painter what he was using and he was told "This is xerotine siccative the stuff that caused the explosion on board the Triumph". Xerotine siccative is a patent drier used as an additive in paint which causes the oil to thicken and solidify (dry) quickly, in the new ironclad ships it was added to the paint used between the double bottom hulls to prevent corrosion, however the fumes from this chemical were highly explosive and did not dissipate in closed environments as later experiments would prove. His inquisition into the smell would bring out the truth of what happened to the Doterel. He went to the authorities and explained to them that the night before Doterel exploded two seamen were sent down below to bring up two blocks, there they found a jar containing about eight gallons of a liquid which was unmarked and unknown to them. In the course of moving it the jar cracked and the liquid began leaking out. It gave off a distinct odor, the same odor Ford could smell on Indus. Later in the evening a 1st Lieutenant could smell the odor seeping up from below and asked Ford to look into what was escaping the following morning. It was then that he smelled the chemical for the first time. The next morning Ford sent two men below to locate and clean up what ever was escaping from below, the two men returned with an earthenware jar which was leaking this chemical. They put the contents into a can and threw the jar overboard and Ford was informed that the chemical had seeped into the bilges and had run under the forward magazine. He instructed them to go below and clean it up. The two men went back below and appear to have broken a standing rule, no open flames below decks. Ford said he did not see them take a naked flame below, but that it was not out of the question that they did, after all there was very little light below and they may have found the lanterns to be of little use in the areas they were working. A second witness Carpenter Baird testified that he had seen them take a candle below and he was sure this was the cause of the explosion. After this stunning testimony several tests were carried out by the Admiralty and it was found that xerotine siccative was a very explosive chemical and by late January 1882 it was removed from all ships as a dangerous explosive and its use was discontinued. The tests took until October of that year, but they confirmed that the explosion was caused by the chemical. If it were not for Mr. Ford's nose we may never have learned the true reason for the loss of Doterel. |
© 2009 Michael W. Pocock MaritimeQuest.com |
Roll of Honour |
In memory of those who lost their lives in HMS Doterel "As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us" |
Name |
Rank / Rate |
Notes |
|
Adamson, William |
Private (Royal Marines) |
Served as Adams |
|
Alder, Thomas C. |
Engine Room Artificer |
||
Aldridge, James |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Armitage, David |
Gunner (Royal Marines) |
||
Arnold, Philip C. |
Able Seaman |
||
Arthur, William D. |
Blacksmith |
||
Baigen, Frederick |
Stoker |
||
Baker, James |
Stoker |
||
Barnes, Thomas E. |
Ward Room Steward |
||
Barnicott, James J. |
Ship's Corporal 1st Class |
||
Barrett, William H. |
Stoker |
||
Bell, Jabez |
Able Seaman |
||
Berry, Andrew |
Chief Engine Room Artificer |
||
Biddington, John |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Bish, George |
2nd Captain Main Top |
||
Blackmore, George |
Chief Boatswain's Mate |
||
Blake, Henry |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Bolt, Henry |
Able Seaman |
||
Bowmer, Henry |
Stoker |
||
Bramley, Robert |
Leading Stoker |
||
Bullivant, David |
Stoker |
||
Burgess, William |
Leading Seaman |
||
Burgoyne, Henry |
Leading Seaman |
||
Bush, John |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Camp, George |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Charlo, Henry |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Clarke, Walter |
Boy 1st Class |
Age 17 |
|
Clayton, Charles |
Captain's Steward |
||
Collins, Michael |
Drummer (Royal Marines) |
||
Colville, Herbert |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Common, William B. |
Able Seaman |
||
Considine, Hugh |
Captain's Cook |
||
Cook, Abraham C. |
Leading Seaman |
||
Cook, William |
Stoker |
||
Creagh, Arthur R. McD. |
Lieutenant |
||
Daley, Daniel |
Quartermaster |
||
Damsell, Charles |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Davis, William |
Sailmaker |
||
Dean, Arthur |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Dine, Frederick |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Driscoll, Jeremiah |
Gunner (Petty Officer) |
||
East, George |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Elliott, William |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Emmett, James |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Evans, John |
Stoker |
||
Evans, Septimus |
Staff Surgeon |
||
Exten, Thomas |
Boy 1st Class |
||
Farmer, John |
Able Seaman |
||
Faulkner, John |
2nd Captain Foretop |
||
Fisher, Ephraim |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Forrest, William C. |
Lieutenant |
||
Furness, William |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Gibbons, Luther |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Gimber, George |
Ward Room Servant |
||
Godfrey, Joseph |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Goldfinch, Thomas H. |
Stoker |
||
Gowen, Samuel J. |
Able Seaman |
||
Green, Charles |
Leading Stoker |
||
Gurr, George |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Hames, Charles |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Hardy, Robert |
2nd Captain Main Top |
||
Harfield, Alfred R. |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Harper, Samuel T. |
Engine Room Artificer |
||
Hawkes, Charles |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Hemers, Charles |
Signalman 3rd Class |
||
Hollis, Charles |
Leading Seaman |
||
Holton, William |
Sailmate |
||
Hosking, William |
Able Seaman |
||
Howard, Edmund |
Able Seaman |
||
Hull, James N. |
2nd Captain Foretop |
||
Irving, Charles M. |
Clerk (Petty Officer) |
||
Jarrett, George |
Stoker |
||
Jeffrey, Alfred |
Boy 1st Class |
||
Jenkins, Frederick |
Ward Room Servant |
||
John, Levi |
Boy 1st Class |
Age 17 |
|
Keating, Christopher |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
King, Thomas |
Engine Room Artificer |
||
Kingsnorth, James H. |
Engine Room Artificer |
||
Lawrence, Job |
Leading Seaman |
||
Legget, David |
2nd Captain Forecastle |
||
Lloyd, John |
Gunner (Royal Marines) |
||
Lownds, James |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Manuel, Fred P. |
Engine Room Artificer |
||
Marley, Willie F. |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Martin, Daniel |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Mathurist, Joseph |
Able Seaman |
||
May, James R. |
Carpenter's Crew |
||
McIver, Samuel A. |
Able Seaman |
||
Meredith, John |
Plumber |
||
Metcalf, William |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Mills, Henry |
Signalman 2nd Class |
||
Mormen, John T. |
Able Seaman |
||
Myers, Henry |
Boy 1st Class |
||
Newell, James |
Cook 2nd Class |
||
Nicholls, William |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Nixon, George |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Ord, William |
Engineer (Petty Officer) |
||
Palmer, Joseph |
Bombardier (Royal Marines) |
||
Parker, Thomas |
Stoker |
||
Payne, James |
Stoker |
||
Pearce, John |
Ward Room Cook |
||
Powell, W. T. |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Pratten, Frank |
Gunner (Royal Marines) |
||
Pridham, William |
Armourer |
||
Priest, William H. |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Prior, Edwin A. |
Leading Stoker |
||
Pugsley, John |
Colour Sergeant (Royal Marines) |
||
Quinnear, George C. |
Able Seaman |
||
Ranger, John |
Boy 1st Class |
||
Read, William |
Chief Engineer |
||
Roberts, Thomas |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Robinson, Richard F. |
Ship's Steward Assistant |
||
Rowe, William |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Rudd, Frederick |
Cooper |
||
Ryder, George |
Stoker |
||
Schofield, Joe |
Boy 1st Class |
||
Scott, Ernest |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Selwood, Henry |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Silvester, Alfred T. |
Ship's Steward 3rd Class |
||
Simpson, Edward |
Ward Room Servant |
||
Sisk, Patrick |
Boy 1st Class |
Age 17 |
|
Skinner, Henry C. |
Able Seaman |
||
Slack, Edwin |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Smith, Charles |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Smith, Henry |
2nd Captain Quarterdeck |
||
Stamp, William C. |
Boy 1st Class |
Age 16 |
|
Taylor, Frederick |
Stoker 1st Class |
||
Taylor, Henry |
Signalman |
||
Taylor, William M. |
Boatswain (Petty Officer) |
||
Tilbury, George J. |
Able Seaman |
||
Toomey, James J. |
Able Seaman |
||
Travis, John |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Walch, Stephen |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Walters, Charles |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Watson, Henry |
Carpenter's Crew |
||
Welch, Joseph |
Private (Royal Marines) |
||
Whitehead, Thomas |
Stoker |
||
Williams, Ornard |
Painter 2nd Class |
||
Wilson, Francis |
Captain Coxswain |
||
Wilson, George R. G. |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Wingett, Richard |
Able Seaman |
||
Winter, William |
Quartermaster |
||
Wright, William |
Warrant Officer's Cook |
||
List of survivors |
|||
Baird, William B. |
Carpenter (Petty Officer) |
||
Colborne, John N. |
Paymaster (Petty Officer) |
||
Evans, Richard |
Captain |
Commanding Officer |
|
Ford, John |
Caulker's Mate |
||
Inglis, Charles S. |
Assistant Clerk (Petty Officer) |
||
Pengelly, George |
Gunner's Mate |
||
Smith, James W. |
Ordinary Seaman |
||
Stokes, John M. |
Lieutenant |
||
Summers, William C. |
Marine (Royal Marines) |
||
Trout, Joseph |
Boatswain's Mate |
||
Turner, Henry A. |
Stoker 2nd Class |
||
Walker, H. J. |
Assistant Engineer |
||
Walters, William |
Shipwright |
At the time of the loss of HMS Doterel the Admiralty announced that 143 men were killed and 13 men survived. The above list contains the names released by the Admiralty. The remains of those lost are now buried in the Municipal Cemetery at Punta Arenas and a memorial plaque listing their names has been erected. The plaque was commissioned by British Vice-Consul Tom P. Jones in Chile, but his source for the names on the plaque is unknown. After conducting extensive research on the men lost there are a number of discrepancies between the Admiralty list and the names on the memorial plaque. The plaque and other information on HMS Doterel can be found on Duncan Campbell's website www.patbrit.org. While I have made every attempt to verify the names on this list, it can not be understood to be completely accurate. Most names have been verified through official sources, however the most common names proved to be too difficult to confirm. If you can provide any further information on any of the men please email the webmaster. |
To submit a photo, biographical information or correction please email the webmaster. |
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