Australian Clipper Ship Mystery.

What happened to the Strathnaver? - 1875

Example of a clipper ship - State Library of Queensland The vessel was a first class sea going one,  and in every respect was well found and ably manned. The vessel left Sydney in April 1875 and was never heard of again. Headboard found at Jervis Bay. The only piece of the vessel found was her “head board”,  this was found at Jervis Bay a few weeks after she had sailed, no other sign of wreckage was found. She was well freighted having onboard a valuable cargo, comprising 3423 bales wool, 21 bales skin, 15 casks tallow,  127 bags bone dust, 13 bales leather, 38 logs timber,  931 cases meat,  2517 ingots,  488 cakes copper,  3585 ingot tin. During this voyage she carried no passengers,  but had a crew of some thirty all told. Questions were asked of the government and the Navy why a search for this vessel was never undertaken, the correspondents at the time were scathing in their reports about missing ships and the governments response.

" Anyone familiar with the actions of colonial governments in the matter of marine disasters and missing ships in these waters will well understand that neither the governments of these colonies nor the representatives of H.M. Navy on the Australian Station seldom trouble themselves about such matters until urged by public opinion to make some effort"

"Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea." — Charles Cook