Barraclough, William, S.S. Beaver

Nanaimo Historical Society Fonds
Series 2 Sound Recordings

Tape 19

William Barraclough's Presentation to the Nanaimo Historical Society November 17, 1970

Topic: Hudson's Bay Company's S.S. Beaver

Transcribed by: Glenys Wall
Date: July/August 2004

Barraclough: (starts speaking) ....titled The Hudson's Bay Company Steam Ship Beaver of 1835 was presented as a paper before the Nanaimo Historical Society by William Barraclough, Tuesday November 17, 1970 in the Credit Union Building, Nanaimo, a good attendance of members and visitors being present. The paper was of one hour's duration. Mr. R.J. Whalley presented the speaker to the gathering in a suitable manner and Dr. R.E. Forrester expressed the appreciation of all those present for the interesting and well-researched article. As a preface to the prepared article, the speaker read an opening paragraph from the Hudson's Bay Company's official magazine, Beaver, the summer issue for 1970 and we quote:

"Shoppers at Hudson's Bay Company stores the length and breadth of modern Canada may not realise it, but they make their purchases from an organisation which is not only the oldest chartered trading company in the world, but also the oldest ship owning company. The archives of the Hudson's Bay Company contain what is the longest, documented saga of merchant seafaring ever written. In log-books, letter-books, and minutes and later file papers, the story of three hundred years of ship owning and management is unfolded in the laconic phrases of ships masters; the precise instructions of governor and committee; the copper-plate handwriting of generations of forgotten clerks and the letters of countless factors and Company servants."

Barraclough: (now starts the lecture)

An article concerning the Hudson's Bay Company Steamship Beaver was written and recorded by William Barraclough during November 1970. The subject is in keeping with the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Hudson's Bay Company. By way of an introduction:

The Steamship Beaver, being the first steamer to ply the Pacific Northwest Coast in 1836, must be associated with much of the early history of this region. Previous to her arrival, sailing vessels were dependent on favourable winds and weather conditions to serve the Hudson's Bay Company's posts from the Columbia River to Alaska. The Beaver was also most useful in calling at Indian villages along the indented coastlines to deliver supplies for the Pelagic? hunters and to those employed on the sealing vessels. This article is based on the workings and other items connected with the Beaver must not be considered as a complete history of the steamer. It is made up of fragmented accounts from reliable sources and recognized historians that I have gathered together over the years. I trust that in reciting these items, some of the importance and historical records of the Beaver will be revealed. In compiling this article on the Steamship Beaver, periods of history, dates, persons and places became so interwoven with events concerning the ship, that I have taken the liberty of incorporating brief, historical accounts that are inseparable from the Beaver alone. This article concerning the Beaver, is prepared in two parts. Firstly with the construction, her voyage to the Pacific Northwest Coast and to her destruction near Prospect Point at the entrance to Vancouver Harbour. Part two is compiled from reliable accounts of the ship's working days, covering the period of fifty-two years of historic service.

The Hudson's Bay Company Steamship Beaver, a pioneer of the seas.

Previous to considering the history of the Beaver itself, and the reason why the Hudson's Bay Company had the vessel built, it may be advisable to give a brief resume of the history of the Company. Incorporated in 1670 as the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England, trading into Hudson's Bay, formed during the reign of King Charles II, and consisting principally of the King's cousin, Prince Rupert, and a few intimate friends. The Company was invested with absolute proprietorship and exclusive traffic rights of Rupertland which embraced all the lands drained by the Hudson's Bay and its tributaries. Their explorations and trading posts extended throughout the Northwest Territory and eventually crossing the Rockies and finally descending to the Pacific Coast. We have all heard of the great explorers and traders, some of them associated with the Hudson's Bay Company as Alex Mackenzie, Simon Fraser, David Thompson, and many other famous men. At this time and period of 1970, it seems almost incredible that provisions and essential necessities for the men engaged in the operations of the trading posts across the country were carried all the way from Montreal, a distance of nearly 4,000 miles by many modes of conveyances and over the same trails by which the fur-traders first reached the Pacific Coast. This way of transportation was too costly and time-consuming. Consequently, the supplies for the fur stations west of the Rockies were brought in sailing ships around Cape Horn. First to Fort Vancouver, Oregon Territory, on the Columbia River thence to posts along the northwest coast. Before the arrival of the Beaver at the Pacific in 1836, the Hudson's Bay Company had other sailing vessels engaged in commerce along the northwest coast. Some are listed in Lewis and Dryden's "History of the Pacific" of 1895 and also in Nicholson's "West Coast" published 1962. They are the Nereid, the Llama, Drysdale and Cadboro. These ships had a limited capacity for trading and collecting furs from the seal hunters. The ships could not navigate the many inlets and intricate passages where Indian villages were located. This was the prime reason the Hudson's Bay Company decided to build a steamer able to operate in these areas. Of the four sailing ships mentioned here, only particulars of the Cadboro can be located at present and we are fortunate to have a copy of the Cadboro's log available on her first journey to this coast. And for the record I wish to incorporate a brief notation from that source, as the Cadboro was closely associated with the history of the Beaver.

The Cadboro was built at Rye, County of Sussex in 1824. A one deck, two masts, schooner rig with a standing bowsprit. She was built and owned by the Hudson's Bay Company and sailed from London under Captain Swan on her first voyage in the fall of 1826 arriving at Fort Vancouver, Oregon Territory, in the spring of 1827; bringing, beside her picked crew, several new servants of the Hudson's Bay Company. There were about 30 persons in all and she carried 6 guns. The Cadboro was a big moneymaker for the Hudson's Bay Company on her trading trips between Nootka Sound and Fort Vancouver; at that time she was the crack vessel on the Pacific Coast. The Cadboro has a prominent place in Nanaimo's history. She took aboard the first shipment of coal to leave here, 460 barrels on September 10th 1852.
Now back to the story of the Beaver. It was an interesting time among ship-builders when the keel of their first transatlantic steamship was laid at Blackwall?, a suburb town of London. The Hudson's Bay Company, in having the Beaver built, intended from the start that the vessel should be constructed of the best materials available. The materials used and the cost of the vessel must have been enormous for a craft of her dimensions. Quoting from "History of the Beaver", a publication by Charles McCain, Vancouver, B.C. in 1894: " The Beaver was built by Messrs. Green, Wigram and Green as their certificate states, dated May 7th 1835. Listed here are some of the specifications:

The elm keel was of unusual size and strength. The stern and stem posts were of British oak; along the keel were placed the frames or ribs, two feet centres. These were of the best oak and greenheart. The spaces between the frames were filled solid to a level above the water line with curved timbers. The outside planking was of oak and African teak securely fastened to the frames with copper bolts and oak treenails. This was covered with a thick layer of tarpaper over which was placed a planking fur, held with spikes of a bronze composition. Then to preserve the woodwork from the ravages of [unintelligible] a sheathing of copper was secured all over the exterior hull with the exception of an [unintelligible] just below the gunnels. The inside lining of the frame consisted of oak and teak planking secured with diagonal, heavy iron straps and riveted, copper bolts. The main keelson was a massive stick of greenheart, twelve inches square, extending the whole length of the keel, secured with copper bolts which passed through both timbers. Parallel to this on either side, were the sister keelsons of the same material, but not so heavy. Across the keelsons, were fastened large, greenheart timbers, which formed the bed for the engines as well as the foundations for the furnaces. The deck was supported by a series of stout beams, mostly of greenheart and African teak. These were placed at frequent intervals across the hull to which they were fastened, there supports being oak beams and massive [unintelligible]. In addition to these were two oak-beams, about 10 by 14 inches, which crossed at the points where the two spars penetrated the deck."

At the time of the launching of the Beaver into the Thames, there are various accounts of the event and many conflicting stories. Some reports stated many thousands witnessed the ceremony. Yet it would be difficult for a few hundreds to crowd into the small yards. Alan Morley of the Vancouver Sun for Saturday August 27th 1966 states: " The accounts of the Beaver launching are doubtful. It was described as witnessed by a tremendous crowd of 130,000 people including King William IV; but some irreverent critic points out it was not mentioned in the London Times next day and the Times kept pretty close tabs on its Kings and Queens and their public appearances". Again Norman Hacking, marine editor of the Vancouver Province, in an article dated Thursday July 13th 1967 states: " The Beaver fable, of the launching, just won't die. The reporters drew on their imagination to make a colourful account. The steamer was launched by Mrs. John Laborchiere(?) wife of a Hudson's Bay Company official and not by a Duchess, and King William IV was not on hand." The story was reprinted in the Victoria Colonist in 1882 and again in several publications about the launching.

Next in order is the placing of the boiler and machinery. These items had been ordered the year previously from Bolton and Watt, a most reliable establishment and I quote here from the "Century Encyclopedia":
"The steam engine was brought to a high state of perfection by James Watt about the year 1782."

(It is unclear whether Barraclough is still quoting).
The Beaver's engines when packed at the works and together with the boiler and gearing for the paddle wheels weighed sixty-three and a half tons, the cost being 4,500 pounds sterling. There were two engines of the same design, turned 35 nominal horsepower each. These engines were several times heavier and very complicated compared to the modern steam engine of today of the same weight and capacity. The cylinders stood vertically and had a diameter of 42 inches with a 36-inch stroke. The piston rods projected through the top of the cylinders. There was a pair of horizontal beams, levers, connecting rods etc. The crankshaft was 6 inches in diameter. At each extremity of the outer portions of this shaft was a paddle wheel of 13 feet in diameter made up of 11 radial arms 5 feet in width. The low pressure boiler, which rested on brick furnaces and from which steam was carried through large copper tubes to the steam chest, in due course a trial trip was made when according to Lloyd's records, the Beaver attained a speed of 9 3/4 m.p.h. which was considered very gratifying. The Beaver's dimensions were: length overall 101.3 feet; breadth inside the paddle boxes 20 feet, outside the paddle boxes, 33 feet; depth 11.5 feet, registered as 109 1/8th tonnes burden and she was armed with 5 guns, 9 pounders and carried a crew of 26 men.

For the passage out of England to the Pacific Coast, the steamer Beaver was rigged as a brig with engines being placed in passage and the paddle wheel stored in her holds, covering the whole distance of the voyage under canvass. During the time the steamer was under construction the Hudson's Bay Company was also having a bark built to accompany the Beaver across the seas to her destination. The bark was called the Columbia and was of 310 tonnes burden. She was armed with 5 guns, 9 pounders and carried a crew of 26 men.

The Beaver and the Columbia, under Captain Derby, must have set out on the journey about theJune 21- Weighed anchor and ran down the river. At 4.30 anchored in Baker's Bay in company with the Columbia and found the engines to work extremely well."

The Beaver never returned to Fort Vancouver.

Now we come to the Beaver's first trip to the Northwest Coast. On June 26th 1836, the Beaver embarked on her first trip to the Northwest Coast. The crew, on leaving Fort Vancouver, was as follows: (and I mention these persons as place names and family names around Nanaimo can be attributed to them.)

Home, Commander; Charles Dodd, first mate; A. Lattie, second mate; P. Arthur and T. Donald, engineers; William Lackey, boatswain; H. T. Barrett, carpenter; William Burns, cook; William Wilson, William Phillips, George Gordon, George Holland, James Dick, James McIntyre, seamen; John McLean, Farquhar McDonald and two Kanakas were stokers; Murdock McLeod, Louis Tademier, Tyneas Tozier, A. Martell, Joseph Martelle, Joseph Michael, Hugh Connick and six Kanakas and Indians, woodcutters.

"June 27 - The after part of the starboard paddle-box carried away. At daylight saw the high land to the N. of Nootka Sound.

June 28 - Finding that we had not enough fuel to carry us to Millbank (sound), stopped the steam and made sail to the topsail and unshipped five paddle-boxes on each side to avoid holding too much water.

June 30 - At 4, after taking on a supply of wood, weighed and ran up the Sound, anchored at 6.30 opposite Millbank Fort, saluted the Fort with seven guns, which was returned. Arrived at Fort Simpson, being 6 days going up owing to frequent stops for wood.

July 14 - Arrived at Tungasse and found there the Russian Fur Company's brig Chitsekoff".

From here on the Beaver went into a busy service without delay, running up and down the coast, in and out of every bay, river and inlet between Puget Sound and Alaska, collecting furs and carrying supplies for the Company's posts. At this time nearly all of the far Northwest was under lease to the Hudson's Bay Company from Russia. The Beaver made period trips with a cargo of produce, cattle, grain and other goods with which to pay the rent. The steamer made frequent trips to the American side after the Company moved its headquarters to Victoria and on one visit in 1851, in command of Captain steward, she was seized for an infraction of the laws and sent to Olympia. While lying there, Captain Steward put the man in charge ashore and steamed away to the British side. Captain Sabiston, the veteran British Columbia pilot, was mate on the vessel at the time. Amicable relations between the Company and the U.S. were soon restored.
same time as reference is made in the log of the Beaver the first day out of " shorten sail to keep in company of the Columbia". Lewis & Dryden's register," the bark Columbia sailed with her as consort but the Beaver was too speedy" etc. etc.

Now the log of the Beaver. The log of the Beaver as published in Lewis & Dryden's "Marine Register of the Pacific Coast" in 1894 is an extensive account of dates, positions, happenings on board and general information. There are approximately 226 entries in the log from August 27th 1835 to April 10th 1836. Here are a few selected items from the log; this will do for our purpose:

" From Gravesend for the Columbia River, August 27 1835.- Crew list on leaving Gravesend:

Home, was Commander W.C. Hamilton, first mate; Charles Dodd, second mate; Peter Arthur, chief engineer; John Donald, second engineer; Henry Barrett, carpenter; William Wilson, George Gordon, William Phillips, James Dick, George Holland, James McIntyre, William Burns.

Thursday, August 27, 1835 - 3 p.m, pilot came on board, hauled the vessel out of the docks and proceeded......... towards Gravesend.
7 a.m., Anchored off Gravesend. People employed the rest of the day fitting steering halyards, blocks and gear.
Aug. 29............ Dropped down to the head of Lea Reach.
Aug.31- 6 a.m., weighed anchor and proceeded towards the downs. At noon........ the pilot left us.
Sept. 2- Moderate breeze and clear weather, obliged to carry easy sail to keep in company with the Columbia. "

From here to September 12th the log of the Beaver gives details of activities carried on board, sails adjusted, prayers, signals, people employed about the rigging, making mats etc. And when the ship reached the island of Porto Santo.

"Sept.13 -.......At noon. Made the island of Madeira."

The sails of several ships in the area sighted.

" Oct. 4 -....... Spoke to a brig bound for Montevideo. Read prayers to the ship's company.
Nov.11- Made the Falkland Islands, bearing S. by W.
Nov.15 -.... Weather too unsettled to read prayers. Longitude 31' 33", latitude 56' 33".
Nov.18 - Strong breeze. Made Cape Horn bearing S. by W., distant, 10 leagues. At noon, Cape Horn, N.E. by E.
Nov.22 - Fresh gales with heavy squalls and hail; weather too bad to read prayers.
Nov.25-..... A sudden squall carried away topmast steering sail boom. Heavy fall of snow."

Rough seas and bad weather caused many changes to sails. Dec.12 - In moderate conditions, the ship made the Island of Juan Fernandez and anchored. (This island is the location of the famous Robinson Crusoe story situated off the coast of Chile.)