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The Heritage Network
BARQUE SANTIAGO
- UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY SQUANDERED -
(March 2006)
Henry Balfour and Company built the three masted barque Santiago at Methil, Scotland in 1856 for S Williamson and Company. The iron hulled vessel measured 160.6 feet (49.0 m) in length, 25.9 feet (7.9 m) breadth, 17.4 feet (5.3 m) depth and was 455 gross tons. It sailed under the Norwegian flag until bought by the Adelaide Steam Tug Company in 1900; then the Adelaide Steamship Company in 1918.
The Santiago was originally built for the British-South American trade, but operated mainly between northern European ports as well as to destinations in the southern hemisphere. It was dismasted on the east coast of Australia circa 1900, and in August the following year travelled from Newcastle to Port Adelaide with a cargo of coal. On arrival it was converted to a hulk by its new owner, the Adelaide Steam Tug Company. It was also employed in lightering work and on occasion assisted with the salvage of stranded vessels. The Santiago remained in service until 1945 when on 19 August it was partly dismantled and abandoned at the eastern extent of the North Arm, Port Adelaide River a few hundred metres east of the main accumulation of hulks, being the last vessel abandoned in the Garden Island Ships' Graveyard.
Over many years Heritage South Australia has been involved in documenting the Santiago (in conjunction with a number of people) and by the mid 1990's it was proposed to see what effect attaching some sacrificial anodes would have on the vessel. While it was never thought these would save/stabilise the vessel, it was hoped that the anodes would provide some breathing space to carry out more documentation, as well as investigate the use of the anodes in general. In 1995 a conservation project was undertaken with the attachment of ten, 20kg sacrificial anodes to the hull. The project was carried out under the direction of Peter Kentish, Lecturer of Metallurgy at the University of South Australia and funded through an Australian Heritage Commission grant. Corrosion potential's measurements taken of the hull prior to the attachment of the anodes, and since, indicate that the anodes are working in slowing down the rate of corrosion. One of the problems encountered with the anodes has been the interference of visitors to the wreck who have removed one anode from the site. As the majority of the vessel is out of the water where sacrificial anodes will not work, an investigation was also conducted on painting systems with a number of tests carried out.
The exact date is unknown but sometime in 2001, the Santiago broke its back about midway along its length. On the starboard side a crack of about 60cm in width at the main deck level has opened up.
Today the Santiago's mostly intact hull is exposed above the river level. The masts have been cut off and lay next to other fittings lying within the structure and outside the hull. The Santiago is the oldest vessel in the Graveyard. It is a rare example of an early iron-built sailing vessel and has been declared an historic shipwreck under the South Australian Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981.
The Santiago has been listed in Brouwer’s International Register of Historic Ships as “probably the oldest iron-hulled sailing ship still in existence.”
Henry Balfour and Company built the three masted barque Santiago at Methil, Scotland in 1856 for S Williamson and Company. The iron hulled vessel measured 160.6 feet (49.0 m) in length, 25.9 feet (7.9 m) breadth, 17.4 feet (5.3 m) depth and was 455 gross tons. It sailed under the Norwegian flag until bought by the Adelaide Steam Tug Company in 1900; then the Adelaide Steamship Company in 1918.
The Santiago was originally built for the British-South American trade, but operated mainly between northern European ports as well as to destinations in the southern hemisphere. It was dismasted on the east coast of Australia circa 1900, and in August the following year travelled from Newcastle to Port Adelaide with a cargo of coal. On arrival it was converted to a hulk by its new owner, the Adelaide Steam Tug Company. It was also employed in lightering work and on occasion assisted with the salvage of stranded vessels. The Santiago remained in service until 1945 when on 19 August it was partly dismantled and abandoned at the eastern extent of the North Arm, Port Adelaide River a few hundred metres east of the main accumulation of hulks, being the last vessel abandoned in the Garden Island Ships' Graveyard.
Over many years Heritage South Australia has been involved in documenting the Santiago (in conjunction with a number of people) and by the mid 1990's it was proposed to see what effect attaching some sacrificial anodes would have on the vessel. While it was never thought these would save/stabilise the vessel, it was hoped that the anodes would provide some breathing space to carry out more documentation, as well as investigate the use of the anodes in general. In 1995 a conservation project was undertaken with the attachment of ten, 20kg sacrificial anodes to the hull. The project was carried out under the direction of Peter Kentish, Lecturer of Metallurgy at the University of South Australia and funded through an Australian Heritage Commission grant. Corrosion potential's measurements taken of the hull prior to the attachment of the anodes, and since, indicate that the anodes are working in slowing down the rate of corrosion. One of the problems encountered with the anodes has been the interference of visitors to the wreck who have removed one anode from the site. As the majority of the vessel is out of the water where sacrificial anodes will not work, an investigation was also conducted on painting systems with a number of tests carried out.
The exact date is unknown but sometime in 2001, the Santiago broke its back about midway along its length. On the starboard side a crack of about 60cm in width at the main deck level has opened up.
Today the Santiago's mostly intact hull is exposed above the river level. The masts have been cut off and lay next to other fittings lying within the structure and outside the hull. The Santiago is the oldest vessel in the Graveyard. It is a rare example of an early iron-built sailing vessel and has been declared an historic shipwreck under the South Australian Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981.
The Santiago has been listed in Brouwer’s International Register of Historic Ships as “probably the oldest iron-hulled sailing ship still in existence.”