Is this a "slave ship" wreck?

[Arch1]

G'moring Everyone- Thought I'd ask for your knowledgeable opinions on this note I found on an old Admiralty chart (around 1850's) showing what may or may not be a ship(wreck) of a "Slave Ship". While the icon clearly shows a ship's shape, it doesn't seem to quite match the standards of the time for one, though most closely to that of a semi-visible wreck at that charts datum. In regards to the text, it may say "Slave Ship" or "Store Ship", it's hard to tell, though in comparison to other writing by the same hand, it leans towards it being an "l" instead of a "t", as the writers lowercase t's usually hook to the left on the bottoms, and their l's hook to the right. However, the case for it being a slave ship is somewhat slim as slavery in this areas was very uncommon, and if present, it would have been indigenous peoples. There is nothing visible on Google Earth. Whats' your thoughts?




Cheers;

-Arch1

 

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[Mackaydon]

Arch,
Go dive it and remove all doubt is what I'd do if I were in the area.
Welcome to Treasurenet.
Don......

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Or "Stove Ship"

"Stove" is a term referring to when a wooden ship has been crushed in - like when striking rocks.

 

[releventchair]

I'm not finding a definition. But am seeing mention of Slore Ships. Seems search is willing to substitute them for "store".


I'm not certain of the map...If the top of the L (the do-dad above it) is not a partially submerged rock.

Edit. Store ship seeming most likely.
Early writings are showing them as "ftore fhips".

 

[johnnyjohnson2043]

When I first saw it I thought that it read "store ship" but I see how it could also say "slave ship". Really hard to say for certain without more details.

 

[smallfoot]

Looks like there's a sudden depth change real close to where the ship is marked...maybe a small reef where it bottomed. Looks like a pretty shallow dive to check it out.

 

[MiddenMonster]

When I first saw it I thought that it read "store ship" but I see how it could also say "slave ship". Really hard to say for certain without more details.

If I had the chance to explore it I would be hoping it was a store ship, rather than a slave ship. It would probably have the chance of being more valuable.

Looks like a pretty shallow dive to check it out.

I was thinking the same thing. You could almost snorkel dive that depth enough to at least determine if there is anything there. I'm also curious as to where it is since the OP said slavery was uncommon in that area.

 

[Arch1]

I like the activity! Thank you everyone for the quick feedback. I agree with MM, I would prefer that it truly was a store ship considering the area/timeline of where it's shown was into the beginnings of the gold rush. I live "near" it, but too far to make it an easy trip right now. Still doing research.

Cheers;

-Arch1

 

[xaos]

What are the units of depth of the map?

In the day wasnt the term Store Ship used for naval supply ships?

 

[Jolly Mon]

It does not look like the normal icon for a shipwreck. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be a "store ship". These were apparently common in early gold rush California and perhaps elsewhere on the west coast during that period. There were very, very few buildings in San Francisco in 1849, for instance, necessitating the use of ships for everything from store houses to prisons.

But again, this is just a guess based on very limited information.

 

[MiddenMonster]

I live "near" it, but too far to make it an easy trip right now. Still doing research.

Care to narrow down the area where it is located, perhaps within a 500 square mile area? If not, we are going to have to play the Google Earth Guessing Game based on the visible features in the map, and you know how that goes...

 

[agflit]

I'm betting that's a hand drawn map which doesn't necessarily mean it would hold to convention regarding "script's" of the period. If you could maybe give us some more general info as to area, counrty, period etc etc etc...we may be able to narrow it down a little ...

ag

 

[Arch1]

Thanks Everyone- As usual, excellent feedback! As a team effort, I think we may have solved it. A "Store Ship" makes absolute sense given all the factors surrounding the map. It's traced over a survey map done by the HMS Plumper for the area of Esquimalt as they were preparing to create the harbor to accommodate all the incoming traffic from the BC gold rush. Some of the factors they were looking at was where to place armaments. The spot is now called Plumper Bay. In the map as a whole, you can see they are planning a potential pier adjacent to the ship. I purposely withheld all the details just for fun to see what everyone came up with- here's the full map!



Again, thank all for the input! I live in the PNW and am currently doing research on the era of discovery in the area all the way to the onset/end of the gold rush. I'm assembling a few more morsels for you all, so watch for them, and if you have any suggestions or things you're looking for info on for me to keep any eye out for while I do this, just let me know!

Cheers;

-Arch1

 

[MiddenMonster]

I purposely withheld all the details just for fun to see what everyone came up with- here's the full map!

I'm just relieved that I didn't have to break out the Google Earth Guessing Game on you...

With the full map now available, I'm wondering if the "store ship" is marked on the map as a shipwreck, or if it is just where the ship was anchored while functioning as a supply vessel for the work that was being done.

 

[Arch1]

MM- I can't tell you the answer on that, but nothing is visible from Google Earth, and at that depth you might expect to see somethin. It may be as you noted, a supply vessel due to the fact that they were planning a pier adjacent to it. It could've been for that and to unload arms. I guess the only way to know is to have someone dive it!

Cheers;

-Arch1

 

[MiddenMonster]

MM- I can't tell you the answer on that, but nothing is visible from Google Earth, and at that depth you might expect to see somethin. It may be as you noted, a supply vessel due to the fact that they were planning a pier adjacent to it. It could've been for that and to unload arms. I guess the only way to know is to have someone dive it!

Even if the map only shows where the ship was anchored while surveying and other work was going on it doesn't mean that there is nothing at that site. Stuff falls overboard, stuff gets thrown overboard and as we all know, one man's trash is another man's court battle with the country that claims the ship. It still might be a worthwhile dive.