The iron steamship Bull was launched from the yard of Raylton Dixon and Co, Middlesbrough (Yard No 136) in February 1877. She measured 174.8′ x 25.65′ x 14.3′ and her tonnage was 568 gross tons, 353 net tons. She was powered by a 2 cylinder inverted compound steam engine by T Richardson, Hartlepool delivering 80 nominal horse power. Ordered by J Watson and Co Ltd., Middlesbrough she was to operate from that port for her entire career.
Builder’s mid-section plan
Lloyds register 1893
On the night of 5th December 1893 Bull departed from Grangemouth in ballast bound for Middlesbrough. She was under the command of Captain Charles Bilton and had a crew of 16 plus 4 passengers aboard. The night was clear and the sea smooth and so, after passing the narrows at the Forth Bridge, the master left the chief mate in the charge on the bridge. He had set a course E by S which would take them safely along the south coast of the Forth towards the North Sea.
At about 2:40 am the following morning the green masthead light of another steamer was spotted on the port bow. The chief mate ordered a slight course change to the south which would take the Bull inside Bass Rock and away from the approaching steamer. The Bull, which also had a sail raised on her foremast, was at full speed of around 10 knots. The approaching green light, still headed directly towards the Bull began to give cause for alarm and the Bull’s whistle was sounded to warn the vessel to turn away. A second blast followed as the approaching ship did not alter course but there was no reply. A third blast finally brought a reply but still there was no change the rapidly closing steamship’s course. The helm of the Bull was put hard to port and the engines reversed but the other ship, which proved to be the steam trawler Rosslyn inward bound from fishing east of May Island, steamed on and ran directly into the port side of the Bull cutting her from the gunwhale to the waterline. The Rosslyn, with engines still at full speed, rebounded from the Bull and disappeared into the night. By this time Captain Bilton, who had been in his bunk at the time of the collision, was back on the bridge and ordered the engines full ahead and a course set for the shoreline and the boats prepared for an emergency evacuation. Unfortunately one of the crew of the Rosslyn, a man named Robert Finlay, who had jumped aboard the Bull at the point of the collision fell overboard as the boats were being prepared and was drowned. The Bull continued her course towards the land touching Lamb Island but not stranding and, as the speed was slowed as she neared the shore, the passengers and crew succeeded in boarding the boats safely and heading for the shore. The Bull was then blown offshore and the engines slowed and about 20 minutes later she sank in shallow water.
At the subsequent enquiry is was revealed that, at the time of the collision, the skipper, Mr T Jorgensen, of the Rosslyn was not in charge of the vessel and in fact, was in his bunk below. At the wheel one of the crew, the mate Donald Bremner, later admitted that he had seen the masthead lights of the Bull and heard the warning blasts on the Bull’s whistle but did not know the correct procedure to avoid collision in such an instance. He said he expected the Bull to turn left rather than right and therefore did not alter course. The enquiry held that the collision was entirely due to the incompetency and unseamanlike conduct of Donald Bremner but was unable to take any disciplinary action against him or the trawler’s skipper as, at the time, the skippers and mates of trawlers were not required to hold certificates of competency.
The wreck of the Bull was refloated the following January and pulled into the shore where she was heavily salvaged. Some scattered wreckage, reputedly from the Bull, is reported to lie in shallow water one mile from North Berwick in position 56° 03.958’N, 002° 43.600’W. The wreckage is spread over a wide area in 5 metres on a rocky/sandy seabed between Craigleith and Lamb Island.
