This vessel was an iron hulled full rigged ship of 914 tons burden which was launched from the yard of Robert Steele & Company, Greenock in February1855 (Yard No.2). Designed for general cargo use by her owners George Smith & Sons of Glasgow her dimensions were 184.3′ x 27.5′ x 11.5’.
The City of Madras left Glasgow for Calcutta on Friday 27th February 1857. The ship was under the command of Captain James Stobbo and she had aboard a valuable general cargo. By the following Sunday, the 1st March, the City of Madras had left the narrow channels of the Upper Clyde far behind and the Maiden’s Light off the Antrim coast was sighted around 6.30pm.
Around this time, the captain went below leaving the first mate, Matthew Reed on watch. The weather conditions at the time were fair with variable winds and cloud, it was therefore strange why the City of Madras should run aground on the Galloway coast shortly before midnight. The crew managed to safely abandon ship and all got ashore near to Mark Farm, some 3 miles south of Dally Bay, but the vessel was almost fully waterlogged.
The City of Madras remained ashore and over the following two weeks began to break up, until on the 16th March, Lloyd’s List reported that she had completely broken up. The wreck was sold on the 14th June at an auction in Stranraer, it is not know how successful the new owners were at recovering any of the cargo or ships fittings.
As to the cause of the stranding, a subsequent Board of Trade Inquiry at Stranraer found the mate to blame for not properly taking soundings when navigating close to shore, nor of making any allowance for the strong tides, that run along this stretch of coastline. Matthew Reed had his certificate suspended for six months.
