Vessel foundered and lost following collision with HMS EDINBURGH, in wind conditions SW force 6. (LL): `London February 12: On Saturday afternoon, as HMS EDINBURGH was proceeding down the Medway, when off Sharpness Point, the steam steering gear gave out, and she came into collision with the barque SCOTTISH ADMIRAL, which had been anchored in the Medway for some months past. It is said that on the first impact the EDINBURGH did little more than push the barque aside, but in the rebound, when her cables tightened, she came across the prow of the battleship, with the result that an extensive rent was made in her starboard bow, through which water entered in considerable volume. As the water gained rapidly, it was decided to slip her cables and remove her to shallow water, but before she could be moored at a suitable anchorage, she sank in deep water. The EDINBURGH, it is understood, received no damage....London February 12: The Salvage Association has received the following telegram from its officer, dated Port Victoria FEB-12. She is sunk on her side and out of sight, lying across the tide about 100 yards above Benbow, in 8 fathoms.' (3)

The Harbour Master repeatedly reported that the owner was taking no action to raise the SCOTTISH ADMIRAL from Saltpan Reach. The minutes of the Conservancy Committee note on 12-NOV-1894 that the Admiralty have taken responsibility for the wreck. They also note that the Admiralty were planning to disperse the vessel with explosives and that by 28-JAN-1896 the site could be trawled over. (2)

Source (3) gives the position of loss as `between Colemouth and Stangate Creek.'

Source (2) gives the date of loss as 1896.

Built: 1878
Builder: W Doxford and Sons
Master: Walsh
Crew: 1
Owner: Scottish Line Ltd., London

Date of Loss Qualifier: A

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
BOT.Wk.Rtn.1894 Appendix C Table 1 p151(511); LR.1893-4 No.535(S);
Lloyd's Wreck Book No.535 22.02.1894

Historic England archive material: 970515 Port of Medway Harbour Master Records, Rochester Upon Medway Studies Centre 970519 Medway Port Authority Conservancy Committee Minutes

<1> Port of Medway Harbour Master Records, Rochester Upon Medway Studies Centre, MPA/H2, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6425.

<2> Medway Port Authority Conservancy Committee Minutes, MPA/A3/3 pp 99, 121, 242., Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6426.

<3> Larn, Richard and Bridget, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 2 : Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Kent (Mainland), Kent (Downs), Goodwin Sands, Thames (Bibliographic reference). SKE31910.