Aircraft in difficulties often jettison fuel before making emergency landings. A practice that is less well known is that the master of a ship in trouble may throw overboard cargo and even parts of the ship if he considers it necessary for the safety of the ship and those sailing on her. At the end of the voyage, however, those who shipped the lost cargo would be left seriously out of pocket, were it not for a long-established practice called ‘General Average’. This provides for the losses on the voyage to be shared between the ship owners and all the shippers, the compensation payable taking into account the value of the ship and all the cargo.

In November 1880 the Steam Ship ‘Roman’ set off from Southampton bound for Cape Town and encountered severe storms, especially off the Bay of Biscay. 2438 items of cargo were jettisoned, all of them cases or boxes of ammunition.  A Statement of General Average for the Voyage has recently been found amongst the T.J. Armstrong Collection at Northumberland Archives (NRO 309/S/2/2). It contains a graphic description of the voyage abstracted from the ship’s log, an account of the losses and provides a snapshot of some of the items being shipped to the Colonies at the time.

The Steam Ship ‘Roman was owned by the Union Steamship Company Ltd. who held the Royal Mail Contract between the United Kingdom and South Africa. As built in Deptford in 1863 she had an iron hull 276 feet long, and was of gross tonnage 1282.  She had two masts rigged for sail, and single screw giving her a maximum speed of 9 knots. There was accommodation for 60 First Class and 60 Second Class passengers. On her maiden voyage she set a new record of 30 days and 20 hours southbound to Cape Town. In 1870 she was lengthened and re-engined to increase her maximum speed to 11 knots.

More information on the ship and the shipping company can be found at www.theshipslist.com  The following statement has been copied from the original with minor editing to improve clarity. There is no mention in the document of passengers, but it must have been a terrifying experience for them.

Statement of General Average

By the Roman S.S., Captain Edward John Griffin

From Southampton bound to Cape Town.

12^th November 1880 at 7pm  Proceeded from Southampton with a fresh head wind from W.S.W the weather shortly after becoming hazy. Midnight the wind was increasing and the weather became overcast.

13^th about 1am. Vessel shipped a large quantity of water forward.  About 5am arrived and anchored off Plymouth. The wind increased to a gale during the day and continued so until the

15^th when at about 2 am proceeded towards Madeira with a Westerly breeze and heavy swell. At 10am the breeze had increased to a hard gale with a high sea which caused Vessel to ship much water over all. This continued until 6pm. when the weather moderated and the sea subsided though later there was a heavy S.W. swell at times. At 10pm the wind and sea began again with furious squalls which caused Vessel to ship much water.

16^th.This strong gale continued throughout the night and following morning causing vessel to labour and pitch heavily and continuously ship large quantities of water and at 10am there was a hard gale blowing with high mountainous sea Vessel taking in immense seas. At 11am it was found necessary for general safety to jettison some cargo (consisting of cases containing cartridges) from forward in order to lighten the vessel and 706 large boxes and 292 small boxes were thrown over-board from between decks forward through the fore saloon companion, this high sea and strong gale continued until 2pm when the gale began to moderate. At 8pm the gale again increased with a heavy Westerly swell which caused Vessel to roll heavily and ship much water fore and aft. At 8.15pm a heavy sea struck the starboard lifeboat and carried away the Spar. At 11pm the pin to the goose neck of the topsail boom snapped off and the sail (which was set) had to be taken in and the boom secured.

17^th  The heavy gale and high sea continued until 3am when the wind and sea began to decrease, at 6am there was a moderate gale, vessel rolling heavily and taking on a great quantity of water.

18^th At midnight the breeze increased. At 6am there was a strong increasing gale and mountainous seas which caused vessel to pitch and labour heavily and ship volumes of water over all. At 6.30 am it was found necessary to jettison some more of the cargo and remainder of the Cartridge cases forward were thrown overboard. At 7am the jettison of cases of cartridges from aft through the after companion was commenced and was finished at 3.15pm. 555 large cases and 554 small boxes being thrown over on this day, this was found to have eased the vessel considerably. The strong wind and high mountainous sea continued throughout the day and vessel laboured and pitched heavily taking in tremendous seas over all. The weather remained the same throughout the night.

19^th At 3.30 am a heavy sea was shipped aft which smashed the horse box on main deck aft to atoms. At 7am the gale had increased to the strength of a hurricane causing vessel to be almost continuously enveloped in water. At 7.10am in Lat. 44⁰ 10’ N. and Long 11⁰ 42’ W. a heavy sea struck the vessel causing great damage, the crew at once commenced to secure the wreckage. At noon the wind and sea began to moderate. It was then found that the following damage had been sustained viz.:-

On the Port side forward the horse box stove in & the horse canted down, on the starboard side forward a horse box smashed and turned over, the horse lying on deck, the foresides of both Nos. 2 & 3 horse boxes stove in & useless and the covers gone, the Third Officer’s cabin completely gutted, the First Office’s cabin badly started, the Second Officer’s cabin also badly started, fore gangway after stanchion carried away. Ship’s barometer lost, rail across after part of forecastle bent double and fowl coops washed away, fowl coop in front of the deck house smashed. At about 2pm the vessel was turned and steered for Vigo such a course being deemed prudent for general safety. At 3pm the mail room was visited and found to be leaking badly the mails being quite wet as were also the packages in the parcel room. The wind and sea continued moderate throughout the night.

20^th.  About 9.30am arrived at & anchored off Vigo & remained at anchor until 4pm on the…

 21^st. (The crew and carpenter being employed in repairing the damage done) when the anchor was weighed [at 4pm] and they proceeded towards Madeira.

22^nd.   At 4pm it blew a strong breeze with squalls of rain. At 12pm it was blowing hard with a high cross sea, vessel rolling and pitching and shipping much water.

23^rd. It was blowing a fresh Northerly gale with squalls and a very heavy S.W. swell causing vessel to roll heavily and ship much water. At 10am the breeze freshened accompanied by a cross sea vessel rolling and pitching at times.- about this time the Engine telegraph was broken by the sea, vessel continued rolling until 8pm.

24^th. The Carpenter repaired the Engine room telegraph, about 7.30 anchored vessel in Funchal Roads Madeira where she remained until the 25^th.  at 1am when they proceeded.

11^th December at 8pm there was a moderate gale blowing with a heavy head sea causing vessel to pitch violently and take in water over all.

14^th. December Arrived and anchored in Table Bay

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Extract from letter of the Union Marine Insurance Company Limited dated London 4^th May 1881:

“With reference to the number of cases thrown overboard from the ‘Roman’ I have to inform you that this was undoubtedly 2438, as although the log books shew 2437 we think there must have been a mistake in the tally”

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This vivid description of the voyage is followed by 3 lists:-

1. Detailed accounts for the unscheduled call at Vigo where there were expenses for pilotage, clearance, boat hire and porterage, and documentation, including translation. There were also charges for telegrams to and from the Union Steamship Company in London and some legal expenses.
2. A statement of the cargo jettisoned. All 2438 items jettisoned appear to have been wooden cases and boxes of cartridges shipped by the Crown Agents for the Colonies, containing in all some 1,060,000 cartridges for various small arms.
3. A list of all the other Shippers and Consignees showing Port of Destination, Marks (sketched), Numbers, Number and description of packages, value and the proportion of the General Average and Outward Charges. There are 371 entries on the list representing 218 firms and individuals, many sending items to more than one consignee or destination. The ‘packages’ are variously  described as, bags, bales, barrels, bundles, cases, casks, coils, drums and  tanks, The contents of only a few are  given but they include: wearing apparel and books, show cards,  saddlers’ ware, truss samples, iron axles, wheels, ironmongery, 4 wagons, 20 cases of sardines,  210 cases of cheese, and several private shipments of cartridges. It is clear from the log of the voyage that horses and hens were being carried on deck. 6 horses, 1 mare and a filly are listed. There were also 5 bulls and 197 goats. These were all valuable animals.

In the final reconciliation the value of the jettisoned cargo plus charges, less a proportion of the General Average is given as £5408-9s-2d. The steamer was valued at £31,000 and the Cargo, including that jettisoned, at £ 70,478. After deductions the Steamer owners paid £1898 and the other cargo owners paid £ 3510-9s-2d. also making £5408-9s-2d.

Robert Armstrong, to whom an invoice and the whole document had been sent, had shipped 15 casks valued at £ 11 to a Mr. Hughes in Natal, his bill was for 14 shillings and 8 pence.

It should be noted that the whole of the General Average would have been calculated manually in pounds, shillings and pence.