E.S. Jobson Gallery

The Evening Star, Ipswich, March 17^th, 1898:
COLLISION AT SEA. INTERVIEW WITH THE BARQUE’S CAPTAIN. The captain of the British Princess, in an interview with representative of the “Eastern Daily Press,*’ said: The barque is an old ship, having been built some thirty years, and is owned Messrs. Gracie, Beazley, and Co., of Liverpool. This morning, after midnight, whilst I was in my berth, I was awakened by the sound of a collision. I immediately went on deck. The weather was fair, all our lights were burning, and the wind was in a south-westerly quarter, with no heavy sea. We were somewhere off the Gabbard Light, which is near Orford Ness, when the collision occurred.
The steamer which had run into us went out of sight like a breath upon the air. She simply dropped out of our vision within couple of minutes of the impact. I heard just one voice, a sort of murmur, and that was all. I at once took steps to ascertain our damage. There is a large hole on either side of our bows, through which the water poured with great volume. Our fore peak is full of water. The boats were swung out in readiness for any emergency that might arise, but in the darkness nothing much could done. It was not till daylight that the full extent of the damage could be ascertained. At about one o’clock in the afternoon, the tug Oceana was sighted, and she brought us in tow to Lowestoft. We were about twenty miles off this port when picked up.”

One of the crew, in the course of conversation said, “The force of the collision was so great that the steamer was cut clean in two. The crew rushed out of the forecastle, and I saw them come. They simply stepped into the water and dropped to the bottom with their ship, which went down like a stone.” The collision took place about fifteen miles from the spot at which the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamer Elbe was sunk three years ago. The steamer is supposed to be a foreigner, and the crew of the barque are of opinion that from the course which the steamer was shaping she was bound for a Dutch port. 
PROBABLE IDENTITY OF STEAMER. No news has been received at Lowestoft to-day of the steamer sunk through collision with the Liverpool barque British It thought, however, she may have been a Norwegian steamer for Billingsgate with herrings, as a message reached Lowestoft to-day asking if the vessel was the Reservine, which was due at Billingsgate last evening. There nothing to identify ill-fated steamer, and no information can therefore be given.

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, March 28^th, 1898:
THE BRITISH PRINCESS COLLISION. SUPPOSED LOSS OF NINETEEN LIVES. A West Hartlepool correspondent states that it is feared that the vessel run down by the British Princess on the 16th inst. Is the steamer Magnet, formerly owned at that port, but sold to foreign owners. She was under the command of Capt. Buchholtz. The Magnet was bound from Pomaron for Stettin with iron ore, and about the time of the collision was spoken off Dungeness. Since then she has not been heard of. The description given by the captain the British Princess of the vessel he collided with agrees with that of the Magnet, which carried nineteen hands.

Leeds Mercury, April 4^th, 1898:
THE BRITISH PRINCESS COLLISION. The statement that the steamer which sank after collision with the British Princess was the Magnet, formerly named the E.S. Jobson, has been confirmed. She was in charge of Captain Paul Buckholtz, of Konigsberg. His brother arrived in Lowestoft on Saturday and on being shown the wreckage which was found wedged in the bows of British Princess, he unhesitatingly declared that it belonged to the Magnet. She carried a crew of eighteen all told.

The Chronicle, May 7^th, 1898:
TERRIBLE DISASTER AT SEA. THRILLING SCENES AT MID-NIGHT.
A serious disaster at sea was reported at Lowestoft on March 16 by which an unknown steamer was sunk and all hands lost. The sad news was brought to Lowestoft by the British Princess, a fine barque hailing from Leith, and bound for Liverpool, belonging to Messrs. Gracie & Co., of the latter port. The first intimation of anything unusual was the appearance of a large black and white vessel in tow of a steamer heading directly for the harbor. As the pair drew nearer tb.3 damaged condition of the barque's bow indicated that she had been in collision. The British Princess, a magnificent vessel of 2,8OO tons and 1,490 registered tonnage, was in tow of the Dutch tug1 Oceana. The Telegraph's correspondent gathered that at about 2 a.m. on the day in question the British Princess was within sight of the Gabbard lightship, off Orfordness.
The weather was clear and wind about south-west. The barque was in charge of the chief officer, and the lookout reported a steamer with lights brightly burning bearing down upon them. There was nothing unusual in the circumstances to those on board the British Princess, who expected every minute to see the steamer change her course and give way to the sailing vessel. It soon became apparent that the approach of the barque had not been observed. Before any warning could be given a fearful crash occurred, as the steamer came stem on to the British Princess. The watch rushed forward, and peering over the bows, saw a steamer of not very great size, with her stern, which had swung round, almost smashed under the prow of the barque. Before a rope could be cast or a boat lowered, the colliding craft sank like a stone. A confused murmur arose after the impact, like the sound of escaping steam, then the waters closed over the doomed ship and its ill-fated occupants.
To those on the sailing vessel the only sounds in the night were the whistling of the wind in the barque's rigging and the orders shouted by her commander. Captain Scott was on deck immediately after the collision and laid-to the vessel, having first closed the water-tight compartments. The utmost order prevailed, and with precision boats were swung out ready for lowering and steps at once taken to ascertain the amount of damage she had received. Nothing much could be done till daylight, when it was found that two huge holes had been torn in her bows, and water was gaining rapidly. Great fears were felt for the ship's safety, but fortunately she was in ballast. It was not till 1.30 that the tug Oceana was sighted and the British Princess brought to port.
In an interview Captain Scott said : — 'This morning after midnight — I cannot precisely stats the hour— whilst I was in my berth I was awakened by the sound of a collision. I immediately went on deck. The weather being fair all our light were burning brightly, and the wind was in a south-westerly quarter, with no heavy sea. We were then off the Gabbard Llightship, which is near Orfordness. The steamer which had run into us went out of sight like a breath upon the air. She simply dropped out of our vision within the briefest space of time. I heard just one voice — a sort of murmur— and that was all. I at once took steps to ascertain our damage. There was a largo hole on either side of the bows, through which water poured with great volume. Our fore-peak was full of water. The boats were swung out in readiness for emergency, but in the darkness nothing could be done. It was not till daylight that the full extent of the damage could be ascertained. At about 1 o'clock the tug Oceana was sighted. We were about 20 miles off Lowestoft when she picked us up. I have no hope that there are survivors from the steamer, One of the crew said the force of the collision was so terrible that the steamer was cut into two pieces. 'We saw her crew rush out of the forecastle, but the poor fellows only stepped into the tumbling waters, and disappeared like stones.'