Page 35 - The Insurance Times September 2024

captain, and resumed the voyage to London, in the course Capt. Benjamin Briggs was born in Wareham,
of which Amazon encountered further misadventures. She Massachusetts, on April 24, 1835, one of five sons of sea
collided with a fishing equipment in the narrows off captain Nathan Briggs. In 1862, he married his cousin Sarah
Eastport, Maine, and after leaving London ran into and sank Elizabeth Cobb, and enjoyed a Mediterranean honeymoon
a brig in the English Channel. Parker remained in command on board his schooner Forest King. Two children were born:
for two years, during which Amazon worked mainly in the Arthur in September 1865, and Sophia Matilda in October
West Indies trade. 1870. By the time of Sophia's birth, Briggs had achieved a
high standing within his profession. He considered retiring
She crossed the Atlantic to France in November 1861,and from the sea to go into business with his seafaring brother
in Marseille was the subject of a painting, possibly by Honore Oliver, who had also grown tired of the wandering life.
de Pellegrin, a well-known maritime artist of the Marseilles
School. In 1863, Parker was succeeded by William They did not proceed with this project, but each invested
Thompson, who remained in command until 1867. These his savings in a share of a ship: Oliver invested in Julia A.
were quiet years; Amazon's mate later recalled that, "We Hallock, and Benjamin in Mary Celeste. In October 1872,
went to the West Indies, England and the Benjamin took command of Mary Celeste for her first voyage
Mediterranean.what we call the foreign trade. Not a thing following her extensive New York refit, which was to take
unusual happened." her to Genoa in Italy. He arranged for his wife and infant
daughter to accompany him, while his school-going son was
In October 1867, at Cape Breton Island, Amazon was driven left at home in the care of his grandmother.
ashore in a storm, and was so badly damaged that her
owners abandoned her as a wreck. On October 15, she was Briggs chose the crew for this voyage with care. First mate
acquired as a derelict by Alexander McBean, of Glace Bay, Albert G. Richardson was married to a niece of Winchester
Nova Scotia. Within a month, McBean sold the wreck to a and had sailed under Briggs before. Second mate Andrew
local businessman, who in November 1868, sold it to Richard Gilling, aged about 25, was born in New York, and was of
W. Haines, an American mariner from New York. Haines paid Danish origin. The steward, newly married Edward William
US$1,750 for the wreck, and then spent $8,825 restoring Head, was signed on with a personal recommendation from
it. He made himself her captain, and, in December 1868, Winchester. The four general seamen were Germans from
registered her with the Collector of the Port of New York as the Frisian Islands: the brothers Volkert and Boz Lorenzen,
an American vessel, under a new name, "Mary Celeste". Arian Martens, and Gottlieb Goudschaal.

In October 1869, the ship was seized by Haines's creditors, A later testimonial described them as "peaceable and first-
and sold to a New York consortium headed by James H. class sailors." In a letter to his mother shortly before the
Winchester. During the next three years, the composition voyage, Briggs declared himself eminently satisfied with ship
of this consortium changed several times, although and crew. Sarah Briggs informed her mother that the crew
Winchester retained at least a half-share throughout. Early appeared to be quietly capable "... if they continue as they
in 1872, the ship underwent a major refit, costing $10,000, have begun". On October 20, 1872, Briggs arrived at Pier
which enlarged her considerably. Her length was increased 50 on the East River in New York City to supervise the loading
to 103 feet (31 m), her breadth to 25.7 feet (7.8 m) and of the ship's cargo of 1,701 barrels of alcohol; his wife and
her depth to 16.2 feet (4.9 m). infant daughter joined him a week later. On Sunday,

Among the structural changes, a second deck was added. November 3, Briggs wrote to his mother to say that he
An inspector's report refers to extensions to the poop deck, intended to leave on Tuesday, adding that "our vessel is in
new transoms and the replacement of many timbers. The beautiful trim, and I hope we shall have a fine passage."
work increased the ship's tonnage to 282.28. On October
29, 1872, the consortium was made up of Winchester with On November 7, 1872, the 282-ton brigantine set sail from
six shares and two minor investors with one share a piece, New York Harbor on its way to Genoa, Italy. On board were
the remaining four of twelve shares being held by the ship's the ship's captain, Benjamin S. Briggs, his wife, Sarah and
new captain, Benjamin Spooner Briggs. their 2-year-old daughter, Sophia, along with eight crew

32 September 2024 The Insurance Times