Protest extended, " William the Fourth", George Milne

By this Public Instrument of Declaration and Protest Be it Known to all whom it may concern that on the twenty first day of January in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred & thirty five personally came & appeared in the British Consulate at Buenos Ayres in South America George Milne master of the Brig of vessel called the "William the Fourth" of Lyne of the burthen of 208 tons or thereabouts (who duly noted his Protest in this office on the 13th day of January 1835) together with John Percival mate -

who declared that the said vessel being laden with a general cargo they the said appearers sailed on the 25th day of April of last year on board the said Brig from the Port of Liverpool in the county of Lancaster bound direct to the Port of Valparaiso in Chile and proceeded on the voyage without any[thing] worthy of notice occurring until the 24th day of July when they arrived off St. John's Point, Staten Land.

On the 1st day of August Cape Horn bearing NW distant about 18 miles, they experienced at this time a continuation of strong gales, ship under close reefed topsails & often Foresail & Gore Topsail hauled.

On the 10th of August the gales still continuing from the SW wore ship to the WNW & NW under double reefed topsails, winds variable, wore ship again to the Southward & Westward.

On the 18th observed in Latitude 59° 15' South Long 74° 30' West, heavy gales which lasted until the 20th lay to, this gale was from the WSW lying up NW making a course about NE the ship drifting & shipping great quantities of water, pumps carefully attended to, as occasion required.

On the 24th more moderate wore the ship to the Southward & Westward again. Wind WNW blowing heavy gale close reefed the sails, squally with very changeable weather with snow & hail, took in & set sail as occasion required tacking on the most favourable tack for making Westing. Saw Cape Horn bearing North, very stormy weather.

On the 30th off the same month Latitude observed 58° 30' South
On the 6th of September lat observed 58° 45' South, Long 74° 15' again experienced heavy gales so as to oblige them to lay to.

On the 12th saw cape Horn again bearing NNW Tremendous heavy gales from the 12th until the 18th in Latitude 58°S and Long 72° W a heavy snow storm drove them again lay to, drift E by N

On the 20th saw Cape Horn bearing NW but on the 21st stood to the Southward blowing a heavy gale lying to, this day the second mate was drowned having fallen from the jib-boom.

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On the 22nd saw the Cape again bearing WNW distant about 10 leagues, heavy gales with a high sea. At 11 am shipped a heavy sea on board broke the wheel, carried away all the rails and quarter boards, split the main trysail, broke the vans? of the main boom, bobstay chains all having given way the ? still increasing four of the chain plates of the main rigging gave way and likewise of the fore rigging.

On the 23rd finding themselves off St. John's Point which they had rounded two months before and being afraid of the state of the main mast and likewise of driven further to the leeward and still blowing incessantly from SSW to SW found it although with a great reluctance necessary to bear up for the first Port, Montevideo, sailing under close reefed topsails
On the 30th the wind suddenly shifted to the SE thick hazy weather blowing a heavy gale having per Log run upwards of a thousand miles with thick weather.

On the 3rd & 4th days of October the gale increased from the ESE to E had sounding 40 fathoms at this time they supposed themselves to the northward of Cape Corrientes and lying up NE to NNE with the variation Easterly one point and a quarter, but in this they were deceived being about 18 leagues to the southward of the said Cape Corrientes.

At 1 am on the 5th day of the same month the vessel struck and broke her rudder, heavy breakers coming over the ship and sinking heavily, cut away the masts so that she should lay easier which she did at daylight about a cable's length & a half from the shore having had no observation for five days previous that that on which the vessel was wrecked.

And the said appearer further declared that the said Brig at the time of her sailing form Liverpool aforesaid upon the said intended voyage was tight staunch strong and had her hatches well and sufficiently caulked and covered & was well and sufficiently provided & furnished with all things needful & necessary for the said voyage, and that they the said appearer and the rest of the ship's company used their utmost endeavours to preserve the Brig and cargo from damage
Whereupon the said George Milne master of the Brig called the "William the Fourth" entered this Protest to the end that all such loss or damage as....

THE NEXT PAGE OF THE REGISTER BOOK IS MISSING - but we can safely assume that the last lines state something to the effect that "the losses shall be paid by those whom it may concern as being occasioned by the reasons aforesaid and not through any insufficiency or neglect of the vessel, her tackle, furniture or crew"

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