Amaranth(barquentine)

	Amaranthunder sail
History
United States
Name	Amaranth
Builder	Matthew Turner,Benicia,CA
Launched	1901
Fate	Wrecked atJarvis Island,Aug. 30, 1913,0°22′50″S159°59′56″W/ 0.38056°S 159.99889°W
General characteristics
Class and type	4-mastedbarquentine
Tons burthen	1,109
Sail plan	Barquentine

Amaranthwas a four-mastedbarquentinebuilt byMatthew TurnerofBenicia,California in 1901.Amaranthsailed in the China trade betweenPuget SoundandShanghai.She was wrecked on aguanoisland in the South Pacific in 1913 while carrying a load ofcoal.

Construction

Barquentine Amaranth Co. incorporated inSan Franciscoon Sept. 14, 1901 with capital stock of $76,000 and was assigned state corporation no. 33,965.^[2]Captain Turner, a master shipbuilder, was known for hisBering Seapelagic sealingschooners,codfishing schooners, South Seas schooners, and sugar packets.^[3]Amaranthmeasured 1,109 tons, and was a sister ship to Turner's 1,167 ton barquentineAmazon.^[1]^[4]The ship was named after theamaranthplant.

In 1975, a half-hull model ofAmaranthwas on display in theSan Francisco Maritime Museum.^[5]By 1941, theHistoric American Merchant Marine projecthad collected and deposited the complete plans ofAmaranthat theUS National Museum.^[6]

Voyages to China

Amaranthsailed fromAstoria, OregontoShanghaiin 23 days. She also made four voyages under Captain E.C. Boles fromPuget Soundto Taku, (Shanghai), "in 100, 110, 118, and 123 days."^[3]

Delivery of drydock materials to Pearl Harbor

In April 1910,Amaranthdelivered materials for construction of adrydockfacility atPearl Harbor.Amaranthwas the fourth deep-sea, cargo-carrying vessel to venture into the newly dredged harbor, where a naval station was planned, having been preceded by the three-masted schoonerW.H. Marstonon March 8, and the schoonerArieland barkMarstona few days later.^[7]

Shipwreck at Jarvis Island

NASApicture ofJarvis Island;note the submerged reef beyond the eastern end.

On 30 August 1913,Amaranth,under Captain C.W. Nielson, was carrying a cargo ofcoalfromNewcastle,New South Wales toSan Franciscowhen shewreckedon the southeastern shore ofJarvis Island.^[1]^[8]On shore, theAmaranthcrew could see the ruins of ten woodenguano-mining buildings, including a two-story house. "The captain and crew took to their boats and landed next morning. The vessel broke up. With salvaged provisions and water, the crew managed to reachSamoain the two boats 3 weeks later. "^[9]OnelifeboatreachedPago Pago,American Samoaand the other madeApiainWestern Samoa.

TheAmaranth's scattered remains were noted and scavenged for many years, and rounded fragments of coal from the ship'sholdwere still being found on the south beach in the late 1930s.^[10]"A memorialcairnand plaque that commemorate the grounding are still present on the island. "^[9]

Plaque

Amaranth Monument Plaque
Amaranth Monument Plaque	Amaranth Monument Plaque
WRECK OF BARKENTINE "AMARANTH" OF SAN FRANCISCO ...H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H... 1062 TONS 1913 #107681 C.W. NEILSEN MASTER ......... BOUND FROM NEWCASTLE N.S.W. FOR S.F. WITH CARGO COAL ... H H LOG EXTRACTS H H... ………………………… AUG.30.1913 7:45P.M. STRANDED ON JARVIS ISLAND LAT. 0° 23’S. LONG 59°54 W. TEN RM. LEFT IN TWO BOATS AS SHIP BREAKING UP. STOOD BY ALL NIGHT. LANDED ON THE ISLAND NEXT DAY AND FOUND SHIP A TOTAL LOSS. SEPT 1. LEFT JARVIS FOR SAMOAN ISLANDS. SEPT 10. RESTED ON DANGER ISLAND. GOT FRESH WATER & COCOANUTS SEPT 11. STARTED FOR PAGO PAGO IN THE MORNING. SEPT 12. 12°34'S.167°27'W. SEPT 13. 14°03'S.166°50'W. PASSED MANUA GROUP TO THE SOUTH. SEPT 14. SEVEN A.M. SIGHTED TUTUILA. ARRIVED PAGO PAGO AT TEN P.M. EVERYBODY IN BOAT WELL. ... H H H H H H H H H H H... THE U.S. GUNBOAT "PRINCETON" WENT TO SEA TO LOOK FOR NUMBER TWO BOAT & FOUND IT AT APIA SEPT. 24. ALL MEN WELL. CREW SENT UP TO SAN FRANCISCO ON S.S. VENTURA PAID CREW AT U.S. SHIPPING COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO ON OCTOBER TENTH 1913. ....H.H.H.H.H.H.H.H.H.... THIS DATA FROM CAPT. LEIGHTON C.P. ROBINSON. FORMERLY OF THE BARK "MELANOPE" IN THE CALIFORNIA.. AUSTRALIA TRADE & NOW DEPUTY U.S. SHIPPING COMMISSIONER AT S.F. ....H.H.H.H.H.H.H.H.H.... THIS TABLET MADE IN HONOLULU BY R.B.BLACK & MONUMENT ERECTED BY HAWAIIAN BOYS DURING U.S.DEPT. OF INTERIOR OCCUPATION OF JARVIS I.AS A METEOROLOGICAL OUTPOST FOR PROPOSED AIR ROUTES TO THE ANTIPODES H H H H H H H H H H H JANUARY H A.D. 1937	Amaranth Monument Plaque

References

^^a ^b ^c ^d Gibbs, Jim(1968).West Coast Windjammers in Story and Pictures.Seattle: Superior Publishing Co. p. 136.ISBN 978-0-517-17060-1.
^Report of Secretary of State, p. 27
^^a ^b Gibbs, Jim(1968).West Coast Windjammers in Story and Pictures.Seattle: Superior Publishing Co. pp. 40–45.ISBN 978-0-517-17060-1.
^Riegel, Martin P (1987).California's maritime heritage.San Clemente, CA: Riegel Pub. Co. p. 21.OCLC 17212276.
^Kranz, Jacqueline Longaker (1975).American nautical art and antiques.New York: Crown Publishers. p. 55.ISBN 9780517518915.
^Lyman, John (1941).The sailing vessels of the Pacific coast and their builders, 1850-1905.San Diego: Maritime Research Society of San Diego. p. 20.ISBN 9780517518915.OCLC 16000833. ( "The Historic American Merchant Marine project has collected and deposited in the US National Museum lines of the schoonerLilyand complete plans of schoonerCommerce,barkentinesKohala,AmazonandAmaranth,andbarkNewsboy.")
^Thrum, Thos. G(1910).All about Hawaii. The recognized book of authentic information on Hawaii, combined with Thrum's Hawaiian annual and standard guide. Honolulu.Honolulu: Honolulu Star-Bulletin. pp. 163–164.OCLC 1663720.
^Bryan, E H (1942).American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain.Honolulu, Hawaii: Tongg Pub. Co. p. 134.OCLC 1036237.
^^a ^bUS Fish & Wildlife Service."Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge".Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge Interpretation.US Fish & Wildlife Service.RetrievedFeb 26,2011.
^Bryan, E.H."Jarvis Island"Retrieved: 7 July 2008.

External links

Mathew Turner, Benicia’s shipbuilder extraordinaire,by Jerry Bowen

[Gibbs2-1] Gibbs, Jim(1968).West Coast Windjammers in Story and Pictures.Seattle: Superior Publishing Co. p. 136.ISBN 978-0-517-17060-1.

[2] Report of Secretary of State, p. 27

[Gibbs1-3] Gibbs, Jim(1968).West Coast Windjammers in Story and Pictures.Seattle: Superior Publishing Co. pp. 40–45.ISBN 978-0-517-17060-1.

[riegel-4] Riegel, Martin P (1987).California's maritime heritage.San Clemente, CA: Riegel Pub. Co. p. 21.OCLC 17212276.

[5] Kranz, Jacqueline Longaker (1975).American nautical art and antiques.New York: Crown Publishers. p. 55.ISBN 9780517518915.

[6] Lyman, John (1941).The sailing vessels of the Pacific coast and their builders, 1850-1905.San Diego: Maritime Research Society of San Diego. p. 20.ISBN 9780517518915.OCLC 16000833. ( "The Historic American Merchant Marine project has collected and deposited in the US National Museum lines of the schoonerLilyand complete plans of schoonerCommerce,barkentinesKohala,AmazonandAmaranth,andbarkNewsboy.")

[7] Thrum, Thos. G(1910).All about Hawaii. The recognized book of authentic information on Hawaii, combined with Thrum's Hawaiian annual and standard guide. Honolulu.Honolulu: Honolulu Star-Bulletin. pp. 163–164.OCLC 1663720.

[8] Bryan, E H (1942).American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain.Honolulu, Hawaii: Tongg Pub. Co. p. 134.OCLC 1036237.

[usfws-9] US Fish & Wildlife Service."Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge".Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge Interpretation.US Fish & Wildlife Service.RetrievedFeb 26,2011.

[10] Bryan, E.H."Jarvis Island"Retrieved: 7 July 2008.

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