House Of Commons, Tuesday, February 17 [1846]

Mr. Hume moved for "copies of all reports and correspondence respecting the loss of the emigrant ship Cataraqui, in Bass's Straits, in August last, having 369 emigrants on board. Copy of the report of the officer at Liverpool on the state of the Cataraqui before sailing from Liverpool in April, 1845, and what the length of the contract ; whether the captain and mate had passed any examination, and how long the captain had been at sea."

Mr. Hume said he did not wish, in submitting this motion, to cast any blame on anyone ; but when he saw that out of 415 persons who embarked in this ship no fewer than 409 had been lost in a few hours, it did appear to him that some more effective means ought to be taken to preserve the lives of our countrymen who proceeded to our colonies. Whether there had been any defect in the build of the ship ; whether there had been no regular charts on board, which some public officers had stated would have saved the ship ; whether the lighthouses were defective or not, he could not say ; but in passing he would express a hope that the house would take .into its early consideration the propriety of having lighthouses placed under the cognizance of Government, and not left to private individuals to do or undo as they thought right. (Hear, hear) There were various considerations connected with this case, to which he intended to call, the attention of the house ; but he should leave these till a future occasion. Meantime, he would move for the, documents he had named.

Mr. G. W. Hope stated, that he had every reason to believe that the Cataraqui was a vessel remarkably well found, that she contained a very experienced captain, that the same parties to whom she belonged had been engaged for a long time in carrying emigrants, and, though they had carried no fewer than 60.000 persons at different times to our colonies, this was the first time any loss had ever arisen to them. (Hear, hear.)

The returns were ordered.

Source: SG 20 Jun 1846

Wreck of the Cataraqui - The tablet, executed by Messrs. Langlands and Co., in commemoration of the unfortunate sufferers by the ill-fated Cataraqui, will be shipped in a few days for its ultimate destination. As a piece of workmanship, this tablet is highly creditable to Messrs. Langlands and Co.

It is intended to be fixed in an upright position, is about two feet eight inches in width, and six feet in height. On either side is a handsome Gothic column of fourteen inches in diameter, with a projecting cornice of one inch and a quarter. The whole is of iron, and the inscription is raised letters, projecting about a quarter of an inch from the surface, is as follows :- "Memorial of the total wreck of the emigrant ship Cataraqui (from Liverpool to Port Phillip) C. W. Finlay, master, on these reefs, August 4th, 1845. Of four hundred and eight souls on board, but nine survived, the chief mate, Thomas Guthrey, seven sailors, and one emigrant. Solomon Brown. This memorial records and deplores the loss of the master, C. W. Finlay ; Surgeon Superintendent, C. Carpenter; Assistant Surgeon, Edward Carpenter, and twenty-seven officers and men of the ship's company ; of sixty-two emigrant families comprising 313 souls - of unmarried female emigrants 33, of unmarried male emigrants 23 - in all three hundred and ninety-nine souls. This tablet was erected at the instance of the Local Government of Port Phillip." SG 9 May 1846

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