One of the Alphabet Fleet, which were Scottish built ships aptly named from the initial letters of the ship names and associated with places in Scotland and owned by the Reid Newfoundland Company whose family were also from Scotland. These ships provided cargo and ferry services for coastal Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Ethie was built by Inglis A. & J. Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland to the Reid Newfoundland Co. and launched on date . Her sister ships were the Argyll, Clyde, Dundee and Fife, all from the same builder.
From the Western Star, 17 December 1919, page 6.
S.S. “ETHIE” VICTIM OF STORM
ASHORE AT MARTIN POINT
The s.s. Ethie went ashore at Martin Point, between Cow Head and Bonne Bay, during last week’s storm and became a total wreck. Capt. English, his crew and passengers escaped and reached Bonne Bay. The Ethie was engaged in the coastal trade between Bay of Islands and Labrador, and is the second of the Reid Nfld. Co’s fleet of steamers to end her days on the North West Coast. She was on the way south, having left Cow Head at 8 o’clock Wednesday evening for Bonne Bay, hoping to reach that port before the bursting of the impending storm. But the storm came on shortly after the ship put out. Particulars of her going ashore are not yet to hand.
The telegraph line to Bonne Bay was put out of commission by the gale, and it was impossible to hear from that section of the country. When the ship, however, did not turn up by the end of the week, much concern was felt for her safety, and the various wireless stations were applied to for any tidings of her. But nothing could be learned of her fate until Monday evening, when a messenger reached Deer Lake from Bonne Bay with the intelligence as cited above.
LATER
The Ethie, unable to stem the raging hurricane, drifted from daylight on Thursday till noon, when she was beached. A line was fired from the ship, but got caught up amongst the boulders, so the people of Martin Point sent out one of their dogs, a very sagacious animal, to bring it ashore. The ship had sixty passengers on board, and her crew numbered thirty-two; all of whom were safely landed by means of a boatswain’s chair on a line set up from the ship to the shore. One little baby of eighteen months of age was transferred to land in a mail bag. All underwent a most thrilling experience, and suffered much from intense cold. No doubt when full particulars are learnt it will be found that their miraculous escape from the deep was due in no small measure to the skillful seamanship of Captain English.
