1386:
1381:
447:. The ship's captain William Kerr and his wife were passed through quarantine and then given accommodation in the town. However, the other officers and crew were required to remain on the tug, initially with the explanation that they would be needed for recovery attempts. Once the ship had been formally abandoned, immigration officials applied the
585:
The issue had no measurable impact on the election results, which saw the parliamentary status quo maintained and only a single seat change hands in
Victoria. The government was nonetheless concerned by the possibility of negative coverage overseas. In early 1904 it issued a statement internationally
474:
I have sailed in many seas the world over, but have never before seen or heard of a country where the shipwrecked mariner was not allowed to set his foot on dry land. If this treatment of my crew is a fair specimen of your humanity it is about equal to the worst barbarity of other nations, and if it
494:
published numerous letters accusing the government of cruelty and damaging
Australia's international reputation. The federal government's handling of the case was contrasted with that of the Victorian colonial government, which in 1891 had accommodated the Afro-Canadian crew members of the
805:
The
Petriana is historically significant as a shipwreck that became a focus in Australian politics for the treatment of its Lascar (Indo-Malay) crew under the White Australia policy. It was also Victoria's, and Australia's first oil spill, with catastrophic environmental
590:
which stated that "the coloured men had been well cared for" and quoted Deakin as saying "any complaints are baseless and are merely being employed for electioneering purposes". A similar incident occurred in March 1904, when the
Japanese crew of the wrecked cargo ship
457:. The British officers were also refused permission to land at first, however officials relented after five hours and the government later denied there had been a delay. On the evening of 30 November, the 27 Asian crew members were transferred to the
580:
It was undesirable that educated gentlemen who had been in gaol, or coloured men who had been shipwrecked, should land in
Australia in defiance of the law. They intended to keep their race pure, and make Australia a place worth living
426:
A Court of Marine
Inquiry assigned the blame for the wreck to Press, and on 9 December he was convicted of misconduct. His pilot's licence was suspended for twelve months and he was ordered to pay the costs of the investigation.
278:
for the London firm of Bell & Symonds, passing through a series of owners before being acquired by petroleum industry pioneer Alfred Suart in 1886. It was converted to a tanker in 1891, and in 1898 was purchased by the
556:
rather than landed. Deakin publicly defended the actions of both Hunt and the immigration officials who had originally refused the sailors entry, stating the latter had acted in the spirit of "utmost humanity".
529:
referred to the crew members using racial slurs and labelled them "very undesirable immigrants". It accused the other newspapers of slandering the government by portraying them as heartless.
540:. When the press began to question the government's actions, he claimed that the actual responsibility for the situation lay with the ship's owners. Deakin's departmental secretary
389:
on 30 November, the ship was formally abandoned. It eventually sank and now lies in pieces approximately 200 metres (660 ft) off of Point Nepean. The wreck is listed on the
405:. The surrounding beaches were contaminated for months, although one observer described the spill as "a film of great beauty, radiating all the colours of the rainbow". The
349:, now known as the Petriana Reef (or misspelt as Patriana Reef). The ship's engine room and stokehold were flooded within moments, leaving the ship without power.
552:, but that they would be liable for a ÂĢ100 fine for each crew member who escaped. They were unwilling to take the risk and therefore arranged for the crew to be
247:
were refused entry to
Australia and forced to stay on a crowded tugboat for several days. Their treatment led to a political controversy in the lead-up to the
720:
235:. The vessel was subsequently abandoned, but not before its cargo was released as part of efforts to save the ship, causing Australia's first major
1401:
1490:
461:, a Japanese mail steamer bound for Hong Kong, from which they were to be returned to their original port of Singapore as required by the
1121:
1029:
401:
In an attempt to lighten the vessel, it was decided to pump the oil cargo into the sea. This resulted in
Australia's first major
818:
1470:
1455:
752:
345:. There was a heavy fog which Press hoped would lift, but it failed to do so. At 7 a.m. the ship struck a reef just east of
1485:
525:
1475:
1450:
484:
There was an immediate public reaction to the government's handling of the wreck, which occurred in the middle of the
1480:
1445:
485:
449:
248:
1495:
1280:
1022:
565:
409:
oil spill had "catastrophic environmental consequences", and remained
Australia's largest until that of the
635:
280:
1328:
1318:
1162:
1152:
715:
595:
arrived in Sydney, but controversy was averted when the local customs officials allowed the men onshore.
390:
792:
470:
Captain Kerr released a press statement highly critical of the treatment of his crew, in which he said:
1465:
1389:
1385:
1380:
1376:
1065:
1044:
463:
878:
509:
497:
330:. The ship had a crew of 27 â 16 Chinese and 11 Malay â while the nine others on board were British.
284:
63:
1015:
569:
515:
507:
was initially equivocal but supported the government once criticism became sustained. In Sydney,
1105:
537:
454:
358:
337:
was boarded by Henry Press, a pilot of 20 years' experience, who was to guide the ship through
240:
444:
263:
89:
1007:
693:
1460:
1253:
1222:
553:
453:, refusing permission for the Asian crew members to land and forcing the tug to anchor off
228:
8:
1440:
1338:
1202:
1183:
1131:
475:
is forced on you by your laws, I regret to say they are a disgrace to the
British Empire.
267:
1142:
1095:
996:
604:
873:
840:
1308:
1111:
1086:
1054:
307:
288:
819:"Major historical incidents: A summary list of major historical oil spill incidents"
564:
incident was "constantly raised" at election meetings in Victoria and Tasmania. The
270:, England. It had a length of 260.5 feet (79.4 m) and a gross tonnage of 1,821
1362:
1192:
342:
232:
1232:
545:
490:
1288:
1259:
1434:
1416:
1403:
1357:
1172:
533:
369:
off the reef. Two other ships were called to assist on the next day, the tug
212:
208:
181:
133:
609:
549:
346:
271:
224:
147:
1346:
1298:
536:
sought to use the incident to promote his zero-tolerance approach to the
193:
1000:
1242:
1075:
541:
303:
275:
402:
315:
311:
236:
216:
987:
Foster, Leonie (2014). "Shipwrecks and the White Australia policy".
53:
587:
503:
338:
327:
323:
573:
319:
220:
1037:
995:(2). The Australian Association for Maritime History: 68â84.
385:
remained inundated with water. After a final attempt by the
215:. On 28 November 1903, while transporting 1,300 tonnes of
964:
928:
916:
906:
904:
891:
889:
856:
854:
772:
770:
724:. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
641:
Petroleum Transport & Storage Co. Ltd (1891â1898)
952:
940:
901:
886:
851:
667:
The captain, his wife, six officers and a cabin boy.
767:
721:Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Database
793:"Victorian Heritage Database Report: SS Petriana"
1432:
1023:
243:, the Chinese and Malay sailors crewing the
1030:
1016:
787:
785:
1038:Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1903
479:
314:for the Australian market, travelling to
211:built in 1879 that was converted into an
615:, similar issue before the 2001 election
430:
782:
413:offshore of Western Australia in 1975.
1433:
986:
970:
958:
946:
934:
922:
910:
895:
860:
821:. Australian Maritime Safety Authority
776:
755:. Australian Maritime Safety Authority
747:
745:
743:
741:
739:
322:. She was also carrying quantities of
283:, which in 1903 transferred it to the
1011:
688:
686:
684:
636:Shell Transport & Trading Co. Ltd
281:Shell Transport & Trading Company
1491:Political controversies in Australia
708:
352:
333:On the morning of 28 November 1903,
223:to Australia, it struck a reef near
736:
13:
681:
14:
1507:
548:that the crew could be landed on
435:On the evening of the wreck, the
1384:
1379:
450:Immigration Restriction Act 1901
421:
866:
841:"The stranding of the Petriana"
254:
1281:Bombardment of Fort San Carlos
833:
811:
661:
656:Bell & Symonds (1879â1882)
626:
1:
1471:1903 in the Dutch East Indies
1456:Ships built on the River Tyne
674:
365:tried unsuccessfully to push
287:, its new joint venture with
753:"Petriana, 28 November 1903"
650:Edward J. Walker (1884â1885)
439:took those rescued from the
416:
396:
377:. However, the pumps on the
7:
1486:Victorian Heritage Register
795:. Heritage Council Victoria
598:
391:Victorian Heritage Register
10:
1512:
1476:Maritime incidents in 1903
1191:September (unknown date):
980:
874:"Statement by the captain"
647:William Gibson (1885â1886)
519:adopted the stance of the
464:Merchant Shipping Act 1854
1451:Shipwrecks of Bass Strait
1374:
1271:
1084:February (unknown date):
1043:
879:The Sydney Morning Herald
544:had in fact informed the
510:The Sydney Morning Herald
373:and the salvage schooner
285:Asiatic Petroleum Company
119:
64:Asiatic Petroleum Company
33:
29:
653:R. Dickinson (1882â1884)
644:Alfred Suart (1886â1891)
619:
357:For the rest of the day
294:
165:21.75 feet (6.63 m)
157:260.5 feet (79.4 m)
115:Wrecked 28 November 1903
16:Oil tanker built in 1879
1481:Shell plc controversies
1446:Oil spills in Australia
120:General characteristics
1496:White Australia policy
1094:March (unknown date):
583:
538:White Australia policy
480:Political consequences
477:
359:Melbourne Harbor Trust
241:White Australia policy
130:Cargo ship (1879â1891)
632:Full list of owners:
578:
486:1903 federal election
472:
431:Treatment of the crew
310:with 1,300 tonnes of
264:A. Leslie and Company
262:was built in 1879 by
249:1903 federal election
90:A. Leslie and Company
572:, told a meeting in
274:. It was built as a
1413: /
1339:Guggenheim Treasure
847:. 10 December 1903.
411:Princess Anne Marie
268:Newcastle upon Tyne
81:Borneo to Australia
26:
882:. 8 December 1903.
696:. Tyne Built Ships
605:List of oil spills
498:Joseph H. Scammell
21:
1466:1903 in Australia
1396:
1395:
973:, pp. 76â77.
937:, pp. 72â73.
925:, pp. 74â76.
353:Recovery attempts
308:Dutch East Indies
199:
198:
184:, auxiliary sails
1503:
1428:
1427:
1425:
1424:
1423:
1418:
1417:38.31°S 144.65°E
1414:
1411:
1410:
1409:
1406:
1388:
1383:
1367:
1351:
1341:
1333:
1323:
1320:Empress of India
1313:
1303:
1293:
1283:
1264:
1248:
1237:
1227:
1217:
1207:
1197:
1187:
1177:
1167:
1164:Tennie and Laura
1157:
1147:
1137:
1126:
1116:
1100:
1090:
1080:
1070:
1060:
1032:
1025:
1018:
1009:
1008:
1004:
989:The Great Circle
974:
968:
962:
956:
950:
944:
938:
932:
926:
920:
914:
908:
899:
893:
884:
883:
870:
864:
858:
849:
848:
837:
831:
830:
828:
826:
815:
809:
808:
802:
800:
789:
780:
774:
765:
764:
762:
760:
749:
734:
733:
731:
729:
712:
706:
705:
703:
701:
690:
668:
665:
659:
630:
566:Attorney-General
343:Port Phillip Bay
233:Port Phillip Bay
70:Port of registry
27:
20:
1511:
1510:
1506:
1505:
1504:
1502:
1501:
1500:
1431:
1430:
1421:
1419:
1415:
1412:
1407:
1404:
1402:
1400:
1399:
1397:
1392:
1370:
1354:
1344:
1336:
1326:
1316:
1306:
1296:
1286:
1278:
1272:Other incidents
1267:
1251:
1240:
1230:
1220:
1210:
1200:
1190:
1180:
1170:
1160:
1150:
1140:
1129:
1119:
1103:
1093:
1083:
1073:
1063:
1052:
1039:
1036:
983:
978:
977:
969:
965:
957:
953:
945:
941:
933:
929:
921:
917:
909:
902:
894:
887:
872:
871:
867:
859:
852:
839:
838:
834:
824:
822:
817:
816:
812:
798:
796:
791:
790:
783:
775:
768:
758:
756:
751:
750:
737:
727:
725:
714:
713:
709:
699:
697:
692:
691:
682:
677:
672:
671:
666:
662:
631:
627:
622:
601:
546:shipping agency
532:Prime Minister
516:Daily Telegraph
482:
433:
424:
419:
399:
381:broke down and
355:
297:
266:at its yard in
257:
99:30 October 1879
73:London, England
17:
12:
11:
5:
1509:
1499:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1422:-38.31; 144.65
1394:
1393:
1375:
1372:
1371:
1369:
1368:
1352:
1342:
1334:
1324:
1314:
1304:
1294:
1284:
1275:
1273:
1269:
1268:
1266:
1265:
1252:Unknown date:
1249:
1238:
1228:
1218:
1208:
1198:
1188:
1178:
1168:
1158:
1148:
1138:
1127:
1117:
1101:
1091:
1081:
1071:
1061:
1049:
1047:
1041:
1040:
1035:
1034:
1027:
1020:
1012:
1006:
1005:
982:
979:
976:
975:
963:
951:
939:
927:
915:
900:
885:
865:
850:
832:
810:
781:
766:
735:
707:
679:
678:
676:
673:
670:
669:
660:
658:
657:
654:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
624:
623:
621:
618:
617:
616:
607:
600:
597:
481:
478:
437:James Paterson
432:
429:
423:
420:
418:
415:
398:
395:
387:James Paterson
363:James Paterson
354:
351:
296:
293:
256:
253:
197:
196:
190:
186:
185:
179:
175:
174:
171:
167:
166:
163:
159:
158:
155:
151:
150:
144:
140:
139:
138:
137:
131:
126:
122:
121:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
105:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
87:
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
71:
67:
66:
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
46:
40:
36:
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1508:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1438:
1436:
1429:
1426:
1391:
1387:
1382:
1378:
1373:
1366:
1365:
1360:
1359:
1353:
1350:
1349:
1343:
1340:
1335:
1332:
1331:
1325:
1322:
1321:
1315:
1312:
1311:
1305:
1302:
1301:
1295:
1292:
1291:
1285:
1282:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1270:
1263:
1262:
1257:
1256:
1250:
1247:
1246:
1239:
1236:
1235:
1229:
1226:
1225:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1199:
1196:
1195:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1179:
1176:
1175:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1159:
1156:
1155:
1154:North Pacific
1149:
1146:
1145:
1139:
1136:
1135:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1118:
1115:
1114:
1109:
1108:
1102:
1099:
1098:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1062:
1059:
1058:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1042:
1033:
1028:
1026:
1021:
1019:
1014:
1013:
1010:
1002:
998:
994:
990:
985:
984:
972:
967:
961:, p. 76.
960:
955:
949:, p. 77.
948:
943:
936:
931:
924:
919:
913:, p. 74.
912:
907:
905:
898:, p. 73.
897:
892:
890:
881:
880:
875:
869:
863:, p. 72.
862:
857:
855:
846:
842:
836:
820:
814:
807:
806:consequences.
794:
788:
786:
779:, p. 71.
778:
773:
771:
754:
748:
746:
744:
742:
740:
723:
722:
717:
716:"SS Petriana"
711:
695:
689:
687:
685:
680:
664:
655:
652:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
633:
629:
625:
614:
612:
608:
606:
603:
602:
596:
594:
589:
582:
577:
575:
571:
567:
563:
558:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
534:Alfred Deakin
530:
528:
527:
522:
518:
517:
512:
511:
506:
505:
500:
499:
493:
492:
487:
476:
471:
468:
466:
465:
460:
456:
452:
451:
446:
442:
438:
428:
422:Investigation
414:
412:
408:
404:
394:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
364:
360:
350:
348:
344:
340:
336:
331:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
292:
290:
286:
282:
277:
273:
272:imperial tons
269:
265:
261:
252:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
231:, outside of
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
209:screw steamer
206:
205:
195:
191:
188:
187:
183:
180:
177:
176:
172:
169:
168:
164:
161:
160:
156:
153:
152:
149:
148:imperial tons
145:
142:
141:
135:
132:
129:
128:
127:
124:
123:
118:
114:
111:
110:
106:
103:
102:
98:
95:
94:
91:
88:
85:
84:
80:
77:
76:
72:
69:
68:
65:
62:
59:
58:
55:
52:
49:
48:
45:
41:
38:
37:
32:
28:
25:
19:
1398:
1363:
1356:
1347:
1329:
1319:
1309:
1299:
1289:
1260:
1254:
1244:
1233:
1223:
1213:
1212:
1203:
1193:
1182:
1173:
1163:
1153:
1143:
1133:
1122:
1112:
1107:Huddersfield
1106:
1096:
1085:
1076:
1066:
1056:
992:
988:
966:
954:
942:
930:
918:
877:
868:
844:
835:
823:. Retrieved
813:
804:
797:. Retrieved
757:. Retrieved
726:. Retrieved
719:
710:
698:. Retrieved
663:
628:
610:
592:
584:
579:
561:
559:
554:transshipped
550:Coode Island
531:
526:The Bulletin
524:
520:
514:
508:
502:
496:
495:shipwrecked
489:
483:
473:
469:
462:
458:
455:Williamstown
448:
440:
436:
434:
425:
410:
406:
400:
386:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
362:
356:
347:Point Nepean
334:
332:
299:
298:
259:
258:
255:Early career
244:
239:. Under the
225:Point Nepean
207:was an iron
203:
201:
200:
43:
23:
18:
1461:Oil tankers
1420: /
1255:Loch Bredan
971:Foster 2014
959:Foster 2014
947:Foster 2014
935:Foster 2014
923:Foster 2014
911:Foster 2014
896:Foster 2014
861:Foster 2014
777:Foster 2014
638:(1898â1903)
570:James Drake
459:Kasuga Maru
445:Queenscliff
289:Royal Dutch
173:Single-deck
136:(1891â1903)
1441:1879 ships
1435:Categories
1358:Bellingham
1310:Emily Reed
1224:Warrington
1045:Shipwrecks
694:"Petriana"
675:References
542:Atlee Hunt
523:, whereas
488:campaign.
379:Enterprise
375:Enterprise
304:Balikpapan
276:cargo ship
213:oil tanker
178:Propulsion
134:Oil tanker
1243:USS
1204:Marquette
1194:Moonlight
1132:HMS
1097:Hougomont
1067:Espingole
1055:USS
845:The Argus
491:The Argus
417:Aftermath
403:oil spill
397:Oil spill
339:The Heads
316:Melbourne
312:petroleum
237:oil spill
217:petroleum
104:Completed
1408:144°39âēE
1345:10 Oct:
1337:26 Sep:
1330:Oslyabya
1327:21 Aug:
1317:17 Aug:
1307:12 Jul:
1297:28 Feb:
1287:16 Feb:
1279:17 Jan:
1241:31 Dec:
1231:26 Dec:
1214:Petriana
1211:28 Nov:
1201:15 Oct:
1181:26 Sep:
1171:23 Aug:
1151:18 Jul:
1144:Monterey
1141:14 Jul:
1134:Scorpion
1130:17 Jun:
1104:26 May:
1074:10 Feb:
1053:21 Jan:
1001:24583070
825:15 March
799:21 March
759:15 March
728:21 March
700:15 March
599:See also
562:Petriana
441:Petriana
407:Petriana
383:Petriana
367:Petriana
335:Petriana
300:Petriana
260:Petriana
245:Petriana
229:Victoria
204:Petriana
96:Launched
54:Petriana
50:Namesake
44:Petriana
24:Petriana
1405:38°19âēS
1355:6 Dec:
1348:Etruria
1300:Etruria
1221:6 Dec:
1161:2 Aug:
1120:9 Apr:
1113:Oakland
1077:Madiana
1064:4 Feb:
981:Sources
588:Reuters
504:The Age
328:benzene
324:naphtha
306:in the
143:Tonnage
86:Builder
34:History
1245:Quiros
1184:Harold
1174:Narara
1123:Althea
1087:Ambriz
1057:Leyden
999:
613:affair
574:Sydney
320:Sydney
221:Borneo
154:Length
146:1,821
1234:Kiowa
997:JSTOR
620:Notes
611:Tampa
521:Argus
371:Eagle
341:into
302:left
295:Wreck
219:from
194:knots
189:Speed
182:Screw
170:Decks
162:Depth
78:Route
60:Owner
1390:1904
1377:1902
1364:Dode
1290:Pisa
1261:Vega
827:2020
801:2020
761:2020
730:2020
702:2020
593:Elba
586:via
560:The
513:and
361:tug
326:and
318:via
192:9.5
125:Type
112:Fate
107:1879
39:Name
581:in.
443:to
202:SS
42:SS
22:SS
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1361:,
1258:,
1110:,
993:36
991:.
903:^
888:^
876:.
853:^
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784:^
769:^
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718:.
683:^
576::
568:,
501:.
467:.
393:.
291:.
251:.
227:,
1031:e
1024:t
1017:v
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829:.
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704:.
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