The U.S. ship MOBILE was built at Bath, Maine, by John Larrabee, in 1851, for the firm of George F. &. John Patten. 960 tons; 172.8 x 34.8 x 17.4 feet (length x beam x depth of hold). [William Armstrong Fairburn, Merchant Sail (Center Lovell, Maine: Fairburn Marine Educational Foundation, [1945-1955]), vol. 5, pp. 3199, 3205, and 3207; Kenneth R. Martin, The Pattens of Bath - A Seagoing Dynasty (Bath, Maine: Maine Maritime Museum and Patten Free Library, c1996)].

The ship MOBILE, Capt. Tarbox, sailed from Liverpool for New Orleans on Tuesday, 28 September 1852, at about noon, and ran aground on the Arklow Banks at about 2:30 on the morning of Wednesday, 29 September 1852. She was carrying approximately 78 persons, 54 passengers and 24 crew (including the steward's wife). The following accounts of the wreck are taken from the London Times

1. Times, Monday, 4 October 1852, p. 5e:
   Dreadful Shipwreck.
   (By Electric Telegraph.)
   
   Liverpool, Sunday, 11 P.M.
   
   
   We have received intelligence this evening of the total loss of the American ship Mobile, Capt Furber, which sailed from this port on Monday last for New Orleans. The particulars of the melancholy occurrence, so far as we have been able to learn, as as follows:--
   
   
   The Mobile sailed from the Mersey, as above stated, on Monday last with upwards of 40 passengers and a crew numbering about 30 men, and proceeded safely until half-past 2 o'clock on Wednesday morning, at which time she struck on Blackwater Bank, and shortly afterwards began to break up.
   
   
   At the time she struck the wind was blowing a perfect hurricane from E.N.E., with a very heavy sea running, the only sails she carried at the time being the fore and maintopsails, close reefed. Shortly after she struck efforts were made to launch the boats, but, in consequence of the heavy sea running at the time, they were fruitless. The scene on board the ill-fated ship a few minutes after striking baffles all description. The poor passengers were running about in all directions crying out piteously for help, but, alas! there was none at hand, and at every succeeding sea one or more of their number were washed off the wreck, until, in a very short time, all had disappeared, with the exception of eight seamen and one passenger, who had fortunately lashed themselves to the channels.
   
   
   A few hours after the vessel had struck the weather moderated considerably, and about 11 o'clock on Thursday morning two schooners hove in sight, and immediately bore down to the wreck. One of the schooners, which was bound to Glasgow, took four of the sailors and the passenger on board, and the other took the remaining four off, and landed them at Wexford. When rescued they were in a very exhausted state from cold and exposure. They were forwarded to this port in the Wexford steamer, and arrived this evening, destitute of everything but what they stood in. Captain Furber, the commander of the ill-fated ship, together with all his officers, perished. There is no doubt the ship went to pieces on Friday, as great quantities of wreck, crates, several water-casks, and portions of a vessel, were passed on Friday night and Saturday.
   
   
   The Mobile was a fine ship of upwards of 1,000 tons burden, and nearly new.
   
   
2. Times, Tuesday, 5 October 1852, p. 5f:
   
   Loss of the Mobile.--Liverpool, Oct. 4.--We have made further inquiries as to the loss of the Mobile, Captain Tarbox (not Furber), and ascertained from Messrs. James Browne and Co., the consignees of the ship, that she sailed from this port on Tuesday morning last, with between 55 and 60 passengers, and not 40, as before stated. Being favoured with a fair wind, she pursued her course at a rapid rate, and at midnight the captain went below, leaving the second mate in charge, with strict injunctions to steer west-south-west, and to see that he (the captain) was called at 2 o'clock, or sooner, if the weather assumed a more threatening aspect. The wind at the time the captain went below was blowing a fresh breeze from east-north-east, with a heavy sea, which increased to a violent gale; he was, however, not called until 2 o'clock. On coming on deck, the captain inquired whether the ship had been steered as he ordered, and then found that the second mate had misunderstood the orders given to him, and had ordered her to be kept on a west-north-west course, which had carried her directly on a lee shore, from which it was found impossible to extricate her, although every human effort was made. We saw two of the men who were saved, and from them we learnt that she had 18 men before the mast, a cook and a steward, who, together with the captain and first and second mates, made a total of 23 hands. The steward's wife was also on board the ship. From the above it will be seen that the loss of life will be upwards of 70 souls, instead of 60, as previously reported.
   
   
3. Times, Saturday, 9 October 1852, p. 7f:
   
   The Wreck of the Mobile.--The following is an account of how the survivors of the Mobile were picked up; it is from a communication to the Glasgow Constitutional:--"The schooner Rebecca, of Glasgow, Captain Gibson, has just arrived in the Clyde from Cadiz. On Thursday last, when a little above Tuskar, Captain Gibson saw a black object on the water, about four miles to windward, the wind being at the time about N.N.W. He at first took it to be a fishing-boat, or some craft that had left a vessel in distress; but on his going to the masthead he discovered that it was part of the wreck of a large ship. He immediately ran up his ensign, to let it be known that he had seen the wreck, and would render assistance. He then made more sail, as the vessel was double-reefed at the time, and in a short period came close to the raft. He, as soon as possible, sent the small boat to the raft, and on their approaching it it was found that there were nine persons on it. As the sea was running very high at the time, the whole of them could not be taken into the boat at once. Accordingly, five were taken first, and the remaining four left to be taken off again; but before the boat returned a brigantine, seeing what was going on, bore down, put out a boat, and took off the four persons already mentioned. The five picked up by the Rebecca consist of four seamen and one passenger. Two of the seamen are American, one French, and one Irish. The passenger belongs to Cornwall, in England, and was proceeding to California. From the survivors on board the Rebecca we learn that the illfated ship was the Mobile, of Bath, in America, Captain Tarbox, from Liverpool to New Orleans. There were on board in all 78, consisting of 54 passengers and 24 of the crew. The Mobile cleared out from Liverpool on Tuesday, about 12 o'clock at noon, and was going at nine knots an hour, when she struck the Arklow banks, about 2 o'clock on Wednesday morning. The small boats were broken by a heavy sea running at the time, and in a very short period the ship was broken up. The survivors, along with seven others, who were subsequently washed off, adhered to a large part of the ship, and were about 30 hours on it, when they were taken off by Captain Gibson on Thursday morning, about half-past 10 o'clock. The sea was running very high the whole time they were on the raft, making a clear passage over them, and it was with the greatest difficulty that they kept on it. Some of them were very much cut and bruised, and on their being taken on board they cried for joy. They were treated in the most kindly manner by Captain Gibson and his crew, who supplied them with dry and comfortable clothes, and provided such comforts as were necessary for them in their weak state. On their reaching Lamlash Bay, on Saturday night, they were supplied with more clothes by the inhabitants, who also made a subscription to assist them on their further journey. The following are the names of the survivors--Robert J. Wheeler, seaman; Andrew Curtis, seaman; Archibald Woods, seaman; Toussaint Breuak, seaman; Christopher Faull, passenger. In contact with the above may be mentioned the disgraceful conduct of the captain and crew of a large steamer coming up Channel. Early on Thursday morning (the morning on which the men were picked up) a large steamer, with a white funnel, coming up Channel, passed close by the raft; a boat was put out, but, as if no one would venture into it, was sent adrift, and, by mere accident, it struck the raft; it was, however, stove in by striking, and no effort was made to save the unfortunate sufferers. Had a boat been sent from the steamer, and properly managed, more might have been saved, as some dropped off the raft, seeing that they were left to perish when assistance might have been rendered."
   
   
4. Admiralty Register of Wrecks and Other Casualties on Shores of U.K., 1852: Parliamentary Papers, House of Commons, 1852-53 (983) lxi.136-137:
   
   Sept 29, 1852. Ship Mobile, 1000 tons, crew of about 23, from Liverpool to New Orleans, with passengers; winds E.N.E., force 12; loss of approximately 72 lives; on Arklow Banks.
   
   
   Struck on [Arklow Banks], owing to the second mate steering the ship W.N.W. instead of W.S.W., as ordered by the captain. Eight of the crew, with one passenger, were saved by two schooners; the remainder were lost. Tarbox, mr.
   
   
   [S.G.. 4 Oct] Liverpool, Oct 3.--The American ship "Mobile", Tarbox, which left this port on Monday last for New Orleans, with upwards of 40 passengers and a crew of 30 persons, has been wrecked on the Blackwater Bank, near Wexford. At the time she struck the wind was blowing a perfect hurricane from E.N.E., with a very heavy sea running, the only sails she carried at the time being the fore and maintop sails, close-reefed. Shortly after she struck efforts were made to launch the boats, but in consequence of the heavy sea running at the time, they were fruitless. The scene on board the ill-fated ship, a few minutes after striking, baffles all description. The poor passengers were running about in all directions crying out piteously for help; but, alas! there was none at hand, and at every succeeding sea one or more of their number were washed off the wreck; until, in a very short time, all had disappeared, with the exception of eight seamen and one passenger, who had fortunately lashed themselves to the channels. A few hours after the vessel had struck the weather moderated considerably, and about 11 o'clock on Thursday morning two schooners hove in sight, and immediately bore down to the wreck. One of the schooners, which was bound to Glasgow, took four of the sailors and the passenger on board, and the other took the remaining four off, and landed them at Dundalk. When rescued they were in a very exhausted state from cold and exposure. They were forwarded to this port by the steamer, and arrived last evening destitute of everything but what they stood in. Captain Furber, together with all his officers, perished. There is no doubt the ship went to pieces on Friday, as great quantities of wreck, crates, several water-casks, and portions of a vessel, were passed on Friday night and Saturday. The "Mobile" was upwards of 1,000 tons, and nearly new.
   
   
   Dundalk, Oct 1--The schooner "Mary Elizabeth", Richards, of Nevin, North Wales, about 11 a.m. on the 30th September, Tara Hall, off Arklow, being N.W., distant 20 miles, saw part of a wreck with a number of people on it; bore down on her; got out the boat and proceeded to the wreck, which turned out to be the ship "Mobile", Tarbox, of Bath (U.S.), from Liverpool for New Orleans, with passengers. After a great deal of risk and exertion on the part of Captain Richards and his crew, they succeeded in saving the last four of the crew, on board of the wreck, who report that five others were saved previously by a schooner bound to Glasgow; and also report that the 50 passengers (with one exception) were lost, as also the captain, mate, steward, and 12 of the crew. Captain Richards treated the four men with the greatest kindness (one of them being nearly exhausted), and has landed them safely at this port. Two of the crew saved by Captain Richards are Swedes. The Swedish vice-consul at this port is bound to provide for them according to his instructions. The ship struck on Arklow Banks at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, having sailed from Liverpool on Tuesday, at 12 noon.
   
   
   [S.G. 5 Oct.] Fifty-nine passengers, the captain, officers, and 10 seamen, are reported to have been drowned in the wreck of the American ship "Mobile", Tarbox, lost on the Arklow Bank (as reported yesterday). It is stated that the "Mobile", having a fair wind, pursued her course at a rapid rate, and at midnight the captain went below, leaving the second mate in charge, with strict instructions to steer W.S.W., and to see that he (the captain) was called at two o'clock, or sooner, if the weather assumed a more threatening aspect. The wind, at the time the captain went below, was blowing a fresh breeze from E.N.E., with a heavy sea, which increased to a violent gale: he was, however, not called until two o'clock. On coming on deck the captain inquired whether the ship had been steered as he ordered, and then found that the second mate had misunderstood the orders given to him, and had ordered her to be kept on a W.N.W. course, which had carried her directly on a lee short, from which it was found impossible to extricate her, although every human effort was made.

The motorship MONTE ROSA was built for the Hamburg-Südamerikanische Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (yard #492), and was launched on 4 December 1930. 13,882 tons gross; 152,5 x 20,1 x 12,8 meters (length x breadth x depth of hold); 2 funnels, 2 masts, cruiser stern; twin-screw, four stroke single-acting oil engines, 6,800 hp, service speed 14 knots; accommodation for 1,372 passengers in tourist class and 1,036 in steerage; crew of 272.

21 March 1931, maiden voyage, Hamburg-River Plate. Extensively used as a cruise ship off-season. 11 January 1940, requisitioned by the German navy for use as an accommodation ship at Stettin. 1942, troop transport between Denmark and Norway. October 1943-April 1944, employed as a mobile workshop during repairs of the battleship TIRPITZ, at Altafjord, Norway. April 1944, returned to service as a troop transport between Aarhus and Oslo. Summer 1944, sent to Riga to evacuate refugees and wounded. Autumn 1944, evacuated women and children of the "Organisation Lebensborn" from Moss/Oslo, Norway. October 1944, during service as a troop transport, on a passage from Oslo to Swinemünde, stuck a mine off the Fehmarnbelt lightship, but reached Swinemünde under her own power; following repairs and armoring, returned to service evacuating troops from Norway. 15 January 1945, entered service as a hospital ship. 28 February 1945, on a passage from Swinemünde to Pillau, struck a mine off Rixhöft, Hela Peninsula, West Prussia, and towed into Gotenhafen (Gdynia) listing 19 degrees, with her engine room flooded; after temporary repairs towed to Copenhagen carrying over 5,000 refugees and wounded. May 1945, moved to Kiel, and retired from duty on 1 August 1945. 18 November 1945, seized at Kiel by British forces; allocated to the Ministry of War Transport, later Ministry of Transport; towed to South Shields, repaired and converted to a troopship; 14,414 tons. 1946, renamed EMPIRE WINDRUSH, and managed for the Ministry of Transport by the New Zealand Line, London. 1950, refitted; 14,651 tons. 28 March 1954, on passage from Yokohama and Kure to Southampton, caught fire off Cape Caxine following an explosion in the engine room; 4 crew killed, but the remainder of the crew and all passengers were taken off by other ships. The destroyer HMS SAINTES attempted to tow her to Gibraltar, but she sank on 29 March 1954, at position 37 N, 02.11 E.

Sources: Claus Rothe, Deutsche Passagier-Liner des 20. Jahrhunderts, ed. Jürgen Schödler (Hamburg: Koehler, 1997), pp. 129-130 (photograph); James Cooper, Arnold Kludas, and Joachim Pein, The Hamburg South America Line (Kendal, England: World Ship Society, c1989), p. 78, no. 117 (4 photographs); Arnold Kludas, Die großen Passagierschiffe der Welt; Eine Dokumentation, Bd. 3: 1924-1935 (Oldenburg/Hamburg: Gerhard Stalling, 1973), pp. 24-25 (3 photographs); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, South Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Lines and Liners from Europe to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina (Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications, c1983), p. 215.

The U.S. ship MONTEZUMA was built at New York by Webb & Allen in 1843, for the Black Ball Line of sailing packets between New York and Liverpool. 924 tons; 162 ft x 35 ft 8 in x 21 ft (length x beam x depth of hold). Unusually for her time, she was painted with dummy gun ports, like a Blackwall frigate. She served in the Black Ball Line until she was wrecked on Jones Beach, Long Island, on 18 May 1854, on a voyage from Liverpool to New York, carrying almost 500 immigrant passengers; by efficient work, all passengers and crew were saved. The MONTEZUMA was one of the fastest packets of her day, her westbound passages averaging 34 days, with her fastest passage being 27 days, and her slowest being 57 days.

Source: Robert Greenhalgh Albion, Square-riggers on Schedule; The New York Sailing Packets to England, France, and the Cotton Ports (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1938), pp. 198, 225, 276-277.

The brig MORNING STAR, George Demster, master, from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, arrived at Philadelphia in December 1772; her male passengers aged 16 years and over took the oaths of allegiance, fidelity, and abjuration on 24 December 1772. The passengers were consigned to James Christie, merchant in Baltimore. 62 male passengers and 44 female passengers aged 16 years and over, 15 children. The following is a list of the male passengers aged 16 years and over who took the oaths of allegiance, fidelity, and abjuration; names with a "+" or "X" within () parentheses did not sign, but made their mark:

Johannes Ludwig Maxseiner
Henrich Adam Maxseiner
Gottfried Fisterer
Jacob Weltner
John (+++) Wychel
Andrew (XXX) Stelting
Johannes Hamscher
Niclaus Lüderacher
Jacob Kuster [?]
Johan Feierabend
Jno Jacob (+) Naneiker
Conrad (X) Langebach
Ludwig Henrich Deisman
Willm (++) Kemp
Johann Henrich Küntz
Jno Jacob (X) Genems
Conrad Underseel
Jacob Nusser
Abraham (X) Richard
Jno (X) Runkel
Jacob (X) Hess
Friederich Hoffman
William Francis Turner
Johann Georg Kessler
Andonny Schäffer
Petter Nauätter
Johann Adam Esch
Johann Hennrich Meffert
Johann Gottfried Grasmeher
Johann Adam Stoll
Johan Lemer [?]
Ludwig Reineck
Bernard (+) Nickel
Philip (X) Suppert
Johann Jacob Pfeiffer
Friedrich Winder
Johann Carl Miller
Frantz Honorius Heger
Christian Wenger
Johann Jacob Kelcher
Johann Peter Ullrich
Jeorg Schwartz
Jacob Niebergall
Frans Mentger

Source: Ralph Beaver Strassburger, Pennsylvania German Pioneers; A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals In the Port of Philadelphia From 1727 to 1808, edited by William John Hinke (Norristown, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934), vol. 1, pp. 744-745, list 301 C (transcript); vol. 2, p. 864 (facsimile).