The following undated document gives a detailed account of the movements of the SS Gorgon and discoveries made.
Transcribed as follows:
"Telegram received from
Captain Mills, S.S. "Gorgon."
Searched within following positions by running parallel lines 30 miles apart lat. 20.15 long 116. Lat 18.40 long. 116. Lat 18.40 long 117.40. Lat. 20. long. 118. from last position bearing East 10 miles, then north 30 miles then East 15 picked up smoking room settee cushion and part of cabin door; In lat 19.36, long 117.53 and in lat. 19.32 Long 118.10 picked up bottom board of boat, small teak panel. Abandoned further search sunset Tuesday as considered ship is lost in vicinity of Bedout Island."
How is it possible that the above can differ so wildly from the following?
"Tuesday 02 April 1912 10:15 Gorgon. A stateroom door, white one side, polished the other,
still attached to broken stile S 19º 10' E 119º 06' 25 miles north of Bedout
Tuesday 02 April 1912 10:45 Gorgon. Several small pieces of board,
one apparently part of a painting stage. S 19º 10' E 119º 06' 25 miles north of Bedout"
(Ref. Annie Boyd)
The answer is quite simple.
Captain Mills was the master of SS Minderoo, not SS Gorgon.
However, it is interesting that the 2 positions plotted / given for the smoking room settee cushion were 32.5 miles apart, which gives us pause to reflect on coordinates presented as fact in publications.
Nitpicking aside, the pattern of wreckage distribution is still compelling in the context of Captain Upjohn's oil patch being the wreck site and the prevailing westward trending current.
courtesy Google Earth.
Transcribed as follows:
"Telegram received from
Captain Mills, S.S. "Gorgon."
Searched within following positions by running parallel lines 30 miles apart lat. 20.15 long 116. Lat 18.40 long. 116. Lat 18.40 long 117.40. Lat. 20. long. 118. from last position bearing East 10 miles, then north 30 miles then East 15 picked up smoking room settee cushion and part of cabin door; In lat 19.36, long 117.53 and in lat. 19.32 Long 118.10 picked up bottom board of boat, small teak panel. Abandoned further search sunset Tuesday as considered ship is lost in vicinity of Bedout Island."
How is it possible that the above can differ so wildly from the following?
"Tuesday 02 April 1912 10:15 Gorgon. A stateroom door, white one side, polished the other,
still attached to broken stile S 19º 10' E 119º 06' 25 miles north of Bedout
Tuesday 02 April 1912 10:45 Gorgon. Several small pieces of board,
one apparently part of a painting stage. S 19º 10' E 119º 06' 25 miles north of Bedout"
(Ref. Annie Boyd)
 |
| courtesy State Records Office, Western Australia, series 2357, cons 066 |
 |
| 2 'cushion' sites separated by 32.5 miles |
The answer is quite simple.
Captain Mills was the master of SS Minderoo, not SS Gorgon.
However, it is interesting that the 2 positions plotted / given for the smoking room settee cushion were 32.5 miles apart, which gives us pause to reflect on coordinates presented as fact in publications.
Nitpicking aside, the pattern of wreckage distribution is still compelling in the context of Captain Upjohn's oil patch being the wreck site and the prevailing westward trending current.
courtesy Google Earth.
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