Reading this week:

• Travels in West Africa by Mary Kingsley (abridged Folio Society edition)

In the last post, we discussed how I transcribed some documents from the SOAS LMS archives relating to the SS Good News, my favorite steamship. These included the original purchase contract and then a letter from Mr. Roxburgh celebrating the launch of the boat. But now we get to the good stuff: drama.

These are three letters, two from Edward C. Hore and one from A.J. Swann. I should have put the first letter in the last post, timeline-wise, but only in writing this post did I realize it was dated 1881; I had originally thought it was from 1887 which is silly. This is a good place to note that I found it hard to read Hore’s handwriting. When I couldn’t read a word I put down whatever letters I thought were close and annotated it with a [?]. How much of history will be lost when nobody learns cursive anymore?

Anyway in this first letter, Hore is advocating to I think the LMS board for his preferred sort of ship, a sailboat with auxiliary steam power. By this point Hore, on behalf of the LMS, had used several different sail-powered vessels on the lake and now was looking for something with more oomph.

Islington

9 Dec 81

Dear Sir,

In regard to the Marine Depart. of the Tanganyika Mission I understand that the question of sail versus steam is still to be considered – As I wrote long since from Ujiji, I should be very pleased to work a sailing boat on the Lake, in fact the vessel I have proposed (see former letters on this subject) would perhaps more frequently be sailed – it is my hope to do so, & reserve the steam for occasions when it would mean economy of time & safety. The recommendation of steam by the District Committee (see resolutions Cent. Af. Dist. Com. Oct 80) is of course simply the notion of the Missionaries, & subject anthief [?] (as I would be the first to admit) to the consideration & decision of the Directors & the bearing upon it of their experience in these Missions & perhaps some of those Missionaries in recommending steam, simply intend to recommend “the most efficient & speedy means of water communication.”

But for myself – as well as joining in the above recommendation as a Missionary the steam is included in my professional opinion given to the Directors, or the best means of conducting the ferries [?] they require to be carried out.

Perhaps some misapprehension has arisen from calling the vessel a steamer – the vessel I propose is in fact a fast & safe sailing vessel, which I hope to sail under favorable circumstances up to 10 or 11 knots – with auxiliary steam to give a speed of 8 knots.

As a sailor I am prejudiced against steam but I have proposed what I have not from my idea as a Missionary, which would be a mere suggestion to the Directors, but as my most carefully considered professional opinion of the vessel necessary to carry out what I suppose to the Directors intentions on Lake Tanganyika.

1) The prevailing winds on the Lake are S, S.E., & S.W. so that one can almost always sail N – to get South one must either be able to beat against a strong breeze or make use of the light land breeze close in shore at night or lose of thenna [?] – according to circumstances – but the nights are frequently quite salone [?], so that with steam or other mechanical means of progression a passage could be made or shortened.

Every bend & headland, as the sailor gets acquainted has its peculiarities of wind-currents or smooth water, which the auxiliary steam would enable me to utilize to best effect, both as regards speed & wear & tear of vessel.

To theorize on seamanship we need steady winds & straight & uplaw [?] coast liner – I append a diagram to illustrate the navigation on one small portion of the Lake.

2/ On the Lake generally there are frequent calms (or nearly so) of a week or more for which, undoubtedly, some means of mechanical propulsion should be provided, & to be reduced to oars, would, considering the size of the vessel be most expensive & unsatisfactory & would leave us often as badly off as before – a doctors visit or other urgent service ought never again to be delayed for want of wind – & I take it that the success of the whole mission is very much dependent on the efficiency of the Marine Deps. I hope never to have to say either there is no wind or the weather is too bad – the sails & the good sea boat always for rough weather, either fair or foul – & the auxiliary steam for the perhaps more difficult calms.

3/ The Lake is still (for purposes of navigation) comparatively unexplored, charts, sailing directions, pilot books, steam trap [?], are now so much reformed [?] on in ordinary navigation that we need constantly to remind ourselves, that we have no such assistance on our Lake & in threading narrow waters & going in & out of harbors etc. etc. the steam or other mechanical means of propulsion would be an immense saving of time & expense – With our new vessel we cannot “shove her thro’” or “push her over anyhow” as one would handle an old log canoe.

4/ Although steam would be desirable the Directors would not like to (& there is no reason why they should) have to employ both a nautical man & an Engineer on the Lake by an Engineer of course I mean a superior man, capable of taking sole care & responsibility of the Engine etc. etc. but a steamer properly so called would not be done pisther [?] to without both such men.

The vessel I propose is specially designed to meet this difficulty & to be managed without such an Engineer – I think I have already told the Directors that I am ready myself to undertake the care of the auxiliary machinery I propose – It is also designed specially to meet the requirements of the Locality & service.

In asking for steam power to guarantee 8 knots I would make that the maximum – it is for use chiefly in calms & very light head winds & I saw 8 knots in the hope that I could then be quite certain of 4 or 5 under those circumstances & should keep it for such use – neither wearing the machinery nor incurring the time labor & expense of providing fuel during available winds.

In case of my being disabled my mate could still sail the ship & at the worst could but let the Engine rust – but I hope we may procure a man who would be able to take the whole work when necessary – as to keeping the parts clean & clear of corrosion I will back our intelligent sailor against any engine driver or like assistant. A personal inspection of the steam machinery of any launch or yacht with the power I require would I think convince the Directors of the feasibility of my managing the same – they need no permission to have such machinery in any case of the simplest form & best material & workmanship.

I have referred more than once to “other mechanical power” – I have no Engineer’s prejudice & would be glad to hear of any other method of mechanical propulsion for calms.

5/ The vessel should be able to two rafts of timber & canoes loaded with building materials for which service calm weather must be chosen.

I think I have already laid before you the two plans either of which would I think meet the requirements of the case.

1^st the sailing vessel with auxiliary steam machinery (of 8 knots guaranteed)

2^nd the sailing vessel solely such which might be then of slightly different lines & smaller dimensions and a small steam launch in sections capable of being secured together in a day or two for immediate use.

Plan 1 has the advantage of compactness [?] & completeness & having both means always at command, but all our force risked on one bottom.

Plan 2 has the advantage of a more roomy sailing vessel – a means of much more rapid service for simple communication & light urgent work without moving a ponderous vessel for every light service & the distribution of our forces & of the risk in two vessels – a tow boat without always using the larger vessel & a means of at once starting work on the Lake without the possible delay in waiting for the transport & construction of the larger vessel at the South end of the Lake, by taking the small launch along the old route – but in using the larger vessel itself we still are dependent on sail & oar.

In such an important matter I should think it necessary for the Directors to be assisted by a professional nautical opinion quite as much as by that of an Engineer – & as to detail of construction & fittings I should much like to be assisted officially with a competent marine surveyor or architect.

I place the glad [?] to enter into detailed planning for caravans etc. as soon as it is known how much is to be undertaken by the trading Co.

I remain dear sir, Yours sincerely

Edw’d C. Hore

It gets more dramatic in the second letter. It starts off as an update on the Good News and then becomes a letter about who, exactly, is in charge of the boat. There seems to have been a lot of personnel drama in the Central Africa mission, and it started early. Here, Hore is complaining that Alexander Carson had come out with the notion that he (Carson) was in charge of the construction of the Good News. Hore, as head of the Marine Department, figured he would be in charge, and if that was to change no one had told him. It’s written from Kavala Island, where Hore had set up the base of the Marine Department. The Good News was built at the south end of Lake Tanganyika, but then after launching brought up to Kavala for fitting-out.

Kavala Island

Tanganyika 22 Oct 86

Dear Mr. Goodwin,

I have received your letter (written by Mr. Moore) of 14 Feb. I am glad to hear from you all again for Mr. Moore both as your representative and on his own account conveys to me your very inclusive regards & good wishes. Certainly pleasing recollections of you all are immediately connected with much that has to do with the Good News – I sincerely hope that some day I may see you again & this time to talk over what has been done instead of what has to be done.

Mr. Carson arrived here on 4^th July last, reaching Kavala Island aerors [?] the deck of the Good News which was as you suppose pretty well complete except boiler & machinery – in fact so far as I could go awaiting chains plates & certain other fittings to complete which [?] parts of linings [?] must be left – At that late hour [?] masts were in & rigging aloft with awnings [?] opened fore & aft, wheel & bowsprit shipping etc. etc.

The machinery of course I had left as soon as assured that an Engineer was coming – except that in order to make sure my list of missing parts I connected the Engine & teething [?] gear together putting in carefully made models of wood of the sliding guide blocks & the awadement [?] block. The whole worked smoothly together along with the machinery connection to cockpit & was in face perfect & complete except a small displacement which the Engineer will surely [?] make in the Goodwin [?] chocks to bring the coupling of shafts fair. The funnel, casing etc. etc. got to me in a bad state, but the boiler plates were all right having been packed [?] by Roxburgh in hansil [?], the others were all scraped [?] clused [?] – painted [?] here & the leed [?] & workshop laid out all ready with tools & materials for Mr. Carson’s arrival. “Wonderful & perfect preparation” in my opinion but I daresay a “very rough & makeshift” in the eyes of any one just coming from home – nevertheless it was the result of years of hard work.

It is no doubt astounding [?] to some people how I could have taken such a long time over such a small job. It is perhaps impossible for some who have always lived at home to understand it. The actual amount the work of erection of the vessel has been but a small part of the whole & the largest part the formation of dwellings, working places & conditions on a jungle covered hillside in Central Africa in the intervals of many boat voyages of over 200 miles to fetch provisions & materials.

Mr. A.J. Swann my mate has done all the minelting [?] of cornfrip [?] etc. etc – having paid that attention to the business while Roxburgh was with us & acquired considerable proficiency – he also worked with Mr. Carson at the riveting of the boiler lids [?] was finished all but the last ring [?] before Swann left for home.

The dock tho’ causing much trouble & disappointment (Miro [?] want of density of soil panelling [?] water to percolate thro’ the bottom) was a perfect success for the work required – the dry season has now left it behind on the shore – but the Lake will rise again with the rains.

Here is a copy of the dockings from my official log.

Draft of water 2.9 aft & 1.6 forward – having on board Engine – full 2/3^rd of linings & journey – bowsprit – 30 fathoms calle [?] & 140 lbs [?] stone ballast under wooden cabin bulkhead – no masts, stove, anchors, or other heavy weights.

June

• 7. Draft as stone [?] hauled into dry dock
• 9. shoud [?] up & baled [?] out – scrubbed bottom, but dock gate leaked at 3 p.m. & stopped work – repaired gate.
• 10. 1^st coat of paint on
• 11. 2^nd coat of paint
• 12. dock gate leaked & filled – repaired & baled out
• 14. 3^rd coat paint
• 16. noon let water in & floated vessel

July

• 6. Good News hauled into dry dock to inspect & adjust propeller & shaft
• 7. Completed work of adjustment of propeller shaft & examination of sea cocks
• 8. Hauled out of dock.

On this last occasion masts & all rigging in place but Engine had been taken out [?] also the cable – all else the same – & draft was 2 ft 8 in aft x 1 ft 7 forward. In the dock the foremost block had 1 ft 6 in water over it & the after block under (stern post) 2 ft 4 in – she was hauled up into position by 35 men without purchase (that it took tackle to haul her off again).

I have laid a lot of shels [?] to form a grating on top of the floors – to be filled up to wider cabin sole [?] with clean quartz stones – but New [?] will only store about 1 ½ tons – she is very buoyant & I must determined [?] traiss [?] exclusively by cautious experiment.

The “passengers cabin” will probably for some time be devoted to ballast & fuel.

I am convinced more than ever if possible on the necessity of our being an auxiliary steamer – certain voyages will always be sailed with perhaps an hour or two’s steam to enter port quicker the time for steam and fueling – She wants an iron or steel mizenmast & chains halyards for mizzen. I do not think I shall ask for it I am afraid to be thought so greedy. – the wooden mast & ordinary rigging will soon be destroyed by the fire & smoke.

Both Mr. Carson & Rev. G.H. Lea who arrived 3 weeks ago keep good healthy, they came up quickly without having to escort large caravans & came at once to this place which is undoubtedly healthy – Mr. Carson has been at work all the time & as regards the actual day when steam will first be got up we shall soon be waiting again – of course actually we can always find plenty to do – the boiler is nearly ready & all going on nicely but I do not like to say anything about it – Mr. Carson has absolute charge of boiler & machinery & will doubtless give full report thereon – instead I feel conferred [?] in writing about any of the work that is going on now the position is so peculiar, & at home & away from Missionary surroundings would certainly resulted [?] in horrible [?] & would possible have [?] done to now not for the personal regard I have for Carson whom I like very much – the fact is he arrived here believing that he had charge of the whole work of Good News & that Swann & I would assist under his directions. While on the other hand I understand that my appointment as “superintendent of the construction of Good News” remained un-annulled & that the Engineer was sent out to relieve me of certain details of that work.

I met Carson on his arrival before I knew his ideas or saw his instructions (with the assurance that he should have it all his own way un-interfered [?] with, with the boilers & engine, but felt rather small when he showed me the same in writing & also indicated his ideas with regard to the other part of the work – My private opinion is that we are both deserving of great credit, that the Good News work is proceeding well without at present any pitch [?] or trouble.

As for myself personally I hardly hear [?] whether I am standing on my head or my heels – I have supposed myself (for years) to the holding [?] an appointment which now suddenly I see announced in print as having been held by Mr. Roxburgh – I have risked the health & life of myself & child over & over again in a way I would have considered quite uncalled for & unnecessary but supposing that I hold unique positions.

When I try to get the evidence of my friends as to whether I am palpable [?], one suggests a clerical error, another says it cannot be that I cower [?], had the appointment because I am “incompetent” another that a “sailor” cannot construct vessels etc. etc.

I begin to wonder whether I have built a vessel at all, but have been building a castle in the air all the time & make to find myself a sort of boatkeeper with the best years of my life gone.

Meantime the jungle fades from view & the settlement grows – boys & girls attend the daily schools & Sunday services – and the “savages” become more & more amenable [?] to friendly intercourse & work. Our chief by death of two of his seniors is offered [?], promotions [?] on the mainland but declined to leave his good island & us – so some of the people he was to have governed are coming here to live instead – the Good news meantime is slowly & surely approaching completion & missionaries having a healthy station & houses to come to at once are surviving instead of dying off. The fact nothing stops us but want of men and proper men – with the necessary power funds & men I would settle & colonize the whole Lake shore – A Missionary Society of course is confined to certain lines & methods & within these & the means (in shape of men & money) that have been available, I think I have had remarkable success & if I can only only [sic] see the Good News efficiently running before I leave I think I shall feel restful afterwards.

I shall be grateful [?] for any hints [?] you can give me about ballast & trim of Good News – At present I can only experiment to get 1^st sufficient stability and 2^nd sufficient immersion for propeller.

You know our boiler will get very irregular work – & sometimes cold water remaining in for along time. I do not think deposit will trouble us at all with proper attention to use of clean water. If you think under these circumstances that simple rust might be prevented by painting inside of boiler I wish you would advise it but do not let it be known that I have anything to do with the suggestion.

With Christian regards & best wishes to you & yours, I remain dear sir, Yours sincerely

Edw. C. Hore

I assume that all was eventually resolved.

The Good News did not have a particularly long service life, even though she was really kinda sorta the impetus of the mission. Mr. Arthington donated money to start a Central Africa mission as long as the London Missionary Society put a steamer on Lake Tanganyika. The theory was that they could do shipborne evangelization, cruising up and down the lake proselytizing to the lacustrine peoples. This never really worked out; the LMS found the best way to get converts was to settle in a particular spot and let a village grow up around them. The Good News was handy for a bit as a transport ship between LMS bases at Ujiji, Kavala, and Niamkolo, but eventually all the missions shifted to the south end of Lake Tanganyika which was most easily supplied via southern routes instead of overland between Zanzibar and Ujiji. The Good News was eventually sold to the African Lakes Company and by WWI was a hulk on Kituta bay. The below letter from A.J. Swann explains some of her faults.

Kavala Island

July 1889

Dear Mr. Goodwin,

I have been going to write you for some time past but the very troublesome times out here has made me postpone it from time to time & even now I see no chance of it clearing up too commence in hopes of this reaching you some day.

First let me say I have written you before I hope you received it & that [?] incient [?] doing so again.

Now a letter about the Good News. You will probably have met Capt Hore ere this & had a long yarn on this subject, since arriving here we have made several voyages. Carson & self & lately there [?] had her ale [?] long [?] reef [?] being Master Mate & Engine overlooker at the same time & now for my opinions of the wee craft.

I have repeatedly tested her speed over known distances & find with 60 lbs of steam & smooth water she goes 7 ½ miles an hour, this is I think good, she has maintained that rate for 12 hours & is her best, but in order to do it, we must have splendid wood & no cargo. Her average speed is about 6 miles an hour in fine weather with about 50 lbs steam. Under sail I think her best will be about 5 miles an hour & then the wind must be free.

Against ahead wind she is no good at all & will scarcely maintain steerage way, the short seas take it all out of her, as a smooth water vessel she is everything to be desired, otherwise a failure, her sail power is too much for her probably & yet insufficient for propulsion; in fact, Hore in trying to get both sail & steam, has in both obtained neither. In overreaching for cabin accommodation he entirely ignored ballast space & fuel storage & to speak honestly has bungled the whole affair, instead of her being so he so persistently termed her an “auxiliary steam vessel” she is to all intents & purposes just the opposite & if he had taken your advice to lower his canvas in the lockers & given her more power behind, we should have had a vessel fit to navigate Tanganyika in any weather whereas she is not able to steam against the South East monsoon or beat against it under sail. This is my report after a fair trail & I simply send it that you may know the fact & it only proves once more, that the fads [?] of amateurs are scarcely ever worth serious consideration in such matters.

You know it must cost me something to write in this strain about a vessel in which I have taken to much interest & in the construction of which I was privileged to take part, I admire her now unisonlon [?] & feel proud to have charge of such a treasure & I know with care she will do the work of this mission for years, yet she is what I have described a failure in many points & in the hands of an amateur sailor will be a source of much anxiety [?] & great risk. I know you won’t take any thing I have written as in the slightest manners reflecting unfavorably on yourself, for from it we shall ever be indebted to you for such a gift as the G. News, the only regret on my part is that you did not have your own way, but was hampered with the good intentions (but mistaken nevertheless) of other people.

Suffice it to say she is the admired of all admirers [?] & it moving under to the natives world [?], A source of pleasure comfort & service to the mission generally & A.I. [?] in my estimation when I look back at the mode of transport up here a few years back & if ever you take it into your head to travel this way, be sure of a Saloon passage & a hearty welcome. Now about ourselves, Mrs. Swann has had very good health indeed since finishing the journey & getting over the loss of our wee babe, which loss was felt very keenly as you may imagine.

At present we are all “tip top” Hellie [?] the worse for our somewhat isolated life. The road to Zanzibar has been shut for some months & supplies are stopped. The road S.E. via Nyassa is also shut & so we are young Emin Pascha on a smaller scale & may come very near competing with Robinson Crusoe for first honors if the game continues many years.

The Arabs have twice planned to assist us off this Planet “nolens volens” but an old friend of mine (an Arab) has nailed his colors to ours & said “come on” if you like, but if you do I could [?] guarantee your safe release to your villages & up to the present they have not “come on.” How long this Arab will be able to shield us is impossible [?] to say & I don’t know it serves any purpose to calculate.

Poor Brooks was foully murdered 2 days from the coast some months ago, but he has gone to his reward where all who are sincere & faithful will congregate someday. May God forgive his murderers is all I can say as I grieve over a lost companion in this great struggle for Africa & if they serve us the same, repeat the prayer. Over us they can have no power unless given them from above & thus we rest & work on believing the time is soon coming for the “day to dawn & the shadow to flee away.” We would live to see this if his Will, if not, it is our to obey.

Mrs. Swann joins me in kindest regards to Mrs & Miss[?] Goodwin & we are so sorry to say your Photographs together with my “Robert Burns” was lost on the voyage out & the case destroyed by someone so that we have not your faces. Please remember me very kindly to Mr. A. Hamilton who I trust has not given up the slave question. Also to Rev. Rogers & others who may remember me & now accept yourself our best wishes for your welfare & happiness & permit me to remain,

Your sincerely

A.J. Swann

Central Africa

More to come!

Alright! From my last post you are aware that I was able to visit the London Missionary Society archives kept at SOAS in London and it was super cool. The box with the photos is a box of a few different sorts of things, so it also had a chunk of incoming letters about the SS Good News, my favorite missionary steamship. Since I didn’t have a whole lot of time to peruse each letter I just took photos of the ones that seemed like they would be interesting and now after long last I have transcribed them to the best of my ability (“best of my ability” because man I cannot read some of their handwriting). So in two parts I will show you what I found.

The first neat thing is the original contract for the SS Good News, signed by LMS Foreign Secretary R. Wardlaw Thompson and Forrestt and Son boatbuilders (photos at the top):

Memorandum of Agreement entered into this Fifteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighty two between Messr. Forrestt and Son of Britannia Yard Millwall Shipbuilders hereinafter called the builders of the one part and R. Wardlaw Thompson of 15 Blomfield St. London Wall acting for and in behalf of the London Missionary Society hereinafter called the owners of the other part.

The said builders hereby agree to build for the said owners a steam launch in accordance with the terms of the specifications and drawings hereto attached and to deliver the said launch in parcels for shipment free alongside steamer in the river Thames for the sum of £1,600 (one thousand six hundred pounds).

It is further agreed by and between the said builders and the said owners that if the launch be so far completed as to be tried under steam on the river Thames a further sum of £150 (one hundred and fifty pounds) shall be paid for the additional labor and expense incurred thereby.

It is also further agreed by and between the said builders and the said owner that the purchase money for the launch does not include any of the following items of the outfit viz:-

• One complete set of spars
• One complete set of sails
• One complete set of blocks
• One large anchor
• One compass

And the said owner hereby agrees to pay the said builder the before mentioned purchase money in these equal instalments viz:-

• One third when the launch is in frame
• One third when the launch is plated and the deck laid
• And the remaining third when the launch is finished and delivered to the said owner.

As witness our hands this fifteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighty two

R. Wardlaw Thompson – Foreign Secy London Missionary Soc

     J. Messtt Frm [?]

Witness to both signatures (Clerks to the London Missionary Society 14 Blomfield Street E.C.

     William Ford Brown

     Mm Ley Lerk [?]

After the contract the next neat thing is a letter from James Roxburgh to G.S. Goodwin, Esq. Mr. James Roxburgh was an engineer that went to Lake Tanganyika on behalf of the London Missionary Society to build the Good News. Looking back I should have written a biography of him in my Chronicle transcription. I didn’t because he’s not on the LMS list of missionaries because he wasn’t sent out as a missionary, but as a “practical engineer in the employment of the Society,” as the LMS put it (though they also referred to him at least once as “our missionary engineer”). I have a blog post on Building the SS Good News with excerpts from books by E.C. Hore and A.J. Swann, but it was Roxburgh that was the main man in charge of actually building the boat.

This letter came to the LMS archives when it was sent to them by Andrew Hamilton of A. Goodwin-Hamilton & Adamson Ltd, apparently a firm of naval architects (as I learned from their letterhead), some 40-odd years after it was originally sent to G.S. Goodwin, Esq. It is not clear to me from the letters or some subsequent googling why Mr. Roxburgh was writing to Mr. Goodwin. My guess is that Mr. Goodwin was the boss of a firm of engineers from whence Roxburgh was hired by the LMS. It’s a pretty chatty letter, starting with the story of launching the Good News and talking about parts still missing, but then at the end gets into the state of Roxburgh’s health. Unfortunately this is foreshadowing; James Roxburgh would die on Kavala Island on May 18, 1885, about three months after writing the below letter on the same day he launched the Good News.

The cover letter from A Goodwin-Hamilton & Adamson Ltd.:

A. Goodwin-Hamilton & Adamson Ltd.

Naval Architects, Consulting Engineers, Surveyors, &c.

Cunard Building, Liverpool, 27^th February 1931

Dear Mr. Chamberlin,

I came across the enclosed letter written by Mr. Jas. Roxburgh, dated 3^rd March 1885 from Lake Tanganyika at the time of the launch of the “Good News”.

This will I think be of interest and may deserve a place in the Society’s Museum & or History of the Tanganyika Mission.

With Kind Regards.

Yours truly,

Andrew Hamilton

And now the letter from Mr. Roxburgh:

Liendwe Central Africa

3^rd March 1885

To G.S. Goodwin Esq.,

Alexandra Buildings,

James Street,

Liverpool.

Dear Mr. Goodwin,

This has perhaps been the greatest day that Central Africa has yet seen, and the Natives here have been privileged to see a work accomplished that has been a very great puzzle to them for a long time past. As they could not conceive how it would be possible for us to carry such a big heavy boat as the “Good News” into the water. I am glad to inform you that the “Good News” was successfully launched today at 10/30 a.m., everything went well. We had not a hitch of any kind.

She now lies at Anchor opposite our camp here on the Lofu river and I am sure if you were here to have a look at her as she is on the river at present I think you would say she is a good clean tidy job and a credit to all who have had an important part of her to do, especially to the designer of her. I got on board as soon as possible after the launch and made a complete examination of her all along and I am glad to say I did not find a single leak. I do not think there will be much work for the bilge pump in our little steamer as no part of her is depending on putty nor paint.

Our Motto here has been, that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. I may say I laid the ways for Launching on the same principle as is carried out at home, but it was a very big job getting and making the ways out here with very poor tools, etc. We had to go to the forest and cut down no less than 42 trees, giving us a total length of 380 feet, as the boat was built a long way back from the river on account of the great floods that often come sweeping down here in great force during the rainy season. She had a clear fun of 105 ft on her ways before the stern touched the water, that length of a run as you know is much longer than usual.

However that part of it is all over now and I am very thankful it is a very great load off my mind to know she is safely afloat on the water.

Though the boat is launched there is still a great amount of work to do at her yet, but I cannot give you any opinion in regard to the time she will be finished, as I don’t know how long it may be yet before I get the fittings. I still want all the cabin combing plates yet, also 2 bulkhead plates and boiler seat plate, then I have got nothing of the boiler here yet but the smoke box and 2 pieces of the funnel.

I have written to the African Lakes Co. about the boiler and engine time after time but as yet my writing has had very little effect. However I have just received a note from one of the Company’s Agents informing me that he was about to try and form a very large Caravan to bring up our boiler fittings etc. from the North end of Lake Nyassa, if he succeeds in getting the men he says he expects to be at Tanganyika by the later end of April or early in May, that itself is very good news, but we shall be at a complete stand long before that time. My patience has been very much tried on account of these long weary waits from time to time. I can enjoy a good week’s holiday at home, but it is not so here with me, for as soon as I am idle for a few days here I get laid down with fever. I think the very best medicine a white man can have for the good of his health in Central Africa is a moderate amount of work to do every day, this has at least been my experience since I came here.

I hope you received my last letter dated January 1885, with the list of boiler fittings I want replaced and sent out as soon as possible, I believe there are more boiler fittings awanting yet but I cannot find out what they are till the boxes arrive here. I know for certain that there is a box lost that contained 60 boiler tubes, but as there is a complete spare set I have never re-ordered them yet.

Now for fear my last letter to you of January 1885 may not have arrived your length, I shall here below repeat the list of lost fittings that I want replaced and sent out here as soon as possible.

• 2 test cocks.
• 1 5/8 water gauge cock for the bottom end of glass.
• 1 ½ steam jet and
• 12 fire or flue box screws or stays
• 1 spring for safety valve

I hope nothing else belonging to the boiler may be amissing, so that if the boiler plates etc. arrive here in April, I may be able to get it finished right off and put under steam.

I may here say that Capt Hore has not up till the present time seen much of the “Good News” yet, as he left here just 9 months ago to go and meet his Wife and child at Qillimani [Quelimane] and it happened rather unfortunately for him that the late native war down on the lower Shire river was going on and the river was blocked up for all traffic. However after some delay he got to Quillimane to meet his wife there, but on account of the native war he decided not to come via Nyassa with his Wife so he took steamer for Zanzibar and came up the Old Route, they arrived at Tanganyika on the 7^th of January but he has never got this length yet, as I believe he is busy building a house at the other end of the Lake for his Wife and family, as it is a much healthier place than this is. After he gets this finished he informs me he is coming down to see the “Good News”. At the time he left here she was only in frame and she is now lying at anchor out in the Lufo River.

I am sorry to inform you that I have not been in very good health for a long time and if it does not improve very soon I am afraid I must come home. However I sincerely trust that I may soon get stronger again if it is the Lord’s Will, for it will be very grievous to me if I have to part with the “Good News” before she is under steam and has had run round the Lake.

I have been down for over 4 weeks with a severe attack of jaundice and although I seemed to get over it all right, so far I don’t seem to have regained my usual strength since I have been up and moving about for nearly 3 weeks now, but I am so weakly yet that I can only work two or three hours per day, after which I have to turn in to my bed again, in other words, I have to lay in my bed the best half of the day, nearly every day. However I feel pretty well about the body and my appetite is fairly good. My weakness is all in my legs. I send with this Mail a letter to our Secretary in London.

Hoping this may find you and your family all in good health, and may God Bless and Guide you in all you do.

I remain,

Yours faithfully,

James Roxburgh

Reading this week:

• Gravel Heart by Abdulrazak Gurnah

We’re going to venture into all new territory for this blog and do a book review. The book in question is timely and relevant to our discussions here on this blog, which as my myriad loyal readers are aware has lately (though unlikely permanently) become more and more focused on the activities of the London Missionary Society in Central Africa. I promise I have other interests, which have also been documented on this blog, but it is winter and I am a working professional man now and Tim Harford tells me it is good to have serious hobbies so here we are.

One of the things I like about reading into the history of the London Missionary Society and especially the history of their steamer the Good News is that there is not a lot of competition in the space. There are a few other people I have found who have looked into all this which makes it interesting but it’s not like it takes all that much research to rocket to the top echelons of the field. However, the other edge of this sword is that it can make it difficult to access research items. One such item is the subject of today’s book review: Steam and Quinine on Africa’s Great Lakes: The story of the steamers white and gold on Africa’s inland waters by David Reynolds, with illustrations by Keith Watts Thomas.

Given the overall lack of interest in the topic, it is a little stunning that two books were published detailing the lake steamers of Africa in close order, namely The Lake Steamers of East Africa by L.G. Bill Dennis in 1996, and Steam and Quinine in 1997. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that either book got a second edition, and although there are copies of Steam and Quinine on sale for $60ish, I haven’t been able to find a copy of Lake Steamers except over in the Library of Congress. Fortunately for us, however, the Yale University Library is still willing to mail me books, which is how I got my grubby little hands on a copy of Steam and Quinine for us to peruse.

This book is clearly a work of passion for our friend David Reynolds. His biography on the back reveals he “was born to missionary parents near the shores of Lake Victoria in 1932” and completed his education in South Africa. This was his third book about African boats, the first being A Century of South African Steam Tugs (which apparently got three (!) editions) and Kenneth D. Shoesmith and Royal Mail, Royal Mail being a shipping line. This is clearly a man after my own heart, when it comes to steamships at any rate.

Although my specific interest in this book are the boats of Lake Tanganyika, and even more specifically as mentioned the Good News, he covers all the great lakes (Nyasa/Malawi, Tanganyika, Kivu, Albert, Victoria, and the honestly not-so-great Kioga) in a northward fashion. My expertise in this area is targeted, but I haven’t spotted any steamships (or some motor ships) that he missed, making this a very comprehensive review of steam navigation on the African Great Lakes. He does, however, devote more space attention to the boats that pique his personal interest, but honestly what is the point of being passionate about something if you’re not going to devote way too much space to it? *cough* this whole blog *cough*

But let’s circle back to my specific interest, the Good News. Honestly I gotta say this section does not come through shining. I think we’re both partisans here, but I am a much bigger fan (or devotee anyways) of Edward C. Hore than he is. Mr. Reynolds spends a good chunk of time maligning Captain Hore’s character, ending his biography with the note that Hore “died, impoverished and institutionalized, in Tasmania.” According to research published by Dr. G. Rex Meyer (kindly provided to me by the former editor of the unfortunately defunct Church Heritage journal), the only part of that sentence that is true is that he a) died b) in Tasmania, which for me throws much doubt onto his scholarship overall.

Although a feature of the book are paintings of several of the ships by Keith Watts Thomas, the book is also illustrated with sketches by David Reynolds. One of these sketches is of the Good News, included above. I have another nit-pick here. In his sketch, the ship is depicted with a sort of wheelhouse on top of the main cabin. Being as there are a limited number of pictures of the Good News and I have tried hard to see all of them, I think you, the reader, will agree with me that the sketch is derived from the below picture of the Good News in drydock. The ship that Mr. Reynolds has sketched does not match the layout of the real ship at all, which again puts me in fear for his scholarship, on my favorite boat anyways. The below picture isn’t perfect and shows a Good News under repair (for example, it is missing the booms and funnel), but I have also included below an engraving of the Good News under steam from Captain Hore’s book, Tanganyika: Eleven Years in Central Africa, which still doesn’t match the sketch.

I will try to avoid being entirely whiney here but noting that I did learn something intriguing about the eventual fate of the Toutou of Battle of Lake Tanganyika fame. This tidbit is hidden away in the section on the Graf von Goetzen / Liemba:

The Fifi, considered unserviceable, was towed out onto the lake and sunk in deep water on October 19, 1924. She went down with flags flying and all honours. The Toutou did not last long on the lake. She was transferred to Cape Town and could be seen in the Victoria docks with a brightly polished plate in her cockpit which read: ‘This launch served in the East African Campaign as an armed cruiser. Captured and sank three German gunboats with assistance of her sister launch, Mi Mi.’

This means now I gotta get my butt to Cape Town and see if she isn’t still there. Or better yet, anyone in Cape Town already?

All in all if you want to get one book on the steamships that plied the African great lakes, honestly I’m not sure what book to recommend because there are astonishingly two and I haven’t read the other one. Though then again only one of them appears to actually be available. Though then again again the available one is like $60 and I’m not sure I can recommend it at that price. Then again again again they aren’t making more. I don’t know. It was at times a tedious and at times a very entertaining read, and as I said at the top a lot of passion went into it. I guess to conclude, please enjoy this final image I extracted from the book, the masthead of the African Lakes Corporation: