This is the news – 18^th Century style (1774)

One of the earliest reports in the Aberdeen Journal from November of this year is typical of the type of journalism that occurred at that time in history. Yes, it was sad that some people had lost their lives but information about salvage and cargo appeared to be equally, or perhaps more important to the reporters in those early journals. The paragraph below is as reported in the Aberdeen Journal on 10^th November, 1774 and is the first of many newspaper articles that I’ve quoted throughout this section. 

“Same night about 9, the Jenny of Berwick, John Otbie Master, from Gottenburgh for Berwick with Iron and Deals, struck on the outer rocks of Cammachmoir, about 6 miles to the southward of this place. One old man, named Andrew Williamson remained on board till day-light, and was saved; the rest of the crew perished. Immediately on receiving advice of this misfortune, one of our Magistrates, as Admiral of the Bounds, went out, and employed proper persons to unload the cargo, the far greater part of which is safely landed, but the vessel is totally lost.” 

So we know the vessel, where the vessel sank, what the vessel was carrying, how the authorities reacted, and what was saved but we have no idea of the number of crew or passengers that were onboard except, on this occasion, the survivor Andrew Williamson.