What was the
cargo of the Mary Celeste in Gibraltar?
When the Mary Celeste was brought into Gibraltar on December 13, 1872,
its cargo consisted of 1,701 barrels of industrial/commercial raw
alcohol (often referred to as crude, high-grade, or untaxed spirit
alcohol) bound for Genoa, Italy.
Key details regarding the cargo when it arrived include:
Condition of the barrels: The vast majority of the cargo remained intact and in good condition. However, during inspection, 9 barrels were found to be empty (likely having leaked or evaporated through their red-oak staves).
Significance: The nature of the cargo became a leading theory explaining why the crew abandoned the seaworthy ship. Investigators hypothesized that alcohol fumes expanded and built up in the hold under warmer temperates, causing an explosion or blowing open the hatch covers, which panicked Captain Briggs and the crew into briefly evacuating via a lifeboat.
Salvage & Destination: Following the Admiralty Court inquiry in Gibraltar, the Mary Celeste was cleared, re-crewed, and sent on to deliver the alcohol cargo to its original destination in Genoa.
Greatly improved and factually correct - Well done Gemini !
For more information about the alcohol
carried, click on the cargo link below.
