Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - Some newspaper reports from the 1880's

It was thus thought the back of the Alaska might be broken and that she would fall in two. Precautions were taken to keep the weight off the Alaska from the tugs by placing pieces of timber between the steamer and the side of the dock. As the tide went down the vessels settled on the sill, and by reason of the walls of the dock slanting or rounding at the bottom the jamming became more serious, and the vessels were in a rather perilous condition.

At four o'clock our representative was informed that the sides of the Alaska had been driven in about eight inches. Seeing no other way of extricating the two vessels, it was decided to sink the tug by letting the water run into her, and thus give the Alaska a chance to rise. In order to facilitate this, the timber used in formation of the side of the deck was being cut away when our reporter last visited the place, and it is thought that when this was removed the Alaska would the more easily rise.

At ten o'clock the steamer had risen several feet, but the tug has not been getting on so well. The water used for sinking her had somehow all got aft, while the bows rose almost as rapidly as the steamer. What the ultimate result will be cannot be known till this (Wednesday) morning, and fears were entertained that the tug would not escape without serious injury. The part on which the Alaska leaned has been seriously bent, and the whole vessel has been more or less strained. Traffic has already delayed two tides, and the probability is that it will be delayed still more." Western Mail [036] 26th December 1888.

The Cardiff Times reported the same incident a few days later and I thought it interesting to compare this with the Western Mail report.

• December 1888 - Serious Casualty at Penarth Dock - "On Christmas day, whilst a number of vessels were preparing to leave or enter Penarth Dock, a serious collision occurred which put a stop to all traffic for the time being, and may possibly serve as a hindrance for some time to come.

About 10.30 a.m., or an hour before high water, the steamship Alaska, of Cardiff, owned by Messrs Matthew Thompson, and Co., was about to enter the dock, and stopped in the entrance lock, when her bows had barely projected into the basin. The tug boat Thomas Joliffe, of Liverpool, owned by Messrs W. and T. Joliffe and Company, Liverpool, was approaching from the Roads, having in tow the ship Avon, of Windsor, Nova Scotia, and Captain Langley, deputy-dockmaster, told the captain and pilot of the Alaska, both of whom were standing on the bridge, to proceed into the basin. He repeated the order three or four times, but from some inexplicable cause the steamer did not move.