The Wreck of the British Steamship Claverdale in the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

In the Russo-Japanese War 1904-5, neutral merchant vessels sailing to or from Russian Asia had to contend with war risks as well as customary maritime hazards and natural elements. The British steamship Claverdale, on its maiden voyage with a cargo of Welsh steam coal, left Hong Kong for Vladivostok in late November 1904. Posted overdue in mid-January 1905, it was declared missing in early May 1905 and found ashore some months later on the Tartary Coast far north of its intended destination. The contexts of and evidence for the ship's loss are examined and causal hypotheses considered.