South Durham & Cleveland Mercury – Saturday 3 March 1877:
SOUTH SHIELDS. A telegram has been received from Batavia, stating that tbe large iron sailing ship Irishope, belonging the Middle Dock Company, South Shields, with a cargo of coals, took fire, and has become a wreck. The wreck and materials had been sold, and realised £1.575. The Irisbope was a first-class clipper-ship of 1,532 tons gross, being 230ft. in length, 37ft. in breadth, and 23ft 3in. in depth; and was built, to class 100 A1 at Lloyd's, by Messrs W. Gray and Co., at West Hartlepool, the latter part of last year. This was her first voyage. She was sister ship to the Eildenhope, which was built about the same time as the Irishope, and was designed for the East India trade. The value of the ship is said to have been £20,000. It is surmised that tbe outbreak was roused by explosion coal gas.
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