CHINA. China - Great Britain - Scotland - United States. William Breckenridge/Sinking of the "Zhoushan" Silver Lifesaving Medal, 1874. CHOICE EXTREMELY FINE.

Royal Naval Exhibition (1891), 2555 (this medal cited). Dimensions: 53mm x 91mm; Weight: 50.70 gms. Obverse: Etching-like engraving showing the steamer Zhoushan in the act of sinking off the coast of Ardrossan Harbor (as it appeared in Illustrated London News ); all within raised, beaded border; Reverse: Engraved legend (in both script and block fonts): "Subscribers Medal / PRESENTED / to Wm Breckenridge / FOR HEROIC EFFORTS IN SAVING LIFE / AT THE WRECK OF THE / Chusan / IN ARDROSSAN HARBOUR / 21st Octr 1874;" decorative scrollwork all around; all within raised, beaded border. The entire piece housed within a bezel shaped in the form of a coiled rope, with life preserver and anchor attached at the top, along with a loop for suspension. A highly enticing and UNIQUE lifesaving award medal of immense cross-cultural interest. Lightly toned and charming, with a good deal of shimmering brilliance. Incredible artistry and engraving skill is on full display. The iron paddle steamer Zhoushan (also appearing in records as Chusan [as on this medal]) was launched in September 1874 and was owned by the China Steam Navigation Company, whose agents were Baring Brothers and Company (in London) and Russell and Company (in Shanghai). Her usage, once in China, was intended to facilitate trade between Shanghai and Hankow; this, however, would never come to be. On the morning of 21 October 1874, on her way from Glasgow to Shanghai, she sank during a gale. The ship had previously set out for China on 10 October, but a stop at Waterford in Ireland resulted in a defect being detected, causing the planned trip to be scuttled and her to return to Glasgow for necessary repairs. It was upon this return trip that tragedy struck upon encountering tempestuous winds in the Ardrossan Harbor. So close to the coast was this unimaginable event that hundreds witnessed it from two different piers (Montgomerie and Winton). William Breckenridge, a local and no stranger to rescue missions, piloted a lifeboat to the windward side of the wreck where she was anchored--the waters still roiling from the gale. Though not nearly everyone who was on the ill-fated vessel (48 crew and five passengers) was rescued, one of those who was saved was the Captain's wife (Mrs. George C. Johnson of Salem, Massachusetts), who would later present this medal to her rescuer, William Breckenridge, along with similar such medals to his crew. This specific mentioning of the present award medal emanates from Breckenridge's obituary some six years following the Zhoushan wreck, appearing in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald editions of 3 & 10 April 1880: "The captain of the Chusan perished but his lady, who was saved, presented Breckenridge and his crew with a silver medal each in recognition of their services." So revered locally was he that a football match between Seafield (from Ardrossan) and Kilmarnock Athletic took place on 10 April, with the gate proceeds being donated to his wife. It is unclear what happened to the medal during the decade of the 1880s, but it was clearly on display at the Royal Naval Exhibition, held in Chelsea, west London, opening 2 May 1891, as it was included in the exhibition's guide as item #2555 and as having been lent by a "Mrs. Marsden."

Ex: Collection of a "Mrs. Marsden" (from whom it was on display at the Royal Naval Exhibition in 1891).

Estimate: $750.00 - $1500.00

1874年中國-英國-蘇格蘭威廉-布雷肯里奇/拯救"舟山"沉船銀質勳章。

1891年皇家海軍展覽會，第2555號展品。 規格：53mm x 91mm；重50.70克。正面：蝕刻圖文，舟山號蒸汽船在阿德羅桑港沉沒的景象（源自倫敦新聞畫報）；圖文清晰，珠邊。反面：雕刻圖文（花體字），内容為"Subscribers Medal / PRESENTED / to Wm Breckenridge / FOR HEROIC EFFORTS IN SAVING LIFE / AT THE WRECK OF THE / Chusan / IN ARDROSSAN HARBOUR / 21st Octr 1874"，裝飾邊環繞，銘文浮現，珠邊。此章鑲嵌於麻繩紋圓環中，附著在救生圈及船錨下，伴有懸挂環。極其精緻誘人、與衆不同的跨國界救生嘉許獎章。輕微包漿，光澤熠熠。 舟山號鐡槳輪船於1874年9月首次下水，由中國輪船公司所擁，其代理商為霸菱兄弟公司（位於倫敦）及旗昌洋行（位於上海）。在中國原想用於上海與漢口之間的貿易，後來並為實現。1874 年 10 月 21 日早上，在格拉斯哥前往上海的航程中因風浪沉沒。 該船原定於 10 月 10 日出發前往中國，但在愛爾蘭瓦特福停靠時發現有問題而導致航程取消，並掉頭回格拉斯哥進行維修。可惜在回程航行至阿德羅桑港時遇上強風。上百人在鄰近的兩個碼頭（蒙哥馬利及溫頓）目擊其沉沒。當地居民 William Breckenridge 對救生任務非常熟悉，當即將一艘救生艇駛至舟山號的上風位置，當時仍是波濤洶湧。船上人員 (48 名船員及 5 名乘客) 並非全部獲救。其中一名獲救的船長妻子，麻省的 George C. Johnson of Salem 女士，其後親自將此章贈予拯救員 William Breckenridge，拯救隊成員亦獲得類似獎章。船難發生六年多後，Breckenridge 的訃告中提起此章。該篇訃告刊登於 1880 年 4 月 3 及 10 日的 Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald 中，寫道："舟山號船長不幸罹難但其夫人獲救，並向 Breckenridge 及隊員各贈送銀章一枚，聊表感激。" Breckenridge 在當地深受尊敬，4 月 10 日更是為其舉辦了一場足球比賽，參賽隊伍為 Seafield （來自阿德羅桑）及 Kilmarnock Athletic，門票收入全數捐贈予其遺孀。1880 至 1890 年間此章的下落不明，直至1891 年 5 月 2 日早倫敦西切爾西舉行的皇家海軍展覽會中展出，展品編號 #2555.據稱由 Marsden 女士借出。