Foundering of the British steamship Quetia in the Torres Strait

Background. RMS Quetta was an iron-hulled, three-masted steamship constructed in Scotland in 1881. The vessel was operated by British India Associated Steamers, a company controlled by the British India Steam Navigation Company. By 1890, the ship had completed eleven round trips between London and Brisbane, establishing a regular service route that passed through the Torres Strait.

Voyage and Passengers. On 18 February 1890, Quetta departed Brisbane for London. Among the passengers was William Henry Moore, who embarked intending to visit his family in Birmingham after nearly five years in Queensland. While many passengers traveled in saloon class, less is known about the steerage passengers, including Moore, who perished in the wreck.

Investigation. In April 1890, the Queensland Marine Board conducted an inquiry into the shipwreck. The board concluded that the disaster was purely accidental. A key finding was that the specific rock responsible for damaging the vessel was not depicted on the Admiralty charts available to the crew at the time.