500 bags of slag, 90 packages of borax, 360 packages boracic acid, 104 packages paper, 884 packages carbonate soda, 35 bales of waste, 18 hogsheads of holloware, 2 coils wire rope, 54 packages alum, 35 cases plough shares, 1330 packages steel, 19 tons pig iron, 412 packages copper sulphate, 48 packages silicate soda, 1207 packages soda ash, 30 packages of calcium, 53 packages soda extract, 50 packages gypsum, 42 packages magnesia; 30 packages cyanide, 35 packages log extract, 8 packages glue, 60 cases blacking, 40 kegs paint, 146 bundles hoop iron, 12,934 bundles iron bars, 2 packages wire, 493 rolls wire netting, 817 bundles hoops, 3 barrels twine, 8 barrels cordage, 2 barrels yarn, 9 bales canvas, 418 rolls oilcloth, 3 barrels twine, 35 bales paper bags, 9 cases tiles, 118 cases softgoods, 2 cases furniture, 40 cases mangles, 218 packages earthenware, 4 cases copperware, 100 boxes fire bricks, 22 cases scythe stones, 505 boxes & 1 case tin plates, 219 cases bottles, 275 packages stout, 615 packages beer, 225 packages brandy, 1776 packages whisky, 29 quarter cases rum.

There was also 10 miles of tramway cable weighing 51 tons!

She was also carrying 240 packages bicarbonate soda to be unloaded at Launceston, and 257 packages soda and 57 cases of beer for Hobart. For Geelong there were 11 drums of caustic soda to go to Huddart Parker & Co shipping agents; as well as 60 packages and 35 boxes of merchandise for Hawkes Bros. importers and wholesalers.

At the time I couldn't help imagining the water-logged 7 hold as a seething, bubbling, and fizzing cauldron of chemical reactions.

And how would my fellow Victorians cope with so much of their supplies stranded on a reef rusting and ruined in King Neptune's realm.

Now some of you in your time might not know that in my time holloware included such items as cups, jugs, bowls and vases, usually,made from pottery, glass or metal.

As for the other items that may be unfamiliar to you, we often used these for a variety of purposes. For example:

• alum was used in paper making and for leather tanning.
• Soda ash was used in glass and soap manufacture, as well as for carbonated drinks
• Borax was used in the production of optical glasses, and ceramic glazes; but also it was used in the laundry, and as a skin lotion!
• Silicate sods was used in the manufacture of water-glass, cement, waterproof paint, and for preserving eggs!
• Sulphur was needed for matches and gunpowder.
• Calcium and bicarbonate of soda were used as disinfectants.
• Cyanide was employed in the extraction of gold and silver from ore. In 1902 there were still many gold mines operating in our state.
• Gypsum was an ingredient in plaster of paris.
• Magnesia was used in medicines.
• Blacking was used for blacking or polishing of boots and stoves.

I hope you will have found that the Inverlochy's cargo has opened a window for you into the world of our era.