File:Loss of 'the Tayleur' Australian packet-ship, off Lambay Island ILN-1854 (cropped).jpg

English: Article: Wreck of the "Tayleur," in Dublin Bay. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 28 January 1854. Volume: 24 , Issue: 665.

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WRECK OF THE " TAYLEUR," IN DUBLIN BAY. In our publication of November 26 we gave an engraving and a description of the new iron clipper-ship Tayleur, then recently launched, the largest sailing merchantman ever built in this country. The vessel was designed expressly for the Australian passenger trade, to form one of Messrs. Pilkington and Wilson's celebrated White Star Line. She was 2500 tons new measurement, and was capable of carrying 4000 tons of cargo. No expense had been spared in her construction and fitting up, and the general opinion was that she would prove a fast and safe sailer. Had justice been done to so fine a vessel, these expectations would, probably, have been realised ; but, if the prevailing statements are correct, the ship was undermanned when she left Liverpool, and to that fatal error the sad catastrophe we have this week to relate, must be mainly attributed. The Trrylcrr sailed from Liverpool for Melbourne, at five minutes to twelve, on Thursday, with G52 persons on board, including the crew, and about eight p.m. was off Holyhead. After nightfall it b:gan to blow strongly, and during all next day the ship struggled with an adverse wind. By that time the more intelligent of the passengers became alarmed on account of the evident incompetence of the crew to manage the vessel. A number cf the men were Chinese and Lascars, who hardly knew the English language, and were consequently unable to understand the orders given by the captain. Throughout the whole of Friday the weather was thick and hazy also, so that no observations could be taken. Early on Saturday morning the ship was under full sail, for which the captain was blamed by some of the passengers, who remarked that the crew could not take in so much sail on an emergency. As the day wore on the weather became boisterous, and about ten a.m. land was in sight. In order to avoid any possible danger the ship's course was altered about half-past eleven, and she was hauled up two points to windward. It was whilst on this course, and in about half an hour after, that the man in the bows on the look-out cried out " Breakers on the starboard bow." It was then blowing heavily, and a high sea running. The helm was put hard to starboard, the sheets of the head-sails let go, and every means taken to bring the ship round on a course free from the threatened danger. It was then impossible to see a cable's length fro m the vessel, and in about twenty minutes more she struck with great violence on a reef of rocks running out from a creek right to the eastward bluff of Lambay Island. The shock was tremendous, shaking the vessel from stem to stern. She rose on the next wave, and drove in rather broadside on; and when she struck again still heaving, the sea made a clean breach over her amidships, setting everything on deck afloat. After two or three more shocks, the shipbegan to sink by the stern, and the scene of confu ion and dismay that ensued baffles all description; the passengers rushing up the hatchway-husbands carrying their children, and women lying prostrate on the deck with their infants, screaming and imploring help. The ship's quarter drifted on towards one side of the creek; and one of the cook's assistants (a black man), two Lascars, and three seamen, contrived to jump across on shore, and thus saved their lives. A rope and a spar were afterwards got across, and by this means a number of lives were rescued, chiefly through the activity and devoted gallantry of two or three young men, passengers, whose exertions in saving the lives of their fellowsufferers deserve the highest praise. Those who attempted to escape by the bows of the vessel all, or nearly, met a miserable fate: the moment they fell into the water, the waves eaught them, and dashed them violently against the rocks ; and the survivors on shore could perceive the unfortunate creatures, with their heads bruised and cut open, struggling amidst the waves, and one by one sinking under them. A first-cabin passenger, who managed to get on shore, gives the following account of the sad scenes which followed :- Among some of the earliest of the females who attempted to get on shore were some young Irishwomen. Most of them lost their hold of the rope, and fell into the sea. The doctor of the ship, a most noble fellow, struf gled hard to save his wife and child, he had succeeded in getting about halfway to the shore on a rope-holding his child by its clothes in his teeth- butjust then the ship lurched outwards, by which the rope was dragged from the hands of those who held it on the lower rocks, and was held only by those above, thus running him high in the air, so that the brave fellow could not drop on the rock. Word was now given to lower the rope gently; but those who held it above let it go by the run, and the oi'cr fellow, with his child, was buried in the waves; but in a short time eC again arpeared above the water, manfilly battling with the waves and the portions of thle wreck that now floated about him. tie at length swam to a ladder hanging by arope alongside the ship, and got upon it. After he lad been there a minute or two his wife floated close to him; he immediately took hold of her, and dragger her on the ladder, tenderly parted the hair from her face, and appeared to be encouraging her; but in another minute she was washed fromi his hold, and sank almost immediately. lie then got up agan into tile ship and tried to get his wife on shore, but they both perished. lie deserved a better fate The scene was now most truly awfSul. The most desperate struggles for life were made by the wretched passengers, great numbers of women jumped overboard, in the vain hope of reaching land; and the ropes were crowded by hundreds who, in their eagerness, terror and confusion, frustrated each other's ellorts fir selfpreservation. Many of the females would get half way, and then become unable to proceed further; and, after clinging to the rope for a short tirr e, would be forced from their hold by those who came after them. IThree w o::en only, ousto 200, wesle haved. (ile of those had got part of the way ntloss when her les fell, andl she Ii tng sone time by her t wo hands ot er tt.e foaming , ave-; her husband then cane on the ripe, aid managed to assist her to the shore. Two men cnime on shore with children tied to the r backs; but of th le whole who fell into tile water not abave five p ere raved. I saw one fine girt, who, after falling fron the rope, emi naged to get hold of arother one, which was Ianging from the side of the ship, and n, hich she held on to for more than a quarter of an hour, the sea every moment dashing her against the side of the ship: but it was impossible for us to end her any assistance. Some one got a spar out, by which several got on shore; but it soon broke; and now might be seen hundreds han:ging to the bulwarks of the ship, each struggling to get on shore. I saw cue young woman hanging on the middle of the rope for some time by her te o hands, but those pushing to get on shore soon sent her to her doom. The ship's stern now began to sink ; the ship made a lurch, and all the ropes were snapped asunder. The scene now was most harrowing. Every wave washed off scores at a time--we could see them struggle for a moment, then, tossing their arms, sink to rise no more. At length the whole of the ship sunk under water. There was a fearful struggle for a moment, and all, except two who were in the rigging, were gone. The coast-guard, who had been apprised of the wreck, now came up; but alt they could do was to attempt to save the two who were in the rigging. They managed to get a line to one of them, by fastening two lines, at the end of each of which was a piece of wood, to a single line, and guiding it from the rock to the spot where the pocr f 'llow was, so that he could reach it. 1 hey then dragged him ashore. lThere was one fine young man left on the top, but they could not reach him, and wh-n he saw them going away his cries were heartrending. About two o'clock the next morning the coast-guard managed to reach him, after he had been in the top fourteen hours: you may fancy the poor fellow's joy at h s deliverance. We found we were on La'nba; Is.and, three miles from Rush, and about thirteen r.lilcs iro ia iublin. Out of the entire number of persons on board only 2S2 individuals were saved, so that 170 lives must have been lost altogether. News of the wreck having been taken to Datlin, the steam-packet P',i!n .- was sent to Lambay Island on Sunda-- afternoon; and next morning the whole of the passengers and crew who hid been rescued were taken to Dublin, where comfortable accom:udatioa was provided for the'n. Later accounts state that nearly a1 hodims have been found, and thlt an inquest is to be hell. T.le Lic,tt pol 3Icrcury adis the fohlowing statement : We learn that a letter has been received fromn Capta'n Noble, but it conveys nothing like an ac_ urate account of the cause of the di's ter It appears that he had two sails blown away in the gale of Friday and Sa- ______ - --_-; 6 L -_~- ~ - ;7 WREC OFTl AILL IS;S I1 'I L'D Oi~'D turday morning. Iis rudder-a patent one-ia complainel of as difficult to work, and his co npas.es were .rlz Ir, , s :ie urmn of hii statement. It appears that there were a it:le over 1 f'0l-s on boar 1r, only three of whom are said to have been saved The veisel still h),ds together; and, as there is a large qianl:iy of timber oa b3urd, sie may continue to do so. A subscription list has been opin:d n Liverpol in all of the unfortunate sufferers by this deplorable wreck. It is headed by Mr. Charles Moore, one of the owners, with 1 ;0. fillo-ed by the names of 1[esirs. Pilkingttn and Wilson (the Liverpool azeatsl, £100 ; Mr. James Baines (of the Black Ball line of Autralian packets), £100, &o.