The Raising of the Eurydice

By the end June, three months after the sinking of the Eurydice, a run of good weather had meant that things were now looking promising for a lift of the vessel.

In the House of Commons, the Island’s M.P., Mr. Baillie Gifford, wondered whether it might just be better to place a buoy over the wreck as a permanent memorial. Another M.P. asked whether tenders would be put out to private recovery specialists if the Admiralty failed, again, to raise the Eurydice.

THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, June 29th, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-06-29, p. 6

The salvage operations at the wreck have made considerable progress, favoured by a continuance of fine weather. During the week the divers have been engaged in cutting away such running gear as would be likely to drag on the ground when the ship is raised. The Eurydice has been swept with four eight-inch steel hawsers, and heavy toggles, with double wire strops, have been introduced into the ports. To these strops 1 5/8 inch chain pendants have been shackled on, and when the lift is given the ends of these will be in the mooring lighters. In addition to the eight-inch wire ropes, the bight of an eight-inch wire rope has been dropped before the mainmast into the gangway ports, and the ends passed aft under each quarter have been centred or feidded under the stern, and will be taken in by the Pearl. In addition to her eight-inch hawsers, the Rinaldo will have the two fore ends of the eight-inch hawser. The Wave and Swan are ready for their work, and these two ships will take in as many of the toggle-pendants as the ships will ride over, and all the ships will previously have been sunk three or four feet by allowing that amount of water in them, which will be discharged by powerful steam pumps so soon as the ships have been hove down to the wreck. The Popoff air bag has been placed on the weather side in the gangway and successfully inflated, and the divers have carefully inspected all the toggles and hawsers now they are in position, and report them to be fixed satisfactorily. On Saturday a beautiful inkstand belonging to Captain Hare was recovered by one of the divers, and also a signal log, two white ensigns, and an Italian ensign, all four being unserviceable. On Saturday evening the whole of the divers, riggers, and camber men were brought in from the wreck, having succeeded in completing the necessary preliminary arrangements. To-day (Saturday) 400 hands will be taken out to the wreck for the purpose of tightening up the gear and fixing the purchases, and on Monday or Tuesday next, when the tides will have increased upwards of two feet in rise, the first lift will be made. Should the operators succeed in getting the ship out of the hole in which she lies embedded, the lifting vessels, which will be in the first instance placed across the wreck and immersed some two feet, so as to secure an additional rise as the water is pumped out, will then be fastened alongside, and the process repeated until the ports of the Eurydice have been brought above the water level.

[EXCERPT: INQUEST]

In the House of Commons, on Monday, Mr. Baillie Cochrane asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, as it seemed impossible to raise the Eurydice, it would not be better to place a buoy over the place where she lies, with some memorial of the gallant men who perished there— Mr. W.H. Smith : It is not considered to be impossible to raise the ship, and further attempts will be made to do so next spring tides, if the weather permits. To place a buoy over the wreck permanently would be a serious obstruction to navigation (hear, hear). — Captain Pim asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, as it appears that the Eurydice cannot be raised by the means at the disposal of the Admiralty, he would invite tenders from parties willing to contract with the Admiralty to raise and deliver the Eurydice afloat in Portsmouth harbour —Mr. W. H. Smith thought it undesirable to answer the question contingently. He might say he had no present intention of inviting tenders— Mr. D. J. Jenkins asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when it was intended to hold a naval inquiry into the loss of Her Majesty’s ship Eurydice; how it proposed that the Court should be constituted ; whether he had considered if it would be advantageous to the public service that one or two experts, other than officers in Her Majesty’s Navy, should form part of the Court; and whether he could inform the House what weight of ballast was put on board when that ship was last commissioned, and of what it consisted ; whether the water in tanks or any portion of the stores was relied upon to insure her stability ; and, if so, what was the nature and weight of such stores. —Mr. W. H. Smith : A court-martial in accordance with the Naval Discipline Act has been ordered to assemble to inquire into the loss of the Eurydice, and the meeting of the Court is only deferred in expectation of obtaining some valuable evidence of the condition of the ship before she sank. The law does not admit of experts being placed on the Court but the Court has power to call before it any persons whom in their judgment they think it desirable to give evidence. The weight of ballast was 30 tons of iron pig ballast, the same as she carried on all former commissions. The last part of the second question will be a subject of inquiry by the Court.

On the Island, at least editorially speaking, sentiment seemed to be of the mind that if this attempt to were to fail, it might be better to leave the ship was she was, echoing Mr. Baillie Cochrane’s view, given the likely morbid sight — and stench— of what had remained, until now, hidden below, if the Eurydice was raised now.

THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, June 29th, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-06-29, p. 4-5

There is to be a final effort made to-day to raise the Eurydice, and if that fails we should fancy the best thing would be to let her stop where she is, a huge coffin for the hundreds of brave fellows who still remain in her. So long a time has elapsed, so fearfully decomposed must be the bodies, that one cannot help asking what the raising of the vessel would do now, and if we consulted our own private inclination we would far rather that the ill-fated vessel remained at the bottom of the sea. What would they do with the ship if they recovered her ? She could never be sent to sea again. Who would care to stop in such a charnel house. We, of course, are not superstitious, but if ever a vessel had dismal associations connected with her, it is the unfortunate Eurydice. Who could stay in a vessel which had been the coffin of 300 or 400 men ? On sanitary grounds, too, it would be bad. She must be by this time sodden with water and the decomposing particles of the unfortunate crew. The sight that will greet the eyes of those who raise her would be horrible, and although we sympathise with the desire of those who wish to give their relatives decent Christian burial, it should be remembered that it will be impossible to recognise the bodies, except by the marks on their clothing. We do not, however, believe it is possible to raise the ship if it were we do not see what good would be done, and we think the best thing now is not to waste any more money in the farce of trying to raise her. Already more money has been spent than the value of the ship, and to fritter away any more in the fruitless attempts is useless. We notice that the member for the Island, Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE, entertained the same view, and advocates fixing a buoy over the wreck “as a memorial of the gallant men who lost their lives in their country’s service.” Another member advocates asking for tenders from outside persons willing to undertake the raising of the ship. We do not imagine that many would care to tender now. Had such a course been adopted directly after the accident occurred, no doubt there would have been tenders offered. Doubtless the company which took the Alpheta off Bembridge ledge would have been successful. There would have been something worth working for, but not now, when the ship is nothing better than a huge sodden charnel house, useless, and only capable of perpetuating mournful reminiscences. The Admiralty refused the preferred help, but there would have been no disgrace in their accepting the assistance of such a reputable firm as are the company who won back the Alpheta to usefulness. The dockyard people study how to make ships, not how to raise them when sunk, and there would have been no disgrace if the Admiralty had handed over the job to those who have special knowledge and special appliances. As it is, the public have passed through several stages. First hopeful, next doubtful, and finally despairing, because they see that the raising of the vessel is no longer a necessity, but would now be tantamount to failure. It was desirable to raise the ship two months ago, but not now.

The Pearl and Rinaldo were in place, joined by two gunboats, the Swan and the Wave, but following a thunderstrom on the Sunday — the Gods were obviously not happy again — preparations for Monday’s planned lift were delayed. In calm seas, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, ballast was added to the Pearl and Rinaldo, and the lift attempt could begin. But the wind tunred, and the sea became choppy, with a rising swell. Once again, Hades was reluctant to give up Eurydice…

THE EURYDICE FAILURE TO LIFT THE SHIP. - Thursday, July 4th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-07-04, p. 5

In accordance with the programme settled by Admiral Superintendent the Hon. F. A. C. Foley, in connection with the attempt to raise the Eurydice, which it was hoped might be made on Monday morning. The riggers and divers proceeded to the wreck as early as three o’clock on Saturday morning, and the Pearl corvette, and the gunboats Swan and Wave, having been towed out to join the Rinaldo, every advantage was taken of the lull to place the lifting vessels into position and attach them by the purchases across the wreck. The Pearl was placed at the stern to receive the ends of the jewel hawsers, the gunboat toggled on either side of the mainmast, the Rinaldo being reserved for the tow jewels to be made fast to. The corvette and small craft were suocesfully lashed down, but on Sunday morning the wind shifted to the south-west, and the heavy lop, which sprang up, caused the Pearl to pitch to such an extent as to cause her nine inch hawser to part, and she had eventually to be eased to prevent her getting wholly loose, nothwithstanding that the violent thunderstorm which ensued had the effect of materially beating down the swell. The gunboats were allowed to remain in position in spite of the long roll which continued during the afternoon, though from the manner in which they struck against the mainmast it might be considered necessary to ease them off. At noon on Sunday the wind, which had been singularly variable, veered round to the north-west, and should it have the effect of moderating the sea it was the intention of Captain Moss to place the Rinaldo in position forward and secure her to the purchases. At three o’clock in the afternoon 90 men from the Asia, under the command of Staff-Commander Parker, and other contingents from the ships in the harbour assembled in the dockyard, where tugs were ready to take them to the wreck for the purpose of heaving round the capstans by which the lifting ships were to be pinned down at early slack on Tuesday morning ; but on Rear-Admiral Foley, who had been out personally superintending the operations, coming on there, the orders were countermanded and they were dismissed. The result was the loss of another day, the first actual lift which was appointed to be made on Monday morning at ten, being postponed until the some time on Tuesday.

There was a slight breeze blowing from the south-east on Monday, but it was not powerful enough to have any effect on the sea, and the glass was rising. The four lifting vessels were moored exactly in the positions where they were wanted to receive the purchases, and Mr. W. B. Robinson (Chief-Constructor), and a staff of officers, were at the wreck superintending the imniersions of the ships by letting in the water. During Monday afternoon the toggle pendants were successfully attached to the gunboats Swan and Wave, and the bow end of the steel hawser made fast to the Rinaldo ready to hove down. The Lord Warden which was to take up the the towing ropes at high water on Tuesday arrived under sail from Portland, and was anchored in Sandown Bay, and there were besides no fewer than six steam tugs to render whatever assistance may be required. Rear-Admiral Foley was present at the operations the whole day, and remained out all night having about 400 employed under him in the final pinning down of the lifting vessels. They commenced work at three o’clock on Tuesday morning, and completed the work of pinning down the Wave and Swan gun-boats and the Pearl and Rinaldo, corvettes, by six o’clock, water ballast having been let into each of the ships so as to subemerge them three feet. The lowest tide was at a quarter to six and the steel wire hawsers and chain cables were hove taut by six o’clock. Half an hour later the work of pumping on the four craft was commenced by four tugs with the addition of two of Merryweather’s steam fire engines, on the Pearl and Rinaldo. At this time the wind was blowing moderately from the N. E., and the sea was comparatively calm. The pumping occupied two hours but while it was proceeding the wind shifted to E N.E. and a heavy swell set in. Shortly after 8 o’clock the force of the wind had so much increased as to interfere considerably with the operations, and at the time the after chain of the White Swan, attached to a toggle, snapped, and it was found necessary to slip the other chain in order to save the gunboat. While this was being done the sea became so very choppy that, at twenty minutes to nine o’clock, it was found necessary to use the hawsers. Shortly afterwards, the swell continuing to increase, orders were given for all the hawsers and toggles to be slipped, and Admiral Foley directed the return of the craft into harbour. During the operations the White Swan got her quarter much damaged by colliding with one of the tugs, and a workman sustained some injuries. The operations were directed by Capt. Polkinghorne, Batt and Dathan, under the supervision of Admiral Foley. On Tuesday morning the Commander-in-Chief (Admiral E. G. Fanshawe, C.B.) with Flag-Captain the Hon W C. Carpenter, arrived at the wreck in the Fire Queen. The Medina, gunboat, also brought out a party, including Lord Elphinstone (representing the Admiralty) and the Duke of Athole. In consequence of the unfortunate change in the weather another attempt cannot be made for a fortnight and it is doubtful whether the interval would suffice to make the requisite pteparations.

The Portsmouth Times thinks that it is extremely probable that the attempt to raise the vessel will be abandoned.

Another body was picked up at the wreck on Tuesday morning.

With the failure of the attempt, nothing further could be done that week.

ATTEMPT TO RAISE THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, July 6th, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-07-06, p. 8

It was hoped that, with fine weather, the programme arranged by Admiral Superintendent the Hon. A. Foley, assisted by Captains Polkinghorne, Batt, and Dalham, would be attended with success, and that the ill-fated Eurydice would be recovered. It had been arranged that the supreme effort should be made on Monday morning, but the unfavourable weather experienced on Sunday necessitated a day’s delay. Monday was occupied in performing preliminary work which had been postponed from the previous day, and up to Monday night everything went on smoothly. Rear-Admiral Foley was present at the operations the whole day, and remained out all night, having about 400 men employed under him in the final pinning down of the lifting vessels. They commenced work at 3 o’clock on Tuesday morning, and completed the work of pinning down the Wave and Swan gunboats and the Pearl and Rinaldo corvettes by 6 o’clock, water ballast having been let into each of the ships so as to submerge them three feet. The lowest tide was at a quarter to 6, and the steel wire hawsers and chain cables were hove taut by 6. Half an hour later the work of pumping out the four craft was commenced by four tugs, with the addition of two of Merryweather’s steam fire engines on the Pearl and Rinaldo. At this time the wind was blowing moderately from the north east, and the sea was comparatively calm. The pumping occupied two hours, but while it was proceeding the wind shifted to east-north-east and a heavy swell set in. Shortly after 8 o’clock the force of the wind had so much increased as to interfere considerably with the operations, and at the time the after-chain of the Swan, attached to the toggle, snapped, and it was necessary to slip the other chain in order to save the gunboat. While this was being done, the sea became so choppy that at twenty minutes to 9 it was found requisite to ease the hawsers. Shortly afterwards, the swell continuing to increase, orders were given for all the hawsers and toggles to be slipped, and Admiral Foley directed the return of the craft into harbour. During the proceedings the Swan got her quarter much damaged by collision with one of the tugs, and a workman sustained some injuries. On Tuesday moming the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral E. G. Fanshawe, C B., with Flag Capt. the Hon. W. C. Carpenter, arrived at the wreck in the Fire Queen. The Medina, gunboat, also brought out a party, including Lord Elphinstone, representing the Admiralty, and the Duke of Athole. In consequence of the unfortunate change in the weather, another attempt cannot be made for a fortnight, and it is doubttul whether the interval would suffice to make the requisite preparations. It is thought extremely probable that the attempt to raise the vessel will be abandoned. Another body was picked up at the wreck on Tuesday morning. The Lord Warden left the scene of the wreck on Tuesday afternoon, for Portland, and nothing has been done since worth recording.

Nor the next week, which also saw advertisements for the sale of a photograph of the wreck.

LOSS OF H.M.S. EURYDICE off Dunnose, Isle of Wight, and over 300 officers and men.—A very fine Photo - Wednesday, July 10th, 1878

Naval & Military Gazette and Weekly Chronicle of the United Service, 1878-07-10, p. 1

graph of this Ship may be had (size 6in, by 6in. at 2s qnd 11in. by 9in. at 3s. each) post free… —Address, Symonds and Co , Photographers, Portsmouth.

THE RAISING OF THE EURYDICE. - Wednesday, July 10th, 1878

Edinburgh Evening News, 1878-07-10, p. 3

The probabilities of the being raised are becoming increasingly remote. From information supplied divers, coupled with observations the mainmast, which is thirty-five degree from the vertical, it would appear that the unfortunate vessel is embedded 11 feet 6 inches in the sand. A rigger the wreck has been brought into harbour with his thigh broken.

THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, July 13th, 1878

Edinburgh Evening News, 1878-07-13, p. 3

It is expected that the proposed attempt to lift the Eurydice, fixed for Monday, when the spring tides serve, will have to be temporarily postponed. Unavoidable circumstances prevent the completion of the arrangements. Wire hawsers are being substituted for the chain cables attached to the toggles, and the hawsers swept round the wreck, which have got fouled, are being cleared.

Every further day that went by, it seemed, the Eurydice slipped further into the mud.

The Eurydice. - Saturday, July 13th, 1878

Hampshire Advertiser, 1878-07-13, p. 8

On Monday a rigger, named Charles Lawrence, who has been employed at the operations to raise the Eurydice, had his thigh broken by the swerving of a hawser. Should the weather be favourable, it is expected that the third attempt to lift the ship will be made at the end of the present week. Recent observations have shown that the wreck is now embedded about 12ft. in the ground and that every delay increases the difficulty of raising her.

Fig. 27 The Raising of HMS Eurydice Painted originally by: Richard Henry Nibbs, National Museum of the Royal Navy

But then, finally, with the weather again favourable, the Eurydice was raised and moved to slightly shallower water.

THE RAISING OF THE EURYDICE. - Tuesday, July 16th, 1878

Portsmouth Evening News, 1878-07-16, p. 2

The weather to-day was everything that could be wished and, as we anticipated would be the case, the authorities have, in consequence, achieved a great success. The Eurydice has not only been lifted out of her bed but she has been towed a distance of fifty yards. The work of pinning down was commenced at five o’clock this morning, and everything was readiness for the rising tide. As may be anticipated, there was much suppressed excitement on board the lifting vessels as the chains were seen to tighten and the vessels themselves began slightly to heel over. The water ballast which had beeu pumped into them in order to sink them three feet before pinning down, was now pumped out, and the other ballast having been arranged with the view of counteracting the strain, all proceeded well. As the tide flowed, the strain gradually increased, and it w»s soon apparent to the intense satisfaction of all, that this final attempt would prove to be a brilliant success. Shortly before the tide was at its height, the steamers which had been provided for towing purposes made fast to the lighters, and a comparatively short time the whole responded to their influence by moving slowly away from the spot where the wreck of the Eurydice has lain so long. After being towed about fifty yards, the bottom of the vessel seemed again to come in contact with the sand, and the effort was then discontinued. The party are now pinning down for the second time, and another lift will take place to-night. This process will be continued until she is high enough to pumped out. It is eminently satisfactory to knew that the department have at length surmounted the many and great difficulties of this most arduous undertaking, and for the public to ascertain that but for the weather the previous efforts would not have been fruitless.

Whilst it seems the eventual raising of the Eurydice was a celebrated event, there was also a certain amount of mockery evident in the coverage.

The Eurydice has been moved! - Wednesday, July 17th, 1878

Dundee Evening Telegraph, 1878-07-17, p. 2

The Admiralty ought to be congratulated—not on their success, but on their perseverance, which seems at length to have made success possible. It is now at least four months since the ill-fated vessel sought the bottom, and a wonderful amount of red tape and questionable engineering skill have since been expended in efforts, which have hitherto proved futile, to raise her. We are almost at a loss to know whether to praise those in authority for their perseverance or blame them for their obstinacy. With perverse obstinacy they rejected the offers of assistance made by private experts, who had previously performed tasks far more difficult than the raising of the Eurydice. Their reason might have been to save expense ; so the result will probably turn out anything but a justification of the expectation. The pluck and spirit, however, with which they have stuck to the work, renewing their efforts again and again, in the face of many discouraging circumstances and much annoyance from sneering critics, is highly commendable. There certainly is ground for suspicion that incapacity and consequent bungling were, to use a Yankee expression, somewhere about—a suspicion which is not decreased by the information that Her Majesty’s turret ship Thunderer, which was to have towed the Eurydice inshore yesterday, was through series of mishaps during the operations rendered useless but the determination to succeed, if success were possible, has also been conspicuous ; and the announcement that the old hulk has at length been moved from the bed in which it was feared she had settled down received. with satisfaction. She has been moved between one and two hundred yards, and it is expected will shortly docked in Portsmouth harbour.

So what calamity befell the Thunderer? It seems she lost not just her lines, but also her capstan!

In passing, we might also note that a Japanese diver went down to the wreck for over a minute and a half without any breathing equipment.

THE EURYDICE - Thursday, July 18th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-07-18, p. 5

The wreck of the Eurydice, after being embedded in about 11ft. of mud, has been raised. On Monday afternoon operations were commenced in real earnest, and the entangled ropes and the detached Popoff air bag calculated to posses a lifting power of 50 tons, were readjusted. This was the work of eight or nine days, including the time taken in performing a general overhaul. It may be here stated that during the last two or three months the craft have had to be detached from the work and sent into harbour no less than thirteen times. Some 400 or 500 hands were sent out on Monday from Her Majesty’s ships Asia, Excellent and Duke of Wellington, and these were under the direction of Admiral Superintendent the Hon. F. A. C. Foley, Captains Polkingthorne, Batt and Dathan, Mr W. B. Robinson (chief constructor at the Dockyward), and Mr. James Parks (foreman of shipwrights). The ship being then embedded in 11 1/2 ft. of mud it was utterly impossible to raise her upon a tide of 1 feet only. A general reconnaissance was made of the wreck in the afternoon by the divers, amongst whom was a Japanese, who dived in puris naturalibus, or one minute and 40 seconds, inspected the aft securities, and came up none the worse for his lengthened immersion. The whole of the fastenings having, therefore, been fully secured p.m. operations were suspended by about nine o’clock, and were resumed again at one in the morning, when the tide was about flood, and the whole of the vessels were pumped into until they were sunk to the depth required. 924 tons of water were pumped into the Pearl, until, with a depth in her hold of 10ft., she was sunk 5ft. 6in. The Rinaldo was made to hold 600 tons, with an internal depth of 9ft. and external 5ft., while the Wave and Swan were immersed 3ft. 6in, by means of 190 tons of water in each. By the time this was finished there was rather less than an hour to spare before it was dead low water, and in this interval everything was made ndubitably secure, and by half past five everybody was waiting for an indication of the turn of the tide. When it had fairly turned the steam fire-engines on board the Pearl and the Rinaldo were set vigorously to work, and with the aid of the double hose were pumping the water very fairly when the experiment proved to be so successful that a steam tug was sent alongside each of these two vessels, each with double hose to assist. This had been going on or about half-an-hour when a tug was sent in between the Wave and the Swan, in order to pump them.

Early on Tuesday morning the Commander-in-Chief (Admiral Fanshawe, C.B.) arrived in the Fire Queen, and was accompanied by several naval officers, who were soon afterwards reinforced by others brought out by Her Majesty’s gunboat Medina. Amongst them were Lord Elphinstone, the Hon. Cpatain W. C. Carpenter, Captain Herbert, Commander Oxley, Staff-Commander Pounds, &c. Before the lifting operations fairly commenced the divers made another inspection more especially to ascertain whether the Popoff air bag was in its place, and secure. Having reported favourably, the pumping operations were watched with great interest, more especially as the wreck’s mast came up at first simultaneously with the lighters, and ultimately began to gain on them considerably. By eight o’clock yesterday morning the green seaweed on the wreck’s mast became more and more conspicuous, and shewed evident signs of her increasing bouyancy, and by half-past nine the water had been pumped from all the lighters and the Eurydice shook her mast occasionally amid the congratulations of those under whose especial care she was. It was then determined to let well alone for the time, and wait for an improvement in the tide, seeing that the rising water was lifting the sunken craft so steadily and well. The Thunderer was the ship this time deputed to act as tug, and she steamed round and about, waiting for her opportunity. But in so doing she swept across the tide and lost her cables and gear. This necessitated some delay, inasmuch as it took up valuable time in creeping for the hawsers. One was speedily recovered, but it required the work of a diver to find the other. The second, however, was to have been dispensed with, and a rope hawser substituted; but just as the Thunderer was steaming towards the scene of operations her capstan fell overboard, carrying with it the line. Meanwhile, experiments had been going on to test the buoyancy of the wreck. The hawsers facing Culver Cliff were drawn up taut, and those at the stern were slackened. This operation was continued for some time under difficulties, it being almost impossible to draw in the bow ropes in consequence of what appeared to be the immovability of the wreck. But all of a sudden the capstans on all the vessels worked easily, the wreck was seen to move, and the tars cheered lustily.

The Thunderer having now become useless for all practical purposes for the day, the experiment with the hawsers was continued until it was deemed advisable to send down divers to report the state of affairs. They came up with the report that the Eurydice had been shifted out of the hole, moved from 150 to 180 feet, and that she now rested on a solid bottom. When the success of the operations had been amply ascertained, Lord Elphinstone congratulated all who had taken a leading part, and telegraphed the result to the First Lord of the Admiralty. The operations could not have taken place at a better time, for although there was a rather heavy lop on at about half-past two, the weather gradually moderated until daylight merged into sunlight when it became oppressively hot. It is proposed should the Thunderer be in suitable conditiion to-day, to continue moving the Eurydice daily until she is got into shallow water.

SHANKLIN, Wednesday, 4.40pm

At noon today the wreck was moved another 144 feet towards the shore, making altogether 294 feet. The wreckers are busily engaged in clearing away the rigging, so as to move the ship as as possible tomorrow afternoon. Should the present favourable weather continue, it is hoped that a move of several hundred feet will be made.The Thunderer and other vessels named above, with most of the officers, were at work to-day.

In the weekend press, a more detailed description of what had been involved in the successful raising of the wreck was described.

THE EURYDICE. THE VESSEL SUCCESSFULLY LIFTED. - Saturday, July 20th, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-07-20, p. 6

Admiral Superintendent the Hon. F. A C. Foley was engaged at the wreck on Monday, and under his directions the Rinaldo, Pearl, Wave and Swan, which are to take part in the lifting of the submerged hull, were placed in position without any misadventure. The pinning down of the vessels was continued during the night, and at 6 o’clock next morning, when low water, the operation of lifting was commenced by the pumping of the water ballast out of the lifting craft. The Thunderer, turret ship, Captain J. C. Wilson, arrived off Dunnose, from Portland, to tow the wreck into shallow water.

Early on Tuesday morning the locale of the sunken wreck presented a scene of considerable animation. The weather was as fine as could have been wished for, and a stranger could hardly have supposed that a spot where perfect calm prevailed, the sea being quite smooth, had been the scene of a catastrophe of such an appalliug character. Admiral Foley been hard at work during the priveous day, and remained at the wreck during the night, having willing and able coadjutors in Captains Polkingthorne, Dathan, Batt, and Moss, Mr. W. B. Robinson, Chief constructor at Portsmouth, and Mr. J. Purkis, dockyard foreman. The alterations of the last plan were few and simple. Wire hawsers had been substituted for chains wherever chains had been previously tried. The sterns of Wave and Swan, two smaller vessels lay across the Eurydice beam wise, pointed towards Culver Cliff somewhat ; while the larger vessels, Pearl and Rinaldo, stood alongside of them on the out side, pointing in the opposite direction. The two smaller vessels were each attached to the wreck by means of two toggles, Rinaldo by two toggles and two jewel ropes, and Pearl by four jewel ropes, all crossed in such a manner as to give the utmost resisting power. The wire hawsers used upon Wave and Swan were both of seven-inch diameter, while on Rinaldo and Pearl were two of seven-inch and two of eight-inch. The lifting vessels, Pearl, Rinaldo, Wave, and Swan, with the Popoff air-bag, which is calculated to have a raising power of about 50 tons, were got into position near the wreck on Monday, and at 1 o’clock on Tuesday morning operations were resumed. Previous investigations by the divers had shown that the hull of the Eurydice was imbedded to the extent of about 11 1/2ft., and when the work was resumed on Tuesday morning, with every prospect of a continuance of favourable weather, the chief officials were sanguine that, barring unforeseen accidents, the wreck would be removed from its cradle. At 1 o’clock, the tide being about flood, the work of letting water ballast into the craft, which had beeu pinned down in order to submerge them the registered depth, was commenced : 924 tons of water were pumped into Pearl, until, with a depth in her hold of 10ft. she was sunk 5ft. 6in. Rinaldo was made to hold 600 tons, with an internal depth of 9ft. and external 5ft. ; while Wave and Swan were immersed 3ft. 6in. by means of 190 tons of water in each. By the time this was finished there was rather less than an hour to spare before it was dead low water, and in this interval every thing being made indubitably secure, by half-past 5 every body was waiting for an indication of the turn of the tide. When it had fairly turned the steam fire engines on board Pearl and Rinaldo were set vigorously to work, and with the aid of the double hose were pumping the water very fairly, when the experiment proved so successful that a steam tug was sent alongside of each of these two vessels each with double hose to assist. This had been going on for about half an hour, when a tug was sent in between Wave and Swan in order to pump them. The wreck lay in 60ft. of water, and having by this time accumulated so much dead weight, to lift her at once to the surface would have been simply impracticable. The nature of the scheme of rescue, therefore, was to raise her 10ft. by means of a 10ft. tide, plus whatever could be gained by the creation of buoyancy and bringing to bear of additional lifting power. Therefore, supposing her to be lifted 10ft by the tide and 5ft by the buoyancy created by pumping the water out of the vessels, and so lifting her with them, there would be a lift of 15ft., oniy 3 1/2ft. more than the depth of the hole in which she was embedded. It was accordingly agreed that the only practicable method would be by a series of lifts, taking advantage of every tide possible, and by repeating the experiment which proceeded successfully on Tuesday. It was thus hoped that in eight or nine days she would be brought into water sufficiently shallow to permit of her being towed into Portsmouth Harbour.

Before the lifting operations fairly commenced the divers made another inspection with the special object of ascertaining whether the Popoff air bag was in its place and secure. Having reported favourably, the pumping operations were watched with great interest, more especially as the wreck’s mast came up at first, simultaneously with the lighters, and ultimately began to gain on them considerably. -By 8 o’clock the green seaweed on the wreck’s mast had gradually become more conspicuous, and showed evident signs of her increasing buoyancy, and by half-past 9 the water had been pumped from all the lighters, and Eurydice shook her mast occasionally. It was then determined to let well alone for the time, and wait for an improvement in the tide, seeing that the rising water was liftiag the sunken craft so steadily and well. Thunderer was at hand waiting for her opportunity. Unfortunately she swept across the tide, and lost her cables and gear. This necessitated some delay, inasmuch as it took up valuable time in creeping for the hawsers. One was speedily recovered, but it required the work of a diver to find the other. The second, however, was to have been dispensed with, and a rope hawser substituted; but as. Thunderer was about steaming towards the scene o£ operations her capstan fell overboard, carrying the line.

Meanwhile experiments have been going on to test the buoyancy of the wreck. The hawsers facing Culver Cliff were drawn up taut, and those at the stern were slackened. This operation was continued for some time, under difficulties, it being almost impossible to haul in the bow ropes, in consequence of what appeared to be the immovability of the wreck. But suddenly the capstans on all the vessels worked easily, the wreck was seen to move, and the tars cheered lustily. The Thunderer having now become useless for all practical purposes for the day, the experiment with the hawsers was continued until it was deemed advisable to send down divers to report the state of affairs. They reappeared with the report that the Eurydice had been shifted out of the hole and moved from 150 to 180 feet, and that she now rested on a solid foundation.

The weather continued fine on Wednesday, and the officials worked with a will. The programme, already described, was gone through again, being commenced at 3 a.m., and everything went on satisfactorily. By means of water ballast, the Pearl and Rinaldo were each submerged 4ft. 6in., and the Swan and Wave 4ft. The lifting commenced at 6 o clock, and at 9 the wreck began to move towards the shore, and it was thought great progress would be made. In consequence of the mishap to the Thunderer’s capstan on Tuesday, the turret ship was not brought into requisition, but tugs were employed to assist in towing the moving hull in shore. After satisfactory progress had been made a steel wire jewel used in former experiments, but which had been superceded, fouled an anchor, preventing further progress for the day, and the wreck was grounded on a bank 10 fathoms at low water, being 450 yards nearer land than before.

The practical operations commenced on Thursday at 8 o clock, and the lifting and forward movement went on most successfully up to 2 o’clock. The actual results accomplished are as follows: The Eurydice has been moved forward in an easterly direction one mile and four-tenths of a mile She lies with a ” list ” between the Swan and the Wave, with the Rinaldo and the Pearl outside, all closely lashed together by strong hawsers. Her maintops are out of water, and show unmistakeable signs of her long detention in the ” vasty deep,” from which we trust she has now finally parted company. The expectancies as regards further progress are that the next forward movement by to-day’s (Friday) tide will be made broadside on to the tide. If to-day’s work is as successfully favoured as Thursday’s they expect to beach her, and the hope is that, no untoward accident occurring, she will be pumped out by Sunday, and ready to start for her original destination— Portsmouth -on Monday next.

The present position of the wreck is in a direct line from the Culvers, leaning slightly in shoreward, about one mile and a quarter from the Culvers, so that she must have been moved from the original scene of the disaster at least a mile and a half.

Fig. 28 Illustrated London News — Raising H.M.S. Eurydice in the channel, off the Isle of Wight, July 27, 1878

A very similar report elsewhere hints at some additional complexities that had arisen a week of two before that had resulted in a tangle of ropes on cables on the deck of the Eurydice.

THE RAISING OF THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, July 20th, 1878

Cumberland & Westmorland Herald, 1878-07-20, p. 7

Attempts to raise her Majesty’s ship Eurydice, lying in the English Channel, off the southern extremity of the Isle of Wight, have at length eventuated in a successful scheme. She was lying in 60ft. of water, and embedded in 11 1/2ft. of mud, in which she was gradually settling down. The alterations on the last plan have been few and simple. Wire hawsers were substituted for two chains so that the arrangements were in the following manner : The sterns of the Wave and the Swan, and two smaller vessels, which lay across the Eurydice beamwise, pointed towards Culver Cliff somewhat, while the larger vessels, the Pearl and Rinaldo, stood alongside them on the outside, pointing in the opposite direction. The two smaller vessels were each attached to the wreck by means of two toggles, the Rinaldo by two toggles and two jewel ropes, and the Pearl by four jewel ropes, all crossed in such a manner as to give the utmost resisting power. The wire hawsers used upon the Wave the Swan were both of 7in. diameter, while on the Rinaldo and tie Pearl, there were two of 7in. and two of 8in. The work carried out during the last fortnight had been of a very complicated and troublesome character, from the fact that the rope and hawsers on board the four vessels form a very complex series of interstices ; and when the ropes had to be let go a fortnight since be reason of the failure of the experiments, one mass entanglement ensued. The ropes’ ends flew in all directions and the deck of the Eurydice became confusion doubly confounded. However, the entangled ropes and the detached Popoff air bag, calculated to possess a lifting power of fifty tons, were readjusted, and everything was in complete readiness. This was the work of eight or nine days, including the time taken in performing a general overhaul. It may be here stated that during the last two or three months the craft have had to be detached from the work and sent into harbour on account of the inclemency of the weather no less than thirteen times. It was also decided to take advantage of the experience gained by the last experiment, which was partially rendered useless by the severe weather that prevailed, and instead of commencing to pump into the vessels at half tide, to commence as soon after the flood as convenient, Under the superintendence of the naval authorities at Portsmouth, every preliminary arrangement was made for carrying out the scheme, some 400 or 500 men having been told off from H.M.S. Duke of Wellington, the Asia, and the Excellent, and operations were resumed at one o’clock in the morning, when the tide was about food. The tide rises at this part about ten feet, varying from day to day one or two inches, so that there was no possibility of lifting her out of the hole in which she was embedded by means of the tide only. When the tide was about flood the whole of the vessels were pumped into until they were sank to the depth required ; 924 tons of water were pumped into the Pearl until, with a depth in her hold of ten feet, she was sunk five feet six inches. The Rinaldo was made to held 600 tons, with an internal depth of nine feet, and external five feet ; while the Wave and the Swan were immersed three feet six inches by means of 100 tons of water in each. When the wreck was made taut with these boats, and the water was pumped in them, the amount they had been sank, added to the amount of the rise of tide, gave a greater lift than the depth of the hole. When the tide had ebbed divers were sat down to see that everything was secure ; they reported most favourably, and as soon as the tide began again to flow steam fire-engines and steam tugs were set to pump out the water in the gunboats, the body of water in them varying from 190 to 224 tons. The only fear now was as to whether such a strain would or would not pull the Eurydice to pieces, but as the buoyany, in consequence of the pumps pumping out the boats, and the tide increased, the wreck came up gradually. It was intended to have employed the turret - ship Thunderer as a tug as soon as the Eurydice was suspended in the water so as to have towed her with the gunboats attached to shallower water. She steamed round about waiting for her opportunity, but in so doing she swept across the tide and lost her cables and gear. This necessitated some delay, inasmuch as it took up valuable time creeping for the hawsers. One was speedily recovered, but it required the work of a diver to find the other. The second, however, was to have been dispenssd with, aad a rope hawser substituted, but just as the Thunderer was steaming towards the scene of the operations her capstan fell overboard, carrying with it the line. In order to aseartain, therefore, if the wreck was freed it was decided to haul in the hawsers, so as to draw the crafts with the flow of the tide, slackening those that had kept them stationary. This experiment proved in every way successful, and the Eurydice was lifted out of the hole, conveyed some 150 or 180 feet in the water, and deposited on a hard bottom. Operations will now become daily until the vessel is docked.

With the wreck now in shallower water, further clearing of the wreck could be achieved, and a start made on removing the main mast. Attention was also paid to security concerns regarding entering and inspecting the cabins and retrieving valuable effects. Was there treasure on board?!

THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, July 25th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-07-25, p. 5

The lifting operations were suspended on Friday for the re-arrangement of the plan hitherto adopted. Iron plates have been manufactured for taking off the rubbing effects on the sides of the Eurydice, and were taken out of harbour in the afternoon to be fixed in position. On Friday morning at low tides the quarter-davits of the sunken vessel were visible and it was officially ascertained that she was within a mile of the Culver Cliff, entirely out of the tide way, so that she will not be in danger even should the weather take an unfavourable turn. It was not expected that the actual lifting of the wreck can be proceeded with before this day, but ad interem every moment was utilised by divers to clear the decks as far as practicable, and they have been busily engaged in preparing to cut away the mainmast. Orders have been issued regulating the steps to be taken for the recovery of valuable property so soon as the ship shall be pumped dry. A lieutenant, two warrant officers, a dockyard detective and a ship’s steward have been appointed for this purpose, except for special reasons, no persons will be permitted to enter the cabins until search has been made. Particular attention is to be paid to the recovery of the public chest and of large onus of money believed to be in possession of the ship’s corporal and a lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, who were on board. The Dockyard officials are preparing comparative list of weights carried by the Eurydice in her commissions of 1846, 1846 and 1877, and also descriptive drawings of her angle stability, for the purpose of the court-martial.

We had hoped to have been able to record the fact that the Eurydice was safe in Portsmouth Harbour at the time of going to press with our present issue, but it seems that a little more delay is necessary. On Monday evening the shipwirght department of Portsmouth Dockyard finished their part of the work of adapting the Pearl, Rinaldo, Wave, and Swan to the new place of lifting the wreck from the sides, 100 men having been engaged upon these vessels throughout Sunday. Much, however, remains to be done in the way of strengthening the sides of the craft with wooden balks, and it is not expected that the necessary preliminaries can be completed before Friday or Saturday. The Pearl will be located on the port side of the Eurydice, and alongside her, for the purpose of increasing her stability, will be the Swan ; whilst the Rinaldo and the Wave will be similarly platted on the starboard side. The wreck will not, as heretofore, be swept with hawsers, the lift having to be effected entirely by means of 16 toggles, eight being fixed in position on each side, secured by 7in. wire hawsers, each capable of standing a strain equivalent to a hundred tons. Though not altogether out of the tide, the Eurydice is in water that is less in the run of the tide, and this will be highly advantageous in rendering the lifting vessels more manageable than has hitherto been the came. It is intended to lift the Eurydice with successive tides as high as may be found practicable, then to close up her ports and hatchways, and afterwards to pump her dry, when she will float to the surface by virtue of her own bouyancy. With this result attained the salvage operations will be completed and the wreck will undergo a thorough fumigation before being brought into harbour. On Monday the Manly tug brought a body into harbour, and a chest of drawers and a cashbox were also recovered from the unfortunate frigate.

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE EURYDICE - Thursday, August 1st, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-01, p. 5

Mr. C. Knight. Union-street, has just published an excellent photograph of the Eurydice.

With the Eurydice now closer to shore, the wreck provided a spectacle from across the Island, and even further afar.

Fig. 29 Wreck of HMS Eurydice 1878 R. Cadogan-Rothery Carisbrooke Castle Museum

Meanwhile, preparations started to be made for the recovery of the bodies, as well as inspect the ship to get a better idea of what had happened when she originally went down. The stench must have been considerable.

Also on-board, a puzzle regarding a certain lost codicil to a will of one of the officers lost on the Eurydice, Mr. Charles V. Strange, was also solved…

THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 1st, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-01, p. 5

There is now a fair prospect of the Eurydice being taken into harbour. Numbers of visitors from Ryde and other places have visited the spot to watch the operations, which were successfully continued on Saturday, advantage being taken of the morning tide, when the weather was decidedly favourable, although the sea was somewhat choppy. The tide only rose 7ft., but the lifting of the wreck commenced within three hours before high water. The purchase arrangements answered admirably, and the Admiral Superintendent and the dockyard officers were enabled to keep the wreck clear of a dangerous reef lying between Sandown Fort and the Red Cliff by taking her in tow of four Government tugs. The shoreward movement was accomplished with comparative ease, and when the Eurydice was again grounded it was ascertained that she had been brought three sixteenths of a mile, leaving her about half a mile off the shore. and almost entirely out of the tideway, her position being favourable for another lift at high water. She lay in 43 feet of water, which is seven feet less than the depth of water at low tide at which she lay on the preceding day. With the afternoon tide an attempt wes successfully made to put the Eurydice on an even keel, as she has up to the present time been inclined on her starboard bilge at an angle of 37 degrees. This brought her hammock netting within six feet of the surface of the water. On Sunday another lift was made. During the operations on Saturday a body floated to the surface, and was brought to Haslar Hospital for interment. Another cargo of coffins has been sent out of harbour, and all the necessary preliminaries have been made for recovering the large number of corpses which are expected to be found between decks.

On Sunday the Commander-in-chief returned into harbour bringing with him information of a satisfactory character. The Eurydice lying only three cable-lengths from the shore, in 33ft. 6in. of water at low tide.

At half-past three on Monday morning all the divers went down passing two more seven-inch wires under the ship. The tugs then towed her in, and the Eurydice was brought up in about 14 feet of water at low tide, and at about a cable’s length from the shore. Here she will remain. The lifting has in fact been completed, and the Rinaldo and the Pearl have been disconnected from the wreck. This done, the divers were set to work to close the ports on the lee side, which are about three feet below water at low tide, a party of shipwrights were sent to cover the ports on the port side, which are now out of water. In the course of Monday eleven more bodies were discovered. They were found on the main deck, in, of course, the most shocking condition. Coffins were passed through the ports, the bodies placed in them, the coffins screwed down, and then passed out again, so that the distressing spectacle was witnessed by as few persons as possible. Admission to the ship for any but the working party is strictly prohibited. The pumping out having been completed, and the entrance of water prevented, it is believed that the ship will right herself and float. Then will that terrible task of exploration of the lower deck, on which it is expected that the majority of the missing men, some 250 were assembled when the vessel was capsized, and from which there was no escape during the minute or two before she foundered.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULAR— STATE OF HE WRECK

The topsides and deck on the port side exhibited a remarkably clean appearance, producsed, no doubt, by the wash of the tide, and it was observed, as furnishing confirmatory proof of the suddenness of the catastrophe, that the ropes connected with the upper sails, were all belayed. So soon as the ports on the weather side came above the water, a volunteer exploring party from the Naval Reserve and two undertakers entered the main deck in search of bodies, having their mouths and nostrils enveloped in swathes to prevent their inhaling the effluvium. A dockyard launch simultaneously brought a cargo of coffins from the Pearl, and, with a covered barge intended for the reception of the coffins, took up a position under the fore part on the elevated side. The shells were passed into the deck, and eleven bodies, which were floating, were quickly recovered, coffined separately, and then towed away in the barge, deodorants being freely used. The locale of the wreck was literally swarming with sightseers, who pressed round the hull. On the main deck all was chaos, everything being unshipped and floating to the leeward, whilst the bodies were stripped of flesh mainly by ?? ?position and coated with slime and sand. Eight were absolutely unrecognisable, but one was identified as a first-class petty officer by his badge, and two others were found to be ordinary seamen, Watts and Haver, through their names remaining upon the remnants of clothes on them. At low water the upper part of the port bilge was out of water, and a party of ninety seamen began to clear the upper deck and to float the cutter and the crew’s boat, whilst the Admiral-Superintendent and Inspector-General Domville managed to penetrate into the captain’s cabin and also the weather cabins, but found no bodies in them. They were unable to pass into the starboard cabins, the water remaining as high as the centre of the combing of the main hatchways. On the port side the guns remained in position in the midship, port forward, and the port under the main chains, and those on the starboard side in the port before the gangway and that abaft the gangway were also visible.

PREPARING FOR REMOVAL.

The duty of closing the ports was at once commenced under the superintendence of Mr. W. B. Robinson, Chief Constructor, and Mr. Froyne, Constructor, it being arranged to block them with 2in. deal, lined on the underside with a coating of fearnought and Russian tallow. The scuttles and hatchways will be similarly closed and made secure. In the course of the afternoon Hicks and the dockyard divers, and Davis, Sutherland, and Thomas, divers from the firm of Messrs. Siebe and Gorman, were sent below to cover up the leeports and scuttees as well as the stern ports, their exertions being stimulated by a promise of double pay. The apertures on the weather side are to be closed and caulked by the dockyard shipwrights. The closing of the wreck is expected to be completed by to-day, after which she will be pumped out, cleaned, and disinfected, and then towed into the harbour and moored in some remote creek. The lower deck, where a large number of bodies are expected to be found, cannot be entered till the ship bas been floated. On Monday the dockyard photographer, Mr Loader, took a number of negatives of the wreck at different states of the tides for the court-martial about to be held.

A number of liberty men were sent ashore on Monday evening, under orders to return on Tuesday afternoon to relieve those on duty. The Pearl and the Swan were taken into harbour, the latter to receive two fire engines for helping to pump out the wreck, which now points N.E. by N.

A CURIOUS INCIDENT

Among the officers on board the Eurydice at the time she foundered was Mr. Charles V. Strange, a lieutenant who is said to be the owner of part of the Epsom Racecourse. His will has been in the possession of his friends, but it was believed that there was also a codicil which, though diligent search has been made, could not be found. Yesterday the codicil was discovered on board.

THE RECOVERY OF THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 8th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-08, p. 5

PHOTOGRAPH of the scene in Sandown Bey may be had of the Booksellers; also of the Photographer. F. N. Broderick, Jun., (by post or otherwise.) Top of West-street, Ryde. Price 6d. and 1s. each.

If we look towards Yaverland from the the sea wall just opposite Browns’ pitch’n’putt golf course today, we can see the red cliff and white cliff sweep up to Culver Down.

Fig. 30 Sandown, looking towards the red cliff and white cliff, Yaverland

Back in 1878, the cliffs were the same, but you would have also seen the wreck of the Eurydice.

Fig. 31 HENRY ROBINS (1820-92) The Wreck of the “Eurydice” Signed and dated 1878 Oil on canvas | 60.2 x 123.1 cm (support, canvas/panel/str external) | RCIN 406265 HMS Eurydice was a training ship for ordinary seamen which had sunk in a sudden squall on 24 March 1878. There were more than 300 men on board but only two survivors. She was brought into Sandown bay on the Isle of Wight, but an easterly gale caused her further damage and by 9 August, when this picture was painted, she was being pumped out in preparation for being moved to Portsmouth Harbour. In the painting the vessel is in Sandown Bay under Culver Cliff, with spectators and a photographer on the beach. There are other small craft, including steam tugs and the ‘Rinaldo’, which had helped to raise the sunken ship. The picture was apparently painted in less than 40 hours by Robins ‘an artillery sergeant who paints naval subjects exceedingly well. He is self taught’, according to Queen Victoria’s notes in her Journal. The Queen had driven over with other members of her family to see the wreck. Signed and dated: H. Robins / Augt 9th 1878. Provenance Painted for Queen Victoria (See also QV Journal, 22 August 1878) https://www.rct.uk/collection/406265/the-wreck-of-the-eurydice

Although by now midsummer, the stormy weather was to return again and threaten the integrity of the hull, whilst at the same time releasing several bodies into the sea.

All the while, visitors continued to flock to see the wreck, and bodies continued to be recovered.

THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 8th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-08, p. 5

Continuing our narrative of the operations with the wreck of the Eurydice, we have to record a
THREATENED BREAK UP.

On Thursday evening a gale set in from the east and continued on Friday morning, leading to a further suspension of the salvage operations. The waves broke over the wreck. causing her to oscillate violently, and at daylight it appeared that the hull would be considerably damaged by the high wind and the rough sea. The flow of the water through the ports and down the hatchways quickly began to snap the planks of the upper deck, and a tremendous strain was thrown upon the hull generally, leading to the general apprehension that she would come to pieces. The Rinaldo and a lighter were sent into harbour, and instructions were given for the Pearl to follow, and all the steam tugs were ordered out with all practicable speed to render assistance in recovering bodies and wreckage. Four bodies were picked up from the main deck at low water under considerable difficulties, and two others were washed ashore at Shanklin, while several were reported as floating past Bembridge Point and down the Channel.

The dockyard officials directing the operations did all they possibly could to lessen the extent of the damages to the wreck of the Eurydice, but on Thursday evening the greater part of the upper deck had gone, and if a gale had blown throughout the night the chances were that the hull would have gone to wreck. The dangerous portion of the wreck is thoroughly recognised by the Admiral-Superintendent, the Hon. F. A. C. Foley, and the scientific officials in charge of the operation, no moment has been lost in hermetically fastening up the hull, pumping her out, and clearing her decks.

As might be expected thousands of visitors and residents in various parts of the Island have visited Sandown in order to indulge in a sight of the ill-fated Eurydice, which has been beached about a cable’s length from the shore off Redcliffe Bay which is contiguous to the Culvers. There was a rather rough sea running into the bay on Thursday, and on that day the body of a man was washed ashore not far from the beached frigate. The body was in a better state of preservation than some picked up three months ago. The flesh on the hands could be seen, though nearly black, but that of the face had almost entirely disappeared. Under the collar of the poor fellow’s serge was stamped “W. Shuker,” which is supposed to be the name of the wearer. It was intended to inter the body near those of his comrades lying in Sandown churchyard. There has been another body washed ashore near Luccombe during the week, and is supposed to be that of an officer, but there is difficulty in identification. Two more bodies were picked up near Appley on Saturday morning, and interred in Ryde Cemetery in the afternoon. Particulars of the ceremony will be found in our local news. Another was also recovered on Sunday.

As the inclement weather had continued, the Pearl was again sent to her assistance.

The Royal yacht Osborne had also paid a visit, with the Prince and Princess of Wales on board, the Prince then inspecting the Eurydice.

Fearing Sandown Bay was still too exposed for the Eurydice, she was lifted again and towed further round the easternmost point of the Island past Bembridge and towards St Helens.

Fig. 32 The wreck of the Eurydice off Bembridge. In: Bembridge Past and Present

THE OPERATIONS AT THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, August 10th, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-08-10, p. 8

After the departure of the Rinaldo on Friday afternoon, the wind increased in violence, and it was found expedient to bring the Pearl and the tugs into the harbour. With the exception of the Grinder, which had on board Lieut. Wonham, who was left in charge of the wreck, the Eurydice was wholly deserted. Happily the wind went round slightly to the north, or the wreck must have gone to pieces. On Sunday, though the wind continued to blow freshly from the southward— and thus the least favourable for the resumption of operations— the Pearl was again taken out to Sandown Bay and the tugs were once more on the spot. Admiral Sir Houston Stewart, the Controller of the Navy, and Rear-Admiral Foley, the Superintendent of the of the Dockyard, paid a visit to the scene of the wreck in the morning. Operations were continued on Monday. The six steel hawsers were passed across and under the ship’s keel in readiness, divers having been down and inserted toggles in three of the starboard ports. The steel pendants attached were not only useful to assist in lifting the wreck, but were of service in righting the ship to some extent from the angle at which she heeled over to starboard. On Monday evening the Royal yacht Osborne steamed into Sandown Bay and brought up near the Eurydice. On board were the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Albert Victor and Prince George, in the uniforms of naval cadets, and the three little Princesses, with ladies and gentlemen in attendance. One of the Osborne’s boats was lowered, and the Prince of Wales in naval uniform, with the captain commanding the Osborne, and other officers and gentlemen, were rowed to the Eurydice. The officers who were in charge of her at the time were Staff-Captain Dathan, Staff-Captain Batt, Commander Moss, and Lieut. Wohnam. His Royal Highness clambered up the side of the wreck, and remained some time in conversation with these officers, taking much interest in their description of what had been accomplished and of their plan for future operations. The captain of H.M.S. Valorious, which has been attending on the other ships in Sandown Bay, was also on the wreck during the Prince’s visit. The Osborne steamed out of the bay about 6 o clock on her return to Osborne.

On Wednesday, operations were continued at the wreck of the Eurydice, and the results winch attended than augurs well for the ultimate success of the endeavours to raise the vessel. The wind, which, during the last few days, had persistently blown from a quarter which was least desirable, fell off considerably during Tuesday night, and on Wednesday morning the working party were enabled to proceed with the task which had recently been so frequently delayed by the boisterous weather. The authorities, seeing the exposed position in which the Eurydice was placed in Sandown Bay, had for some time contemplated removing the wreck round the corner of the Isle of Wight, as a temporary measure, so as to be out of the way of the heavy sea which sets in at this point whenever there is stiff breeze blowing, and accordingly on Wednesday operations were resumed with this intent. It was low water about 11 in the morning, and the arrangements for slinging the vessel, the insertion of toggles, and the passing round of hawsers having been accomplished by that time, the lift was commenced as arranged. Previously the Pearl and Rinaldo was secured to tie the Eurydice on either side, and to counterbalance the strain which would be brought to bear upon them when the lift was begun the gunboats Wave and Swan were lashed on the outside of the two ships. As the tide rose the lift was satisfactorily effected, and the two Government tugs Camel and Grinder, which were in readiness, took the wreck and lifting craft in tow. The flotilla was slowly but satisfactorily brought round the corner of the Isle of Wight, and during the afternoon the Eurydice was grounded in St. Helen’s Roads, where it was thought to leave her for the present. The vessel is now in 24ft. of water, and when the tide is full low the depth will be reduced about 8ft. more. On Thursday efforts were made to get the wreck sweetened somewhat, as the putrefaction of the bodies on board would render it highly undesirable for the ship to he brought into a place crowded with craft in her present unsanitary condition. After this has been done the wreck will be again lifted and towed into Portsmouth Harbour, the idea of pumping her out being now abandoned, in consequence of the ship having been so knocked about during the recent gales.

Fig. 33 Illustrated London News — Visit of the Prince of Wales to the wreck of H.M.S. Eurydice in Sandown Bay, August 17, 1878

A further description of the move to St Helens suggests that the move occasioned further entertainment, not least to the excursion steamer, the Heather Bell, of Portsmouth.

Discussion as to whether to take the Eurydice back to Portsmouth may also have occurred, but the width of the flotilla moving her was deemed to wide to afford safe passage through Portsmouth Harbour. Eventually, the Eurydice was grounded near Bembridge Fort, just off St. Helen’s.

THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 8th, 1878

Morning Post, 1878-08-08, p. 5

Ventnor, Wednesday

Although the morning looked unpromising, with fresh south-west breeze, it was determined if possible to move the Eurydice to-day. Accordingly at low water, about 10 a.m., the Pearl and Rinaldo were again hove down as before, and the requisite quantity of water ballast pumped into the Wave and Swan to enable them to act as counterpoises. The only thing to do next was to wait for the tide, and a few minutes after three the wreck began to lift a little. As the wreck and lifting ships were lying with their bows towards shore, the tugs were necessarily placed with towing-ropes made fast to the sterns of the Pearl and Rinaldo to draw them into deeper water. At half-past three the four tugs were ordered to steam easily ahead. There was great suspense for a few minutes, every eye watching the flagstaff of Sandown Fort in line with a tall elm tree in the upper part of Sandown. Presently the flagstaff was seen to slowly walk away from the tree, proving that the wreck was fairly afloat and moving seawards. After steaming a short distance the tugs cast off the tow-ropes and went round to the bows of the flotilla, swung then round towards sea, and were soon going ahead at full speed. By 20 minutes after four the ships were off the point of Culver Ciiffs, about two miles from the starting point. The course was now directed between Princess Bar and shoal water off Bembridge, leaving the black and white chequered buoy of Bembridge Ledge on the port side. After going about three knots an hour weathering the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight, a large excursion steamer, the Heather Bell, of Portsmouth, passed crowded with passenegers, who vociferously cheered Admiral Foley end other officers on their grand success. The width amidships across the decks of the whole flotilla of seven ships was then measured, and it was found to be 250 feet. A consultation between the officers was held, and it was determined to beach the Eurydice on St. Helen’s sands. The mouth of Portsmouth harbour would be amply wide enough, but it would be quite impossible to tow the combined craft of such enormous breadth of beam through the channels inside the harbour and between all other ships and buoys. Brading harbour soon opened up to view, and a course was steered for St. Helen’s Point, which is on the western side of the haven. There being still half an hour of flood tide left, the tugs were kept forging ahead towards the shore to get the wreck into as shallow water as practicable. Soundings were continually taken from the tugs and called, showing a gradual decrease of water, until at a quarter to six o’clock the Eurydice grounded in 22 feet forward and 24 feet aft, near Bembridge Fort and about half a mile from the beach at St. Helen’s. At low tide the depth will probably be 14 feet forward and 16 feet aft ; but even this is too deep for closing the ports and hatches, and there-fore the lifting ships will be again pinned down to the wreck at low water to-night about twelve o’clock, and the Eurydice will be once more lifted as the tide rises and towed, if possible, into five feet less water by high tide, about 7 a.m., the object being to get her main deck shelf dry, as until this has been accomplished the pumping out cannot be commenced. Admiral Fanahawe, port admiral of Portsmouth, visited the wreck this morning, remaining on the Pearl until the flotilla had steamed a good distance.

Telegrams were seat to the Queen and the Prince of Wales this evening informing them of the success achieved.

The following day, the Eurydice was moved closer to the shore again.

With the deck now clearly visible, a start was made on putting the suction pipes in place in order to pump out the Eurydice.

With the recovery plans now well advanced, questions were against asked in the House of Commons as to why the original tragedy had occurred.

THE EURYDICE - Saturday, August 10th, 1878

Hampshire Telegraph, 1878-08-10, p. 5

The weather on Wednesday being favourable, for the first time since the abandonment of the attempt to close the lee ports of the Eurydice, a highly satisfactory day’s work was done towards the recovery of the ship from her exceedingly critical position in Sandown Bay. At eleven o’clock the Pearl and the Rinaldo were hove down upon the wreck by means of the six steel hawsers which had been passed under the keel, the Wave and the Swan being immersed and used as lateral counter weights in the manner which has been already described. The only thing to do next was to wait for the tide, and a few minutes after three the wreck began to lift a little. As the wreck and the lifting ships were lying with their bows towards shore, the tugs were necessarily placed with towing ropes made fast to the sterns of the Pearl and Rinaldo, to draw them into deeper water. At half-past three the four tugs were ordered to steam easily ahead. There was great suspense for a few minutes, every eye watching the flagstaff of Sandown Fort in line with a tall elm tree in the upper part of Sandown. Presently the flagstaff was slowly passed, proving that the wreck was fairly afloat and moving seawards. After steaming a short distance the tugs cast off the tow ropes and went round to the bows of the flotilla, swung them round towards sea, and and were soon going ahead at full speed. By twenty minutes after four the ships were off the point of Culver Cliffs, about two miles from the starting point. The course was now directed between Princess Bank and shoal water off Bembridge, leaving the black and white chequered buoy of Bembridge Ledge on the port side. After going about three knots an hour, weathering the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight, the Heather Bell, passed crowded with passengers, who vociferously cheered Admiral Foley and other officers on their success. The width amidships across the decks of the whole flotilla of seven ships was then measured, and it was found to be 250 feet. A consultation between the officers was held, and it was determined to beach the Eurydice on St. Helen’s sands. The mouth of Portsmouth harbour would be amply wide enough, but it would be quite impossible to tow the combined craft of such enormous breadth of beam through the channels inside the harbour and between all other ships and buoys. Brading harbour soon opened up to view, and a course was steered for St. Helen’s Point, which is on the western side of the haven. There being still half an hour of flood tide left, the tugs were kept forging ahead towards the shore to get the wreck into as shallow water as practicable. Soundings were continually taken from the tugs and called, showing a gradual decrease of water, until at a quarter to six o’clock the Eurydice grounded in 22 feet forward and 24 feet aft, near Bembridge Fort, and about half a mile from the beach at St. Helen’s. At low tide the depth was 14 feet forward and was 11 feet aft.

Another lift of the wreck was made as the tide rose early on Thursday morning, and she was towed a short mean distance further towards St. Helen’s Beach, and again grounded at about seven am. As this tide left her a good deal of the main deck began to show above water, and shipwrights and divers were soon put on in strong force to close the hatchways of this deck and all other openings, in order to make the ship watertight preparatory to pumping her out. At low water about noon half the main deck was dry, the lee side of the upper deck being just washed. This tide has also been busily employed in getting down the copper suction pipes as low as possible into the ship, and fitting them in readiness for connecting with the powerful steam pumps of the four tugs. Some hours before low tide the Pearl was aground, and the tide receded to 6ft. below her water line, and the Rinaldo also grounded, and therefore both were incapable of lifting the Eurydice much more. Yesterday the work of pumping out the ship was commenced, the whole of the extensive pumping appliances being brought into requisition, but no progress was made in consequence of the leaky condition of the vessel. Renewed efforts will be made to-day.

In the House of Commons, on Thursday, Mr D. Jenkins called attention to the loss of the Eurydice. His opinion was that when the ship left England she was neither properly ballasted nor provided with sufficient stability to enable her to encounter heavy weather with security. He was not prepared to say that on that account the ship was unseaworthy; but she was in such a condition as to require the utmost skill in handling her to avoid disaster. He was told on good authority that when the ship was beating out of Stornoway, before her last voyage, her performances under canvas led certain people to predict that should she encounter any extraordinary weather the result would he disaster. The ship depended largely for her stability upon the ballast afforded by her Navy consumable stores, which was very unreliable. Her tanks could not have been full when she was lost. He was convinced that no officer of experience was on deck when she on was struck by the squall, and if his memory served him rightly nearly all the ships lost to Her Majesty’s Navy for some years past were lost when they were in charge of the junior officers. —After a few words from Colonel Beresford and Mr. Muntz, Mr. A. Egerton thought this was hardly an opportune time for raising the question, since in a few days a thorough inquiry would be opened. The ship was as carefully prepared for the service for which she was intended as any ship that ever left the Dockyards. She was never regarded as unsafe. The weight of her tanks was 120 tons, and she carried 30 tons of ballast as well. This was the weight she had always carried before. She was not overmasted. Her officers, from the captain downwards, were most carefully selected, and were all men who had had considerable experience. As to the training of junior lieutenants, it was the custom to give them charge of gunboats and small draught boats before they were promoted to iron ships. A telegram had just been received from the Admiral-Superintendent at Portsmouth, stating that he hoped the Eurydice, which was now in 11ft. of water, would be pumped out to-morrow. (Hear, hear.) It was hoped that in a very short time she would be in harbour, and then a thorough examination, which was no doubt necessary, would take place, pending which he deprecated criticism on the conduct of any person on board that ship.

In the House of Lords last night, in reply to Lord Sidmouth, Lord Elphinstone stated that the Eurydice was shortly expected to be in Portsmouth harbour, and that a searching inquiry would take place by Court-Martial into any the circumstances of her loss.

THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 15th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-15, p. 4

Since our last issue the wreck of the Eurydice has been removed from the exposed position in Sandown Bay to more sheltered quarters west of St. Helen’s fort. As the tide rose the hull was lifted and taken in tow by the two Government tugs, Camel and Grinder, and the flotilla slowly moved round the corner of the Island, and on Wednesday afternoon the Eurydice was grounded in St. Helen’s Roads ; the vessel was in 24 ft. of water, which was reduced about 8ft. at ebb tide. It was then thought desirable to disinfect the wreck, as the putrefaction of the bodies rendered it very undesirable to place the ship among other craft. The idea of pumping out was thought to be impracticable, on account of the injury done to the ship by the gales which had prevailed

INQUIRIES IN PARLIAMENT.

In the House of Commons on Thursday evening Mr. Jenkins called attention to the loss of the Eurydice. His opinion was that when the ship left England she was neither properly ballasted nor provided with sufficient stability to enable her to encounter heavy weather with security. He was not prepared to say that on that account the ship was unseaworthy ; but she was in such a condition as to require the utmost skill in handling her to avoid disaster. He was told on good authority that when the ship was beating out of Stornoway, before her last voyage, her performances under canvas led certain people to predict that, should she encounter any extraordinary weather the result would be disastrous. The ship depended largely for her stability upon the ballast afforded by her consumable dares, which was very unreliable. Her tanks could not have been full when she was lost. He was convinced that no officer of experience was on deck when she was struck by the squall, and if his memory served him rightly nearly all the ships lost to her Majesty’s Navy for some years past were lost when they were in charge of junior officers.

After a few words from Colonel Beresford and Mr. Muntz, Mr. A. Egerton said he thought this was hardly an opportune time for raising the question, since in a few days a thorough inquiry would be opened. The ship was as carefully prepared for the service for which she was intended us any ship that ever left the dockyard. She was never regarded as unsafe. The weight of her tanks was 110 tons, and she carried 30 tons of ballast as well. This was the weight she had always carried before. She was not overmasted. Her officers, from the captain downwards, were most carefully selected, and were all men who had had considerable experience. As to the training of lieutenants, it was the custom to give them charge of gunboats and small draft boats before they were promoted to iron ships. It was hoped that in a very short time she would be in harbour, and then a thorough examination, which was no doubt necessary, would take place pending which he deprecated criticism on the conduct of any person on board that ship.

In its current state, the wreck was now ready to be pumped out. There was a also a need for disinfectant.

THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 15th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-15, p. 4

Since our last issue the wreck of the Eurydice has been removed from the exposed position in Sandown Bay to more sheltered quarters west of St. Helen’s fort. As the tide rose the hull was lifted and taken in tow by the two Government tugs, Camel and Grinder, and the flotilla slowly moved round the corner of the Island, and on Wednesday afternoon the Eurydice was grounded in St. Helen’s Roads the vessel was in 24 ft. of water, which was reduced about aft. at ebb tide. It was then thought desirable to disinfect the wreck, as the putrefaction of the bodies rendered it very undesirable to place the ship among other craft. The idea of pumping out was thought to be impracticable, on account of the injury done to the ship by the gales which had prevailed.

Even so, the wreck still provided a most splendid day out…

VISITORS TO THE EURYDICE. - Thursday, August 15th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-15, p. 5

Among the many who have paid a visit to the wreck of the Eurydice, were the Sunday school teachers and choir of the Congregational Church, Fareham. They were taken by Mr. Joseph French in his vessel the Wonder, and enjoyed a good tea at Sea View on their way home.

Reviewing the week’s operations, the orientation of the ship needed changing, presumably to allow caulking of the other side.

Concerns were also raised in the medical journal the Lancet regarding the advisability of bringing a floating coffin into a crowded port.

In the House of Commons, members commented on the way the press had been presenting the attempts to raise the Eurydice, and debated whether the forthcoming court-martial would, in its investigation of the disaster, be a whitewash.

THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, August 17th, 1878

Hampshire Telegraph, 1878-08-17, p. 5

Operations have been resumed at the wreck, and it has been decided to reverse the position of the hull. The Eurydice now lies on her starboard side, and to get at some of the lower leaks on that side it will be neceasary to heel the vessel over on to the port side. This will he a work of some difficualty, seeing that all the movable gear must necessarily be on the side towards which the ship heels. To assist, therefore, in the process, a species of platform is to be erected on the port side, and about 80 tons of ballast affixed to this to facilitate the work of heeling over. The ballast is to be so arranged that it will fall off the moment the hull attains a vertical position. The party at the wreck proceeded with the preparatory arrangements for carrying out this work during Thursday and yesterday, and the caulking of the leaks on the weather side have been commenced. The leaks are found to be very numerous, and of a serious nature. The next lift of the wreck is expected to be made about Tuesday week. It may be added that Lieut. Wonham and a party from the Pearl are dragging Sandown Bay for some lost anchors and hawsers. Three more bodies were recovered yesterday, making altogether about fifty bodies recovered during the present week.

Referring to the undesirability of bringing the wreck into the harbour in her present state, the Lancet says :-The last accounts given as to the progress made in raising thisunfortunate vessel seem to indicate the probability of her being towed into Porchester Creek, or even into Portsmouth Harbour. We trust that this proceeding is not really and seriously contemplated. The state of the ‘tween-decks must, in a sanitary sense, be deplorably bad, and, having regard to the fact that she must be still, so to speak, the coffin of a large number of unfortunate victims to the catastrophe, the moral as well as physical injury likely to be inflicted upon many persons wvould be very great, if the reported intention be carried out. On all grounds it is desirable the the Eurydice should be beached, emptied, and broken up in as quiet a spot as possible ; the idea of bringing her into a crowded port is to be deprecated in every way.

In the House of Cemmons on Thursday, on the motion for the adjournment of the House, Lord C. Beresferd rose to call attention to the circumstances attending the raising of Her Majesty’s ship Eurydice.- Captain Pimm rose to order. He asked whether, as a court-martial was about to sit in reference to the Eurydice, the noble lord was in order in bringing the qeustion before the House.- The Speaker having ruled that the noble lord was quite in order, Lord C. Beresford, amid cries of “Hear hear,’” said that the reason why he wished to call attention to the subject was that ever since the Eurydice had foundered the Press had represented to the public that the naval authorities had been longer than they ought to have been in raising the ship, and that a private firm would have done it better and mere efficiently. The inquiry by the court-moartial would not touch the point he wished to bring forward, and the slur would remain on the Navy all the same. The Eurydice foundered on the 24th of March, and since that date the ship, he maintained, could not have been raised one minute before she actually was raised. The Admiralty placed the whole of the matter in the hands of Rear-Admiral Foley, Superintendent of the Dockyard, who brought together and consulted all the heads of the departments, the most skilful and experienced men. From the first attempt till the day she was actually lifted there had been seventeen failures, but it should be borne in mind that the plan of lifting had never, for a single moment, been changed. The whole thing was an accident of weather. Had the weather been fine when the first attempt was made the wreck would have been lifted out of the hole which constituted the difficulty. After each failure the whole of the difficult work had to be commenced over again. On no occasion did they get really fine weather until the day upon which she was lifted out of the hole. As illustrative of the difficulties which surrounded the work, the noble lord mentioned that the wreck lay about 3 1/2 miles from the shore, in 75 feet depth of water, and that the tide was always running either out or in, except for 27 minutes at each turn. He and all naval officers considered that the lifting of the Eurydice was the most remarkable thing that had ever been done. Ha knew of no previous instance of a wreck having been raised in twelve fathoms of water with a five-knot tide. As to a private firm doing the work better, he would remind the House that the wreck was only eleven miles from the largest and best found dockyard in the world, and that the total value of the plant used in raising the wreck was 150,000l. There was no private firm, or six private firms, which could have provided such a plant for the purpose. The noble lord, speculating as to the cause of the catastrophe, expressed his decided opinion that the capsizing of the vessel was a pure accident, which the commander had no time to provide against. He defended the action of the commander in keeping his lee ports open and crowding sail to reach port before the weather became worse. The squall, which he could not see coming owing to his closeness to land, came on suddenly, and the ship would have gone down even if the lee ports had been closed. He regretted that remarks had been made in the House by Mr. D. Jenkins which had given pain to the relatives and acquaintances of the late commander of whose excellent seamanship he had personal knowledge.-Mr. D. Jenkins expressed regret if he had ever said anything to wound the feelings of any friends of Captain Hare, or of anybody in the Navy; but it was still his opinion that no officer so experienced as Captain Hare could have been on deck when the squall struck the Eueydice. He believed that ship was insufficiently ballasted when she left Portsmouth, and that unless she was sailed with the greatest caution when under much canvas, disaster was inevitable. He hoped, however, that the investigation to be held might prove him to be in error.-Mr. Benett-Stanford remarked that the efforts made to raise the ship had cost more than it would now be worth, and he doubted whether it would not have been better and more consistent with true sentiment to have blown up the ship, where she lay. He thought it would be wise for members to reserve their judgment on other matters until after the court-martial had been. held.-Dr. Kenealy thought the Admiralty ought to be much indebted to the noble lord for the speech in which he had endeavoured to whitewash them. The Admiralty, like this ship, seemed to have got into a hole, out of which the noble Lord had made an attempt to drag them. The attempt made to raise the ship had been a scandal to the nation (oh, oh), and must have lowered the character of our Navy and Naval Administration in the eyes of foreign countries.-Mr. W. H. Smith thought the speech of the noble Lord had done him honour. Notwithstanding what had been said by the member for Stoke, the raising of the Eurydice reflected great credit on those engaged in that operation.To show how unlikely it was that anything of the kind couldbhe done by a private Company, he reminded the House that it took the London and North-Western Railway Company two years to raise a vessel of much less weight that had sunk in nine fathoms of wrater at Holyhead. The Government thoroughly appreciated the work done in the Dockyards and by the naval officers in the accomplishment of an unusually difficult work. Persons who were competent to express an opinion admitted that it could not have been accomplished more rapidly in the circumstances. There might be a difference of opinion as to whether the ship should have been raised at, all, but he felt that he could not have taken the responsibility of blowing the ship up and scattering the remains. Out of regard to the friendse and relatives of those who suffered in that great national misfortune, the attempt ought to have been made to raise her; and he felt that the money expended had not been wholly thrown away, even althongh it might be that the ship would now be worth less than the money spent in raising her. The Admiralty had it on the host obtainable authority that Captain Hare was on deck. Without expressing any opinion on subjects which would be considered by the Court-martial, he would only say that up to the time of the accident Captain Hare was regarded as an officer on whom the most complete reliance could ha placed, owing to his excellent seamanship and his general ability, judgement, and discretion in dealing with men. He had been struck with the happy condition of the ship before it left Portsmouth, and with the cordial relations between the Captain and his officers and crew. So far as he knew, no ship had ever left these shores with a better crew and a more experienced Captain, or with men better qualified to work together in the training of seamen for the Navy.

This report of a canoeing trip round the Eurydice whilst she was still in Sandown Bay a week or of before also gives an indication of just how strong a draw the wreck was to visitors.

A PADDLE BY NIGHT TO THE EURYDICE. - Saturday, August 17th, 1878

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 1878-08-17, p. 3

I THINK that amongst the many sad catastrophes of last year there was not one so fearful and so sudden as that of the ill-fated Eurydice. We live in the island, and immediately opposite to the place where she went down, and were the last to see her in her beauty five minutes before she was lost. The day had been tolerably fine and warm, though at times we had a cold gust of wind accompanied by a few flakes of snow. We had had luncheon at Shanklin, and were returning to our house at Sandown, by the Cliff pathway, when we noticed a tremendous storm coming straight from the mainland, at the same time as the Eurydice was just rounding the point, in full sail, and scudding before the wind. Alter remaining for a few minutes to watch her, as the light just caught her sails and made a beautiful picture, my friend exclaimed, “Good Heavens what are they thinking about, not to shorten sail, with such a cloud as that coming up Every other vessel in sight has done so, and there’ll be mischief if they carry on like that in the squall.” The words were scarcely spoken before the storm was upon us, and we were enveloped in a mist of whirling snow and sleet, and had to cling tightly to the railings to avoid being blown over the Cliff. The storm was so violent that it was impossible to see a yard, and as we had quite enough to do to look after ourselves, we never thought of the ship until we were safely at home and the storm had cleared. Nothing was then to be seen of her, and the natural conclusion was, that she had rounded the Culvers and was safe in Portsmouth Harbour but the next morning the horrible news came, which seemed too dreadful to be true, but on looking through the glass the masts and sails of the vessel were plainly visible, the tide having partially raised her.

Of course everyone is well acquainted with all the exertions that have been made to move her, and the various mishaps that have occurred from bad weather, &c., which prevented her from being transported to where she now lies, until quite lately. She was, on the night of the 28th of July, lying three-quarters of a mile from shore, and just facing Redcliffe. It was very dark, there being no moon, but clear, a breeze springing up, and the stars were bright. I, being passionately fond of canoeing, persuaded my husband and a friend that it would be delightful to paddle round the Eurydice in the evening, and, like most ladies, having eventually got my own way in spite of remonstrances, we set out, having the usual difficulty in supplying my sposo with a canoe to fit his portly form. After nearly an hour’s easy work, we reached the wreck with only one slight mischance my friend having nearly tipped over one of the numerous hawsers, which, combined with pieces of wreck floating about, made the excursion a dangerous one, as it was too dark to see any small thing on the water and the small waves threw such shadows, that I repeatedly fancied I saw some poor dead face glaring up at me as I passed.

The ship lay completely out of water and presented a most sad and solemn appearance the broken deck, the ropes and chains, &c., hanging about, all looked so huge and grim and black standing out against the sky, with only one small ray of light from the lamp belonging to the man left in charge shining down into that dreadful grave where the corpses of over 200 brave men had found a last resting-place, they were so mingled together that it was impossible for them to be taken out separately, or in any way to identify them.

There was no sound save the rippling of the water, and occasionally the bells on board the tugs about 200 yards off. The water was more luminous than I had ever before seen it, and the phosphoric light came from the canoes and paddles in flashes and lines of fire, which greatly added to the curious weird beauty of the scene.

Having gone round, we returned home, paddling against a very strong tide. The lights of Sandown shining across the water, though a pretty sight, were very confusing, and I very nearly ended the evening and myself as well by all but charging a steam tug, which I did not see till close upon it, and my husband calling out, “Paddle left!” instead of right- a rather awkward mistake. However, I am thankful to say we reached home, hungry and tired, at eleven o’clock. If anyone wishes to see the Eurydice in her beauty they should go at night, as, in the day the noise and confusion, and the numerous tourists talking and laughing and eating and drinking close to her, jars on the feelings somewhat, and the ship herself looks different when left alone and solitary on the sea. I believe they are going to, or have, moved her again, as she is breaking fast but as we left Sandown two days after our adventure I can add nothing more of my own Knowledge.
E. L.

Another week on, and by now the bodies were all believed to have been retrieved.

Comment was also passed by a private salvage expert that the efforts of the dockyard authorities in raising the ship should be credited.

The Eurydice. - Saturday, August 24th, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-08-24, p. 5

It is now believed that the last body has been recovered from the ship, and Admiral Foley has officially reported the ship clear of corpses. A thorough investigation was made by Jenkins, the diver, before this opinion was come to. The body of Lieut. Black was discovered jammed against the ladder. The body of a seaman was found in the cells of the lower deck, but not in irons. Since the ship has been off St. Helen’s only 15 bodies have been recovered, making the total number recovered since the wreck 121, of which six were found in the sick bay. The number washed out to sea by the strong tide in the direction of France, must therefore have been more than was first supposed. A director of the Salvage Steamship Company has written a letter in reply to observations made in the House of Commons, and explained the difficulties of raising sunken ships, and agreeing that the work done to the Eurydice by the dockyard authorities reflects great credit on them.

As she lay off St Helen’s, the Prince of Wales returned for a second visit, this time on-board the Thunderer and accompanied by his sons and the King of Denmark.

ROYAL VISIT TO THE EURYDICE. - Monday, August 26th, 1878

London Evening Standard, 1878-08-26, p. 3

The wreck of the ill-fated Eurydice, which lies within a cable’s length of the fort on Bembridge Ledge, Isle of Wight, to which it was moved from Sandown Bay, was on Saturday evening visited by the King of Denmark, the Prince of Wales, and the two sons of the latter. Shortly after seven o’clock the Thunderer, with the party on board, steamed slowly round the eastern end of the Isle of Wight, and half an hour later she lay to within three-quarters of a mile of the wreck. The Thunderer had proceeded from Cowes to the westward and thence round the island, and she had been delayed in her arrival owing to the priming of her boilers. Admiral Fawnshawe’s steam launch went alongside the Thunderer, and the King of Denmark, the Prince of Wales— the latter in the uniform of a captain of the Naval Artillery Reserve — and the two sailor princes in their naval cadets’ uniform, embarked. On reaching the wreck, Admiral Foley introduced to the Royal visitors the chief officials engaged in the raising of the wreck. The Royal visitors passed to the upper deck of the wreck, and, climbing to the top of the port side, stood upon some of the 80 tons of iron ballast which is to be used in canting the vessel, Mr. Robinson explaining the method to be adopted in performing the operation, which is fixed for to-morrow (Tuesday). A brief visit was paid to the main deck, and on returning the diagrams explanatory of tiie Work about to be performed were shown. A number of questions were put by the King of Denmark and the Prince of Wales in reference to the calamity. The Prince congratulated Admiral Foley and the officers acting with him upon the successful issue, so far, of the operations, and the King of Demark expressed his admiration of the indomitable energy and perseverance which had been exhibited by all concerned. The Royal party returned in the steam launch of Admiral Fanshawe to the Thunderer, which at once steamed to Cowes.

A report a couple of days later reviews the royal visit in even more detail, revealing the visitors were also treated to a round-the-island trip.

THE LOSS OF THE EURYDICE. - Wednesday, August 28th, 1878

Hampshire Telegraph, 1878-08-28, p. 2-3

THE OPERATIONS AT THE WRECK

The operations for heeling the wreck were resumed yesterday morning, and attended with considerable success. The lift was made during the morning, and, aided by the ballast placed on the port side, the wreck was got into an upright position. In the course of moving the vessel twelve more bodies came to the surface, and were conveyed to Haslar Hospital. The repairs to the starboard side of the wreck will now be proceeded with, and at the conclusion of the work another attempt will be made to pump the vessel out.

The King of Denmark and the Prince of Wales, who were attended by Captain Stephenson, Lord Charles Beresford, and suite, left Cowes on Saturday afternoon, and after steaming past the Needles and round the Isle of Wight on board Her Majesty’s ship Thunderer, Captain J. C. Wilson paid a visit to the wreck of the Eurydice of Brading Harbour. They were expected at half-past three o’clock, and it was not until seven, and close upon dusk, that the turret ship hove in sight round Bembridge Point with the Royal Standard flying from the truck of its pole mast. On nearing the Warner, the Royal party and attendants, who were all in naval uniform, were taken on board Admiral Foley’s new steam launch and conveyed to the wreck, where they were received by Mr. W. B. Robinson, Chief-Constructor, Staff-Captain Batt and Mr. Saunders, the Master Attendant and Chief Constructor of Chatham Dockyard, and Staff-Captain Dathan, the Assistant Master Attendant at Portsmouth. A gangway covered with red cloth had been rigged for their accommodation, and as the wreck is heeled over to starboard at an angle of 39 degrees, a temporary gallery had been constructed for the purpose of enabling the visitors to walk along the deck. The King and the Prince made a survey of the ship as far as the nearly flood tide would permit, and peeping down the hatches and even clambering to the port topsides to inspect the means which are being resorted to for the purpose of righting the vessel previous to patching up the holes and openings on her lee side and pumping her out. The upper deck, which was loosened and partly washed away by the gales whilst the Eurydice lay exposed in Sandown Bay, has been again made firm and tight by the shipwirights, and one-half of it, which will be under water when the hull is canted over upon her port bilge, has been caulked and “paid” in order to prevent the water percolating below. Four steel wire hawsers attached to toggles have been placed through the lee ports, and on Monday the Rinaldo was to be taken out to the wreck from Portsmouth and hove down by means of the purchases. The Wave, gunboat, will again be slung to the Rinaldo as a counterpoise to the dead weight of the Eurydice, and will for this purpose have 190 tons of water pumped into her. The heaving down was to be effected on Tuesday morning, and with an effective tidal rise of 8 feet, it is expected that the wreck will be drawn into a vertical position. This movement will be assisted by 80 tons of iron ballast which has been ranged upon a platform built along the port side of the ship and supported by angle-iron knees. This additional bias will not only assist in righting the ship when she is once lifted, or rather turned, in the shallow canal in which she lies, but will, after the utmost lift of the tide has been spent, serve to cant her over so as to allow of her starboard bilge being repaired. The principle of these operations was explained to the Royal visitors by Mr. Robinson, with the aid of sectional drawings. The King took great interest in the particulars, and made repeated inquiries as to the number who were drowned at the time of the foundering, the number of bodies recovered, and the number which might yet remain below. There were, it is thought, 360 men who perished; the total number of bodies which have been recovered is 122; but with the exception of one or two which may still be found down the lower hatches, the ship is believed to have been cleared of the dead. It was intended that the King of Denmark should witness a descent by the divers, but time did not permit. Instead of this, the three dockyard divers—Hicks, Matallick, and Sunderland— came upon deck in complete diving dress, and the air pumps were set to work to force air into their helmets, so that the visitors had an opportunity of seeing exactly what occurred when the divers went under water. The King complimented the men on the great tenacity of purpose which they had exhibited; and after spending about half-an-hour on the Eurydice, the party re-embarked on board the Thunderer, and returned to Cowes by way of the Solent.

[EXTRACT]

With the Eurydice now all but retrieved, it seemed it was time to see what lessons could be learned not just from the original disaster, but also from the recovery effort.

The possibility was also raised that the timing of the event played a part in the disaster: the men were just about to change watch and those coming onto the watch would have just been finishing their mess time, called at seven bells (which is to say, at half past three) when the squall hit.

[New Admiralty Orders] - Wednesday, August 28th, 1878

Dundee Courier, 1878-08-28, p. 4

In view of the Eurydice disaster, the Admiralty have issued stringent orders to the effect that training ships for seamen shall in future undergo a careful and special inspection before being commissioned.

Why Was The Eurydice Not Raised Sooner? - Thursday, August 29th, 1878

Isle of Wight Times, 1878-08-29, p. 8

Lord C. Heresford has made a long statement to show why the wreck of the Eurydice was not raised sooner. His lordship shews that there have been seventeen failures to lift the wreck ; and why ? The answer is that the weather was the sole cause. In answer to the suggestion that a private firm should have been employed to raise the ship, his lordship says:— “Now as to the point as to whether a private firm could have raised the wreck, which was generally preached as a better and a quicker expedient, the wreck was within 11 miles of the largest and best found dockyard in the world, the Admiralty had at their command not only the Admiral and all his most experienced officials and heads of departments, but everything that could possibly be wanted, both in skill and appliances. The total value of the plant that was used, and without which the Eurydice would be now where she foundered, he made out to be £150.000. There were six tugs, a steam lighter, four lighters, two corvettes, four coal hulks, and 230 men, all under discipline, consisting of fitters, shipwrights, riggers, seamen, engineers, and divers, all working under their different heads of departments under the Admiral. What private firm or six private firms could have placed such a plant on the spot?

Referring to the cause of the disaster, Lord Heresford remarks :— “One word about the loss of the unfortunate ship. It was generally believed that it was caused by want of seamanship. He ventured to say it would have occurred to any man under the circumstances. Captain Hare, poor fellow, was one of the best seamen England had. He was specially picked for his duties on that account ; all the officers were also picked. As the ship was under the lee of the land the squall was never seen, else the usual precautions would have been taken, such as letting go sheets and halliards. She was hove at once upon her beam ends, and the men could not get up from the lee scuppers to let go the necessary ropes. A good deal had been said about the lee ports being open and too much sail on the ship. The lee ports were always left open in a smooth sea. It was the weather ports that were closed, as the wash and spray all came from the windward side. Any officer would have cracked on also under the circumstances with a smooth sea and a falling glass, and his port close by. Captain Hare wanted to drop his anchor before the gale came on and before night set in,—instead of beating about all night in such a dangerous locality. He had his own idea as to why the sail was not shortened before. The deck clock was stopped at one minute to four. The ships company were piped to supper at seven bells. They never in the Navy turned the men up in their meal hours. He himself as officer of the watch had lost spars and sails by holding out a few minutes because the men had not finished their time. The men were at supper as would be seen by their mess traps and the tea leaves in the basins, and all the bodies were in their right rig. Captain Hare meant, he believed, to turn the hands up, and shorten sail at four o’clock. The few minutes lost the ship in his opinion. The squall, an awfully heavy one, struck her, and she took a tremendous lot of water over her lee gunwale. It hove her under water. She was going at a great pace, and he believed she sailed to the bottom ; she certainly was moving at a great pace when she struck the bottom, as her false keel was astern of herself on the bottom. He himself saw the bits and belaying pins, and not one single rope was let go. He could assure the hon. member for Penryn that his observations would cause far more pain to the old messmates and shipmates of Captain Hare than he would ever know. He was a splendid seaman, and most considerate to his men, and it was, in a roundabout way, his kindness to them that really prevented him turning the hands up before their time, and so the ship foundered before he could do anything.

As leaks earlier in the week had delayed the pumping effort, a souvenir from the trip had been found, inside a coffee-pot, in the form of a small octopus.

[Raising Eurydice] - Friday, August 30th, 1878

Glasgow Herald, 1878-08-30, p. 5

The attempt to raise the Eurydice on Wednesday failed owing to the discovery of another serious leak. The next effort will be postponed until it is believed that the leaks are thoroughly caulked. All day yesterday men were engaged on the work; but the hull is in a very dilapidated condition owing to the severe knocking about which it has had. One of the men, whilst searching below, found in one of the cabins a small octopus. which had been brought home in an old coffee-pot. The creature was sill alive, and is being carefully preserved.

[EXTRACT]

The Bell System On-Board Ship

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship’s_bell#Timing_of_ship’s_watches

As work continued to ready the ship for pumping out, more bodies were released from the wreck.

The Operations at the Wreck of the Eurydice - Saturday, August 31st, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-08-31, p. 5

The operations for heeling the wreck were resumed on Tuesday, and attended with considerable success. The lift was made during the morning, and, aided by the ballast placed on the port side, the wreck was got into an upright position. In the course of moving the vessel, 12 more bodies came to the surface, and were conveyed to Haslar Hospital. The repairs to the starboard side of the wreck will now be proceeded with, and at the conclusion of the work another attempt will be made to pump her out. We hear, however, that the recent storms have greatly damaged the wreck.

THE OPERATIONS AT THE WRECK. - Saturday, August 31st, 1878

Hampshire Telegraph, 1878-08-31, p. 8

The pumping operations were begun on board the Eurydice at seven o’clock on Wednesday night, but mainly for the purpose of testing the pumps, the actual attempt to pump her out having been fixed for Thursday morning. She soon became buoyant and lively, and as the great weight of thick mud on the port side still retained its position when the ship was canted over to starboard and thus more than counterbalanced the weight of the guns, she would have toppled over again on her port bilge had measures not been taken to prevent it. For some time the pumps gained upon the water, but soon they pumped out nothing but clean water, from which it appeared that there were still extensive leakages. The operations were then stopped. The holes extend over 30 feet in length on the port bilge, and one fracture covers a space of 8ft. by 6ft. The dash and rush of the be water inside had bulged the stoppings outward, which now require to be straightened and strengthened, besides forcing out the oakum caulking. On Thursday morning there was half-a-gale blowing out beside the ship, which strained her very much, and so darkened the water that the divers could not see below. Eight more bodies have been recovered since the ship was turned over. Caulking operations were continued yesterday.

[EXTRACT]

The Eurydice. - Saturday, August 31st, 1878

Isle of Wight Observer, 1878-08-31, p. 5

Mr. Jabiz Hughes has obtained some really remarkable views of the wrecked Eurydice as she lies off St. Helen’s. The great defect in all the photos hitherto obtained is that they are taken from so great a distance that the wrecked ship bears but an insignificant part in the general view. Mr. Hughes appears to have taken his picture instantaneously from some boat close to the wreck, the position of the ship being accurately shown, as well as the men on her deck searching for the bodies, &c. The photographs are printed by the permanent process.