Inversnaid

An iron full-rigged ship built in 1882 by Robert Steel & Co. [?], Greenock. Dimensions: ___'_"×__'_"×__'_" and tonnage: ____ GRT, 1550 NRT and ____ tons under deck. Rigged with royals, double top and topgallants and a main skysail.
1882
Launched at the shipyard of Robert Steel & Co. [?], Greenock, for .... Assigned the official British Reg. No. _____ and signal ____. Employed in the ... trade.
1882
Insured for £ 13.000 on her maiden voyage.
1886
Sold to Thompson, Anderson & Co., Liverpool.
1886 October 14
Sailed from Penarth Dock with a cargo of Ferndale steam coal for Singapore.

On the 16th the vessel was seen off Lundy during the severe gale that blew about that time and it was noticed that she had a heavy list to starboard, that her sails were in shreds and that she was shipping heavy seas. She was last seen by the master of the Glasgow steam tug Flying Fox who was crusing about Lundy at the time and hailed her. The Captain wanted to make a bargain to two him to Cardiff but the tugmaster said it was not the time or place to make a bargain, but he would do what he could for him, and advised him to get to the leeward of Lundy, when they might be able to get a hawser on board. The Inversnaid attemtempted to do this but failed. Afterwards a heavy squall came on and when it had cleared away, nothing could be seen of the ship.

The Court found that the vessel was an exceedingly fine one and left Cardiff in a very good condition so far as hull and rigging were concerned. At the same time she had not been trimmed and loaded so efficiently and effectually as she might have been. There was no cause to blame the master of the Flying Fox or to doubt that he exercised every possible effort to render assistance. There could finally be no doubt whatever that the cargo having shifted, she had gone down in the squall owing to her having turned over. There was not the slightest reason for supposing that she was still afloat or that she had not gone down.
[Court of Inquiry reported in the Shipping Gazette Weekly Summary.]

The figurehead and part of a life-boat were washed up on Lundy Island two weeks later.

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Updated 1998-01-24 by Lars Bruzelius


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