An unsharp distant photograph of the Western Rocks with the Bishop Rock lighthouse in the distance taken from the water. A two-masted salvage vessel is to the right of the image, close to where the German passenger/liner Schiller (1873) was wrecked. A large diving float is off the vessel's port bow. The first divers were on the wreck on 15 or 16 May 1875 to begin the salvage of the gold and other valuable cargo.

The Schiller was on passage from New York to Hamburg with a cargo of mail, general cargo and 300,000 $20 gold pieces. On 7 May 1875 the ship struck Retarrier Ledge, Western Rocks, in dense fog having reduced to four knots and posted extra lookouts to see the light or hear the bell from Bishop Rock - including volunteers from the passengers. The ship pulled clear of the rocks but three large waves hit her beam-on, causing the ship to hit the reef broadside too and list rapidly. Despite firing rockets and sign-guns their distress call was mistaken for a vessel signalling her arrival off Scilly. Successive waves washed passengers and crew into the water. Of the eight lifeboats on board only two could be use, resulting in the loss of 311 passengers and crew. Only 42 men and one woman survived.