A distant bow view from the cliffs of the passenger/liner Mosel (1873), aground, semi-submerged below the cliffs of Bass Point, The Lizard.

A distant bow view from the cliffs of the passenger/liner Mosel (1873), aground, semi-submerged below the cliffs of Bass Point, The Lizard. The ship has a slight list to port. The left of the image is dominated by the cliff face and rocks below of The Lizard.

The Mosel was on passage from Bremen to New York with a crew of 100, 20 saloon-class passengers and 600 emigrants. The cargo consisted of specie, mail and 400 tons of English woollen goods. Just after 8am on 9 August 1882 the ship steamed into Bass Point at 14 knots while passing through a dense fog bank. The ship was so close ashore that the Coast Guard signalman from the station above was able to climb down and jump aboard. The crew, passengers and cargo were recovered. Despite salvage attempts, the ship broke in half on 24 August 1882.

Object Details

ID: G14409
Collection: Historic Photographs
Type: Glass plate negative
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gibson & Sons of Scilly
Date made: August 1882
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Gibson's of Scilly Shipwreck Collection
Measurements: Overall: 6 1/2 in x 8 1/2 in