LOOK BACK IN TIME: Sept 7th 1878

By Press Release Sep 11, 2022
Yorke, William Horde; HMS 'Eurydice' at Sea; National Maritime Museum; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/hms-eurydice-at-sea-176201

This is the beginning of an article in the Isle of Wight Observer of September 7th, 1878, about the loss of the Eurydice. Although the reporter acknowledged that the dead cannot “defend themselves”, he goes on to blame the ship’s captain, later in the piece saying there “is no excuse for reckless disregard of every elementary precaution”. HMS Eurydice was a 26-gun Royal Navy corvette, which sank in Sandown Bay on March 28th, 1878 with the loss of 317 lives.

THE EURYDICE
The court martial, at which the two survivors from the Eurydice were placed pro forma on their trial, has ended in their honourable acquittal, which of course, was only to be expected. The court likewise declares that “no blame is attributable to anyone.” It is always a task repugnant to the sensitive mind to attach any blame to the dead, knowing that they cannot defend themselves; and in this instance, all those responsible for the disaster have paid for any error of judgement with their lives. Still we imagine that there are few persons acquainted with nautical matters who will altogether endorse the finding of the court, more especially among the seafaring population who witnessed the vessel just before the sad catastrophe which has been so much commented on. The Ventnor boatmen on the beach could see the squall coming, and, as the vessel passed off that town, several were heard to say, “That fellow has too much sail.” How, then, are we to reconcile the fact of their perceiving the approach of stormy weather, and numerous other craft near passing through it without damage, with a finding that practically says the accident was unavoidable? Every person who remembers the storm, and who has read the evidence respecting it, will be ready to admit that it was of exceptional severity, and that the accident was owing to the violent wind catching the sails when the lee ports were open. But there cannot be the slightest doubt that if Capt. HARE had kept his ports closed the sad event would not have happened, because then the ship would have righted directly after the one sharp gust was over. Here was one precaution neglected, and a very simple one. But, again to our mind there can be no doubt that with a falling barometer the Eurydice was carrying too much sail. Had Capt. HARE but reduced it ever so little we should never have heard of the accident. Neither should we if he had ordered the ports to be closed… We must, say, therefore, that we think blame attached somewhere, though of course we do not deny that there were many extenuating circumstances…