THE LYEEMOON

Evening Star, Issue 20422, 1 March 1930, Page 12

THE LYEEMOON

A REMARKABLE SHIP HER DISASTROUS EKD From the point of view of notoriety, no vessel in the service of the Australian mercantile marine has ever eclipsed the performance of the steamer Lycemoon. Her romantic career and disastrous ending will lor ever be an interesting page in the history of Australian shipping (writes “0.5.,” m the ‘Age, Melbourne). Tlie Lveemoon (1,001 tons gross register) was originally launched as a paddle steamer at Blackwall in 1859. Capable of doing 17 knots per hour, she was considered one of the fastest vessels afloat Lavishly decorated internally, and possessing every modern improvement, she indeed presented a beautiful picture. Built for Hongkong owners (who had intended her for the opium trade), she was for a short time during the American war doing service off Charleston. She then went to the East, and was used as a mail boat to carry mails to various Chinese ports. When engaged in these duties she was in 1872 rammed by another vessel and sunk iiv the harbour.' She was, however, refloated, and, after being taken to England, sold. The new owners of the Lyeemoon went to considerable expense to install new boilers and machinery, and a screw propeller took the place ot paddles. Her interior was also reconditioned. For live years she traded between England and Singapore, then was sent to Australia for sale. She

again changed hands, amd was this time purchased for use as an Australian coastal vessel. Her trials, however, were by no means over, for a fire broke out whilst the vessel was at Sydney, almost completely destroying her. Not to he outdone, she again underwent a transformation, this time with one mast less and with additional cabin accommodation. To all intent* and purposes sho was practically a new ship. But the end was not far off. ILL-FATED VOYAGE. On Saturday, May 29 188$, the illfated Lyeemoou left Melbourne for Sydney, and nothing eventful occurred this side of Gabo Island. About 9 o’clock that night, though, she,crashed on the rocks at Green 'Cape, and, although the engines were reversed in » desperate attempt to remove her, she held fast. The heavy seas _ rendered ii. impossible to launch any lifeboat, and in a few minutes she’ broke in two. The forepart broke away and drifted toward the sho'e, with the bewildered passengers clinging to the rigging and bulwarks. Soon the topmast broke and drifted into the beach, and on this the boatswain and several seamen managed to cling and .thus reach safety. After much difficulty, with the assistance of the lighthouse keeper and- staff, they managed to get a lino to the wreck, 'and by this means a number of passengers and crew were saved. These, by the way, were saloon passengers, and the after-part contained steerage passengers and engineers. Of the latter none were saved, for the after-part became submerged after the vessel parted, and all went down. The saloon stairway broke soon after the crash, and was responsible for twenty-one deaths. A gallant attempt by the third officer to save a lady was frustrated bv the action of some floating debris which killed the latter instantly. No fewer than eighty people lost their lives in this disaster. . _ A sensation was caused the following Tuesday morning when the news reached Sydney and Melbourne. This, of course, always happened when, news of a wreck w.as received, for they were fairly common occurrences those days. Crowds thronged the shipping offices and many sad scenes were witnessed. Thus ended the career of the notable Ly.bemoon. ■