3-070-986 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Wreck of the mail-packet Caledonia at St. Helier's, 1881. 'The fine screw-steamer Caledonia, of 355 tons register, one of those belonging to the London and South-Western Railway Company that ply between Southampton and the Channel Islands, was wrecked on Saturday, the 19th February, just outside the harbour of St. Helier's, Jersey. She arrived from Guernsey about six o'clock in the morning, and had reached the point opposite the end of the breakwater at Elizabeth Castle, when she struck on the inside of what is known as the Oyster Rock, about a quarter of a mile from the end of the breakwater. The only hope of safety lay in the use of the boats. These were at once got out, the vessel meantime slipping off the rock, and in a few minutes going down in deep water. The passengers had barely time to get into the boats, and no efforts could be made to attempt the saving of the mail-bags, which were below at the time; everything went down with the steamer, except some loose luggage on deck, that floated. The mail-bags, however, were afterwards got out of the wreck by divers, the vessel's deck being left above water at low tide. Our Illustration, showing the position in which she lay, is from a Sketch by Mr. Ernest A. J. Scott, of St. Helier's'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.