BLOWN UP AT SEA

Shannon News, 12 October 1926, Page 4

BLOWN UP AT SEA

LAST OF THE TAMERLANE. AN OLD TIME CLIPPER. With terrific force mountains of spray were sent high in tho air recently, says a Fremantlo message, when the old clipper Tamerlane took her final plungo 15 minutes after a charge of gelignite had blown holes in the hull. Constructed in 1861, the vessel was among the finest clippers trading to Australia, and in recent years has done service as a coal hulk in Fremantle Harbour. The nig Uco took the Tamerlane in tow and piercing blasts of the lug's siren served as a final salute to a onec-famous greyhound of. the ocean. Steaming at about seven knots, the LTcoi took, a course through the south passage, and arrived at a spot about 21 miles from Fremantle. Three men who had been left on the hulk let go the tow-line, and a rowboat was launched from the tug. A rope ladder was suspended over the side of the Tamerlane and fuses attached to two charges of gelignite were lit. The last of the three men scrambled down the rope ladder and the rowboat moved to a place of safety. Ten minutes* later, two reports rang out, and tho Tamerlane settled down on an even keel. The deck was awash 15 minutes later. The vessel heeled over slightly and the final plunge was accompanied by a roar as the imprisoned; air under the deck smashed the timbers and forced columns of water mast-high.