Paris

The Manacles
Wrea Rock
21st May 1899

There were other notorious wrecks that the Manacles claimed (Manacles – Handcuffs and Legg-irons) and it is too often true that once entrapped on the outcrop of rocks, few survive to relate their deliverance.

There are, however, fortunate exceptions as befell the Paris stuck fast on the Wrea Rock off Coverack seven months after the Mohegan disaster. On this occasion not a single life was lost. A rock penetrated her bottom and it was feared that she would become a total loss. An English salvage firm withdrew from operations contending that she was a total loss, but a German slavage firm accepted the task of recovery, sent divers down, drilled holes in the rock and laid explosive charges. 15,000 feet of solid rock was blown away.

The Paris was refloated, patched and towed to a dockyard where she was repaired, had one of her funnels removed and was again made seaworthy. Misfortune again dogged her career. She had another mishap in New York Harbour , was again made seaworthy and re-christened the Philadelphia. Once more misfortune followed her, but I cannot recall her ultimate end.