Diamond (ship)
Encyclopedia
The Diamond was a three masted square rigger. She was one of the first ships to operate a regular service for passenger and cargo between Britain and the United States. She was built in New York
in 1823 and was later alleged to be one of the first American ships to be built with a composite (wood and iron) hull but this was without corroborated evidence. She sank en-route to Liverpool
from New York on January 2, 1825 in Cardigan Bay
. The wreck site was discovered in 2000 and was designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
on April 1, 2002 (as a result of misinformation), the first such designation to be made by the National Assembly for Wales
.
of shipping 1823-1825
At 120 ft 9inslong, she was the forerunner of the Ocean liner
s that would later regularly cross the Atlantic throughout the nineteenth and early/mid twentieth centuries.
On January 2, 1825, she struck a notorious reef, St. Patrick's Causeway, (St. Badrig reef) in Cardigan Bay
and sank in 14 meters. her masts and spars were therefore out of the water and in plain sight. Most of the passengers were saved by the lifeboats that rowed from Barmouth to save the casualties. In 2000, two local divers and amateur archaeological historians, Tony Iles and his daughter Helen, found the wreck through magnetometer
survey. On diving the site, they found wooden frames reinforced with iron. They conducted a preliminary survey which showed the wreck to be in excess of 150 feet long and reported the find to CADW
. They recovered Muntz Metal
pins and sheathing from the wreck. Muntz metal came to be known as "Yellow Metal". Initially investigated by the Archaeological Diving Unit, in support of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
, using side-scan sonar
and ROV
,
As a result of various erroneous claims and uncorroborated information from a 3rd party to CADW stating that the Diamond was of an early composite hulled vessel, (now proved, after eight years if intensive, painstaking and detailed research, to be false) the site was evaluated for designation under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
.
Despite the obvious physical anomalies on the site survey with the known information of the Diamondand the disputed information of its construction. CADW erred on the side of caution, and the wreck site was designated on April 1, 2002, as the Diamond. This was the first designation in Wales since powers were devolved to the National Assembly for Wales
and hence the first designation by a Welsh statutory instrument. This has prevented all recreational divers, other than those listed under the relevant licences, in diving the site or wreck.
are scattered on the site, and these were not patented until 1832, several years after the loss of the Diamond. Dendrochronological samples (2006) taken from the main ribs and professionally analysed show that the wood was still growing at the time the Diamond was wrecked (1825) and was not felled until around 1840. Cardigan Bay
has been the graveyard of so many ships that identifying possible other candidates for the designated wreck site, and excluding the rest, may take some time. A full and complete dissertation on this research has determined that this site is NOT that of the Macy's
family vessel known as the Diamond (UCL 2009). The project to identify this shipwreck is still ongoing.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1823 and was later alleged to be one of the first American ships to be built with a composite (wood and iron) hull but this was without corroborated evidence. She sank en-route to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
from New York on January 2, 1825 in Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales....
. The wreck site was discovered in 2000 and was designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
The Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provides protection for designated shipwrecks. Section 1 of the act provides for wrecks to be designated because of historical, archaeological or artistic value. Section 2 provides for designation of...
on April 1, 2002 (as a result of misinformation), the first such designation to be made by the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
.
Construction and sailing life
When the Diamond was built in 1823, shipbuilding was at a time of rapid technological change. New materials and shipbuilding techniques were being used and ships of this period show many variations. The Diamond was alleged (without evidence of any kind), to be the oldest known example of a composite American hull, where a timber frame and plank construction is reinforced with iron frames. The hull was also sheathed in copper - to protect the timber planking from attack by marine organisms and reduce drag. This has proved to be totally false and without foundation. She is in fact a standard built vessel of the age constructed from white oak and locust wood sheathed in normal copper sheets fastened with copper tacks.Lloyd's registerLloyd's Register
The Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...
of shipping 1823-1825
At 120 ft 9inslong, she was the forerunner of the Ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
s that would later regularly cross the Atlantic throughout the nineteenth and early/mid twentieth centuries.
Wrecking, discovery and protection
The Diamond sailed on her last voyage from New York on December 12, 1824, captained by Henry Macy. She was bound for Liverpool with about 30 passengers and a cargo of cotton, potash and apples. She also carried international mail.On January 2, 1825, she struck a notorious reef, St. Patrick's Causeway, (St. Badrig reef) in Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales....
and sank in 14 meters. her masts and spars were therefore out of the water and in plain sight. Most of the passengers were saved by the lifeboats that rowed from Barmouth to save the casualties. In 2000, two local divers and amateur archaeological historians, Tony Iles and his daughter Helen, found the wreck through magnetometer
Magnetometer
A magnetometer is a measuring instrument used to measure the strength or direction of a magnetic field either produced in the laboratory or existing in nature...
survey. On diving the site, they found wooden frames reinforced with iron. They conducted a preliminary survey which showed the wreck to be in excess of 150 feet long and reported the find to CADW
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
. They recovered Muntz Metal
Muntz metal
Muntz metal is a form of alpha-beta brass with about 60% copper, 40% zinc and a trace of iron. It is named after George Fredrick Muntz, a metal-roller of Birmingham, England who commercialised the alloy following his patent of 1832....
pins and sheathing from the wreck. Muntz metal came to be known as "Yellow Metal". Initially investigated by the Archaeological Diving Unit, in support of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
The Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provides protection for designated shipwrecks. Section 1 of the act provides for wrecks to be designated because of historical, archaeological or artistic value. Section 2 provides for designation of...
, using side-scan sonar
Side-scan sonar
Side-scan sonar is a category of sonar system that is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor...
and ROV
Rov
Rov is a Talmudic concept which means the majority.It is based on the passage in Exodus 23;2: "after the majority to wrest" , which in Rabbinic interpretation means, that you shall accept things as the majority....
,
As a result of various erroneous claims and uncorroborated information from a 3rd party to CADW stating that the Diamond was of an early composite hulled vessel, (now proved, after eight years if intensive, painstaking and detailed research, to be false) the site was evaluated for designation under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
The Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provides protection for designated shipwrecks. Section 1 of the act provides for wrecks to be designated because of historical, archaeological or artistic value. Section 2 provides for designation of...
.
Despite the obvious physical anomalies on the site survey with the known information of the Diamondand the disputed information of its construction. CADW erred on the side of caution, and the wreck site was designated on April 1, 2002, as the Diamond. This was the first designation in Wales since powers were devolved to the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
and hence the first designation by a Welsh statutory instrument. This has prevented all recreational divers, other than those listed under the relevant licences, in diving the site or wreck.
Further investigation
Ian Cundy of the Malvern Archaeological Diving Unit was granted a licence to investigate the wreck site in July 2002. His findings cast serious doubt on whether the designated wreck site is that of the Diamond, as it appears to be that of a larger and later (unidentified) vessel. The wreck appears to be 160 ft (48.8 m), and there are discrepancies between samples of the materials (timber and hull sheathing) recovered from the site and those listed as used in the Diamond. Samples stamped Muntz MetalMuntz metal
Muntz metal is a form of alpha-beta brass with about 60% copper, 40% zinc and a trace of iron. It is named after George Fredrick Muntz, a metal-roller of Birmingham, England who commercialised the alloy following his patent of 1832....
are scattered on the site, and these were not patented until 1832, several years after the loss of the Diamond. Dendrochronological samples (2006) taken from the main ribs and professionally analysed show that the wood was still growing at the time the Diamond was wrecked (1825) and was not felled until around 1840. Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales....
has been the graveyard of so many ships that identifying possible other candidates for the designated wreck site, and excluding the rest, may take some time. A full and complete dissertation on this research has determined that this site is NOT that of the Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
family vessel known as the Diamond (UCL 2009). The project to identify this shipwreck is still ongoing.