From Millom Gazette, Friday 17 June 1904.
A VESSEL WRECKED NEAR HAVERIGG
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE CREW. The Ariel, a 40 ton towing lighter, of
Liverpool, was wrecked off Haverigg Point on Tuesday night[14 June 1904].
Capt. McNeish, the owner, along with the Engineer J. Fitzpatrick, left Lytham
at 10.30 on Tuesday, fine weather being experienced till they reached
Fleetwood where it began to blow and rain. The wind increased, and blew very
severely when they were opposite Barrow. Capt. McNeish was making for the
Clyde, but in consequence of rough weather, it was seen that there was no
prospect of getting there. To make matters worse, when the outer Duddon buoy
was reached, the vessel sprung a leak, and, the tide being low, there was no
chance of getting up the Duddon. Seeing the breakers close at hand, the only
thing was to escape by the boat, and this was lowered not without considerable
difficulty. In fact, had there been a delay of only two minutes more, there
was some question of the men escaping with their lives. They, however, got
ashore between Silecroft and Layriggs Road End [S of Silecroft]. The flood
tide carried the vessel higher up on the beach.
The vessel is insured, and Liverpool Salvage Co., was expected to get the
vessel off yesterday (Thursday). After reaching land, the two seamen made for
Haverigg, where they found accommodation for the night.
Captain McNeish had
only recently purchased the vessel. The Ariel has gone down in deep water in
the channel, and may interfere with vessels coming to Millom Piers. It is,
however, expected that she will be raised by the Salvage Co., though a good
deal of damage may have been done by the rough seas.
Owing to the continuing gale on Thursday, the Ariel, on inspection by the underwriters, was found to be a total wreck, and efforts have been made to dispose of her locally, but without success up to Thursday evening, as she is lying in a hole, and the cost of removing her will be considerable. She lies between No. 4 and No. 3 buoys. [this would be quite near the outer (western) end of the channel in].
In a conversation with the engineer, who hails from Kildare, he expressed his astonishment that they ever got ashore. It was a miraculous escape in his opinion. They had only about 5 tons of coal on board, mostly in the bunkers, and a small portion in the hold. The captain, a Scotchman, is unfortunately bound to lose considerably unless he can come to an arrangement with the underwriters to be allowed what he can make out of the sale of the steamer, in addition to the insurance claim of his. Roughly, he has been over £200 out in his recent purchase.
Millom Gazette, 24 June 1904:
THE WRECK AT HAVERIGG. We are informed by Mr. Murphy, customs officer, that he
has been invited by the underwriters to dispose of the wreck of the Ariel, now
lying in the Channel off Haverigg Point. He has communicated with the
authorities for sanction. The position of the craft is all against much being
offered for the remains, as the soft sands prohibit any great weight being
moved over it.
Postscript: a report
in 2014 shows wreckage still visible: