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Photo of steamer Nephrite
- wreckmaster
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- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:33 am
- Location: West Of Ireland
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Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by wreckmaster » Sat Feb 01, 2014 12:27 am
http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=20586
She was lost off County Donegal in 1927.
The wreck has been located and surveyed, it would be nice to see her as she was originally.
- Angus Mac Kinnon
- Posts: 2498
- Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:08 pm
Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by Angus Mac Kinnon » Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:01 pm
Sorry unable to help

( NB. Wrecked Umfin Island, near Derrybeg, County Donegal, on 2nd July 1927, coming from Ayr with a cargo of coal - but you will know all this)
- wreckmaster
- Posts: 61
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- Location: West Of Ireland
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Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by wreckmaster » Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:28 am
We know she ran aground on Umfin Island http://www.pbase.com/rogercurry/image/122656590 she was reported ashore on the Island, she now lies about two miles off shore, we don't know how she got out there.
A photo would be great if you lay your hand on one.
- Angus Mac Kinnon
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Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by Angus Mac Kinnon » Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:00 am
I will continue trying to source photograph - would have thought at her reasonable age there might have been a few photos around somewhere, but have noted the William Robertson / Gem Line book does not even have one, and that has the most of the fleet over the years, and if neither Roy Fenton nor Phillip Robertson could produce an image then chances are one is not readily available, but hope I'm wrong.
- Angus Mac Kinnon
- Posts: 2498
- Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:08 pm
Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by Angus Mac Kinnon » Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:00 am
I will continue trying to source photograph - would have thought at her reasonable age there might have been a few photos around somewhere, but have noted the William Robertson / Gem Line book does not even have one, and that has the most of the fleet over the years, and if neither Roy Fenton nor Phillip Robertson could produce an image then chances are one is not readily available, but hope I'm wrong.
- wreckmaster
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:33 am
- Location: West Of Ireland
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Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by wreckmaster » Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:37 pm
We believe she sank at her present location, but how and when ? , the wreck is badly broken up.
Re the coal I sent a question to the diver who found and Identified her ( ? ) a few days ago still waiting for a reply.
(?) there is nothing at the wrecksite to positively Id the wreck other then she is the only known wreck in the area.
The wreck of the Boniface is about two miles to the north
http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=1582
this one was broken up by salvers Risdon Beasley so its possible they had a go at the Nephrite as well, or may be the locals got the coal before she went down

- wreckmaster
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- Location: West Of Ireland
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Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by wreckmaster » Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:34 am
The wreck is that of a single screw steamer and local fishermen believe it is the Nephrite.
And that's all we know.
- wreckmaster
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Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by wreckmaster » Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:39 pm
I was just having a look at Robertson vessels built by Scotts, I see the Topaz and the Kyanite have the same dimensions as the Nephrite slight difference in grt but look's like either could be a close match.
Do you have a photo of either of these two, I am aware that the coasting steamers of the time were very much alike but there might be something here to help ID this wreck.
There was an interesting post going on here http://forum.technicaldiving.ie/index.p ... 695.0.html
I wonder if anyone here could shed light on the Dublin Dockyard and Ayrshire Dockyard Co connection regarding this vessel.
Its a long post and watch out for the ghost.
Mick
- Angus Mac Kinnon
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- Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:08 pm
Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by Angus Mac Kinnon » Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:25 pm
Sorry - I have several of the S.S. Topaz and S.S. Kyanite, but unfortunately they are the not the right ones/years for your purpose. But you are right - there were a few other Scott steamers that were virtually clones of the NEPHRITE.
Here are some, with remarkable closeness of details :
MALACHITE : Yard No. 106 : 1894 : 196/605/740 tons : O.N. 104580 : 180 x 29.1 x 10.7 feet
ZIRCON : Yard No. 107 : 1895 : 196/605/740 tons : O.N. 104596 : 180 x 29.1 x 10.7 feet
GIRASOL : Yard No. 111 : 1895 : 197/602/725 tons : O.N. 104624 : 180 x 29.1 x 10.7 feet
NEPHRITE : Yard No. 116 : 1896 : 199/673/770 tons : O.N. 105981 : 185 x 29.1 x 10.8 feet
TOPAZ : Yard No. 122 : 1896 : 199/696/810 tons : O.N.106049 : 185 x 29.1 x 10.8 feet
KYANITE : Yard No. 123 : 1897 : 235/712/840 tons : O.N. 106073 : 185 x 29.1 x 10.8 feet
The steam engines are very closely related too, all the manufacture of Glasgow Engineers Muir & Houston who took a lot of orders from William Robertson for the Gem Line steamers over the years :
Malachite/Zircon/Kyanite : 80 NHP x 600 IHP (except Kyanite which was rated at 700 IHP)
Girasol/Nephrite/Topaz : 90 NHP x 650 IHP
I will separately check to see if I have anything on the Dublin and Ayr shipyards and revert if I find anything. Interesting exchanges and ........ FOUND THE GHOST !
Other searches have found zero on the elusive S.S. NEPHRITE of 1896, very strange - and frustrating.
- wreckmaster
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- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:33 am
- Location: West Of Ireland
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Re: Photo of steamer Nephrite
Post by wreckmaster » Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:50 pm
It will be late spring / early summer before this one is dived again, hoping the next dive will get a full list of the remnants compiled and then maybe a positive ID can be made.
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