RMS Tayleur
The temptation of gold has compelled treasure hunters to travel great distances for millennia in the hope of striking it rich. Many passengers on board the RMS Tayleur, an iron clipper making its inaugural voyage to Australia, where gold fever had reached pandemic proportions, were in this situation.
The Tayleur suffered from a number of design flaws as a result of the haste to capitalize on the booming demand for travel "Down Under," including a faulty compass, unbalanced masts, and a rudder that was too small for the large ship. It didn't take long for the combination of strong winds and dense fog to turn into a disaster.
On January 19, 1854, Tayleur set sail from Liverpool with 652 passengers and crew, but she quickly veered off course and headed due west. 350 passengers were killed when the fateful ship struck Lambay Island in Dublin Bay.
