On October 25, 1859, a slow-moving gale churned northward toward the British Isles, winds topping 100 miles an hour in a narrow fury over the Irish Sea. That evening, the steam clipper Royal Charter also approached the coast with 500 men, women and children aboard, on what should have been the celebratory last night of a two-month journey from Australia.
Not gleaning the grave danger in the atmosphere, the Royal Charter's captain pushed on toward Wales. By midnight, the 3,000-ton behemoth was foundering. The crew anchored off the coast of Anglesey to try and ride out the gale. The port chain snapped first; the starboard chain, an hour later. Just after dawn on the 26th, the winds and waves drove the Royal Charter onto the rocky shore, breaking its iron hull to pieces. All but 41 passengers were crushed or drowned.
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