The Preussen was built in
1902 for the
Reederei F. Laeisz shipping line. She was a five masted
steel Bark, the third largest
sailing ship in the world and the largest ship ever built without
auxiliary engines. She was 408
feet long and set 43
sails for a total area of over 59,000
square feet. Despite her size she was fast and set several
speed records between the
English Channel and
Chile, a common
nitrate run.
On
November 7th, 1910 she was making seventeen
knots down the
English Channel outbound for
Chile in
foggy conditions when she rammed the steamer
SS. Brighton, which was making four
knots and turned in front of The
Preussen contrary to regulations. The Preussen's
bowsprit sheared off the Steamer's
funnel and broke off, and the Brighton was
holed. The Preussen was
heavily damaged and without her
headgear was hard to maneuver.
The Preussen was taken under tow by a steam tug and attempted to anchor in the lee of Dungeness but a storm rose and her anchor chains parted. Captain J. Heinrich H. Nissen set sail and headed for Dover, where she was met by three tugs. However, her bare masts made so much force in the wind that the tow lines broke and again Nissen tried to run for it by setting sails. It was not to be and the Preussen ran aground on a reef in Crab Bay. Several attempts were made to free her but all failed and she eventually broke up.