On a stormy night in March 1899, two ships headed towards each other in the English Channel. The Duke of Buccleugh, a 380-foot iron steamer was bound for India, with a mixed cargo of china, glassware, and industrial goods. The Vandalia, a wooden sailing ship loaded with barrels of petroleum was hurrying to reach London.

Shortly after 1pm the two ships collided with deadly but surprising results. The iron Duke sank quickly, with her entire crew of 47. The badly damaged wooden Vandalia however survived and limped ashore.

The surviving captain reported that his sailing ship was operating properly, when it was suddenly rammed by the iron steamer, and for a hundred years his claim went unchallenged.

But now evidence on the wreck of the Duke suggests a different story. Did the Duke of Buccleugh ram the Vandalia or was it the other way round? And how could wood sink iron? We investigate.