Southern Cross (1891 Melanesian Mission ship)

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Coordinates: 40°08′S 143°52′E / 40.14°S 143.87°E / -40.14; 143.87
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the ship Southern Cross built in 1891. For other uses, see Southern Cross (disambiguation).

History
NameSouthern Cross
BuilderForrest & Sons in 1891
FateWrecked in Bass Strait, September 1920
General characteristics
Tons burthen257 tons Old Measurement
Length131 ft 4 in (40.03 m)
Beam26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)
Draught14 ft 2 in (4.32 m)
Installed powerengine (prior to 1902)
Propulsionsail & steam (prior to 1902)
Sail planThree-Mast Schooner, changed to Brigantine

Southern Cross was a three-masted

Church of the Province of Melanesia, and was lost with all hands off King Island, Tasmania
in 1920.

Origins

Southern Cross was built at

John Richardson Selwyn and others.[citation needed] Originally built as a steam yacht, she underwent conversion to a barquentine rig several years later.[1]

Career

On her maiden voyage, she was extensively damaged by a storm in the English Channel during October 1891. After repair, she left in early November and arrived in Auckland during March 1892.[2][3][4]

She was in service with the Melanesian Mission from 1892 to 1902.[citation needed] The engines were removed in 1904 prior to her sale.[5]

Final voyage

On 11 September 1920, Southern Cross sailed from Melbourne for Hobart with a general cargo including 1,000 cases of benzine stored on its main deck. On 22 September, a large quantity of wreckage was found on the north coast of King Island. Further searches found wreckage around the island with a concentration at the southern end. As the wreckage bore traces of burning, it was speculated that the ship's deck cargo had caught fire, or that it had struck a mine laid by the German raider Wolff in 1917.[6][7][8]

The following personnel were reportedly lost in the wrecking - Frank Rule Hodgman, master; T. Watts, mate; C.F. Makepeace, boatswain; D. Dinehy, able seaman; W. O'Connell, able seaman; L. Sward, able seaman; W. Moody, able seaman; Wm. Brown, cook & steward and Stanley Bell, cabin boy.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Crew of the Southern Cross; the men who were on board". Examiner (Launceston, Tasmania). 28 September 1920. p. 5. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  2. ^ "The Melanesian Mission; The Southern Cross disabled". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 October 1891. p. 5. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  3. ^ "The Melanesian Mission Schooner; Southern Cross". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 December 1891. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  4. ^ "The Melanesian Mission Yacht; Southern Cross". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 March 1892. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  5. ISBN 0958656142
    .
  6. ^ "Southern Cross overdue; Charred wreckage found; indications of disaster". Examiner (Launceston, Tasmania). 24 September 1920. p. 5. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Fate of the Southern Cross; More evidence of disaster; Wrecked on King Island, Indications of explosion; Searching for survivors; No trace of Amelia J; An aviator missing". Examiner (Launceston, Tasmania). 25 September 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Fate of Southern Cross; finding of the Marine Court". The Mercury. Hobart, Tasmania. 24 March 1921. p. 4. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  9. ^ "Crew of the Southern Cross; the men who were on board". Examiner (Launceston, Tasmania). 28 September 1920. p. 5. Retrieved 20 February 2013.

40°08′S 143°52′E / 40.14°S 143.87°E / -40.14; 143.87

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