Maiden Voyage.

Lost In New Hebrides on Maiden Voyage.

THE new motor schooner, “Southern Cross VI.,” 200 tons, which was built recently in England by the Melan esian Mission, at a cost of £25,000 was totally wrecked in a storm off the coast of Aneityum, Southern New Hebrides, early in the morning of November 2.

The vessel, which replaced the “South ern Cross V.”, a steamer of 500 tons, was built and fitted specially for inter-island communication. She was dedicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Graves end on July 28, and left immediately for Auckland, in command of Captain A. M.

Stanton, who had spent four years in is land traders in the Solomons and Santa Cruz groups, and who was subsequently chief officer of the “Discovery” (Maw son Antarctic Expedition). She came via Panama, and was entirely refitted in Auckland, where she was loaded with stores for missions and for private persons.

She left Auckland on her first Islands cruise at the end of October. The new Bishop of Melanesia had been expected to travel by her. but did not reach Auck land until November. She was caught in a squall a few days later and driven on to one of the jagged coral reefs in shal low water near Aneityum. After a severe struggle, in which all the officers, and particularly Captain Stanton, displayed great bravery and resource, the whole complement —four deck officers, three engineers, and 15 Solomon Islanders were landed on Aneityum. Some were severely injured on the coral.

Captain Stanton went immediately by boat to Tanna Island, where he procured a launch and departed for Port Vila, to secure assistance in rescuing his crew.

He did not arrive there as soon as ex pected, and some alarm was expressed: but he was finally reported at Vila on November 11.

The “Southern Cross” and the mission stores were fully insured; but a great quantity of Christmas gifts, sent by the various churches to the missions, were uninsured.

The monetary loss is severe, but an even greater loss is the time involved in building and commissioning another schooner. Special arrangements have had to be made, at great inconvenience, to send stores to the various missions.

The ship’s officers were Captain Stan ton; Mr. J. Scott, chief officer; Mr. R.

Holmes, son of Captain Holmes, formerly of the “Iris,” second; Mr. O. D. Wilkes, son of Rev. F. W. Wilkes, Auckland, third; Mr. G. R. Newton, chief engineer; Mr. A. S. McGregor, second. Mr. W.

Stolte had signed on for the trip as purser.

It was reported in mid-November that the construction of another vessel would immediately be commenced by the Melanesian Mission; and it was being urged that the work should be done in Auckland, so as to avoid delay, and get the exchange benefit (some £1500) of transferring the insurance money from England.

It is interesting to recall that “Southern Cross I.” was a fast and beautiful schooner and was built at Blackwall in 1854 by Messrs. Wigram.

Bishop Selwyn and his young friend, John Coleridge Patteson (afterwards the famous and ill-fated bishop) were to have sailed by her to Auckland: but they found her so small and “leaky” that they took passage instead in the “Duke of Portland” on March 28, 1855. The “Southern Gross” followed them, sailing also on March 28, and arrived in Auckland only 14 days behind them, on July 20, 1855. During the ensuing five years she gave invaluable service, mostly under the command of Mr. Patteson, in founding many of the original stations of the Mielanesian Mission; and was wrecked in a storm on the east coast of New Zealand on the night of June 17, 1860.