History of Mission Ships
p. 55 · Read in the full issue
“Southern Crosses"
NOW that the new Melanesian Mission ship “Southern Cross VII.” is settled down on her important work in the Wes tern Pacific, it is interesting to recall the history of the vessels of this organisation.
It is contained in a pamphlet, a copy of which we have obtained from Major H. S.
N. Robinson, of the Mission Staff. The vessels were: Undine, schooner, 21 tons, 1849-1857: built at Auckland.
Border Maid, 100 tons. 1851-1852.
Southern Cross I., schooner, 100 tons, built by Wigram at Blackwall, England. 1855-1860. Wrecked on New Zealand coast June 18, 1860.
Southern Cross II., yawl-rigged brigantine, 93 tons, built by Wigram at South ampton. 1863-1873. Leased to N.Z. Gov ernment in 1874, and sold to H. Wilson, Islands trader, in 1880.
Southern Cross III., three-masted, twotopsail schooner of 180 tons, with auxiliary steam engine. 1874-1892. Sold to Captain W. Ross, South Seas trader, and used by bim, as the “Ysabel,” mostly in the Tongan trade, until 1915, when she was sold to G.
H. Scales and Co., of Wellington, N.Z. Sold again to buyers in Eastern Pacific in 1925, and destroyed by fire at sea in 1928.
Southern Cross IV., three-masted topsail schooner of 240 tons, with auxiliary steam engine, built in Essex, England. 1892-1903.
A most unsuitable and expensive vessel.
Sold to Alison and McGregor, Auckland and engines removed; sold later to Captain Munns, and ran between Australia, N.Z.
and the Islands; sold again, and carried cargo between Tasmania and Australia; lost with all hands, about 1917, when carryl ing benzine from Sydney to Hobart, Southern Cross V., steel steamer of 500 tons, triple-expansion engines; built by Armstrong and Whitworth at Newcastle, England; rigged at first as three-masted barquentine, but masts subsequently re moved. 1903-1932. Sold in Auckland and broken up.
South Cross VI., twin-screw steamer of 215 tons, built by J. S. White and Sons Ltd. at East Cowes, England. 1932-1932.
Wrecked in New Hebrides on maiden voyage, October 30, 1932.
Southern Cross VII., twin-screw motor vessel, of 220 tons, built by Cammell Laird and Co., London. Arrived in South Seas, November. 1933.