Ice Charts and Reports 1874

Normal amount 0. (M).
Ice detained in bays, all broken. No body south. (GR).
At Ferryland, no drift ice to be seen. (JW in GR).
Northern Ice at St. John’s arrive Feb 26, depart Mar 28. (GR).
Jun 9th, heavy ice 12 to 15m east of St. John’s. Jun 13th, a large number of bergs and heavy lumps. (GR).
A great deal of ice & prevalence of east winds on the east coast. (CH/GR).

January/February

Jan 27 SS “Cimbria” from Hamburg to New York 47N 44W passed a large berg. (LL).
Feb 4 Halifax: Schooner drifted ashore on Hound Ledges and became a total wreck. It is supposed that she was carried away from her moorings by ice. (LL).
Feb 9 “J. Morton” from Cienfuegos to Halifax had been iced up and was blown off the coast 3 times; 2 men badly frostbitten. (LL).
Feb 19 Arichat: The “Tickler” thoroughly repaired and fully laden with dry fish cleared for Naples Jan 20, and dropped in the main roads, but drift ice set in and she is now frozen up at her anchorage, but in a perfectly safe position. (LL).
Feb 24 SS “Graf Bismark” 46N 47W encountered large icefields and among them a number of icebergs, some of them nearly 100′ high. (LL).
Feb 25 SS “State of Virginia” from Glasgow to New York 48N 47W saw thickly packed broken ice to the westward and steered south all day ~120m to clear it. (LL).
Feb 26 SS “Adriatic” from Liverpool to New York 31N 80W [!] passed a large piece of ice. (LL).
Feb 28 SS “Idaho” sighted a large number of bergs at 4502’N 4820’W. (NYMR).

March

Mar 4 SS “Celtic” from New York to Liverpool 45N 46W passed several bergs. (LL).
Mar 4-5 SS “Wester” from New York to Southampton 44N 49W fell in with a large field of ice, in some places showing very high, and extending as far north as could be seen from aloft; in order to get through, had to steer to the southward 1 1/4 hours, where it still extended about 5m to the SSW; 5th, 45N 47W passed a large berg ~70′ high and 1m long; and on the same day in 45N 46W another one ~60′ high and 5 cables long and more smaller pieces drifting about. (LL).
Mar 6 Ship “Cornelius Grinnell” from New York to London 44N 49W passed to the SW of a berg; about 2½ hours afterwards, was entirely surrounded by a large field of ice and large bergs, and had to run to the westward for 8 hours; the ice extended as far north and south as the eye could reach. (LL).
Mar 7 SS “Calabria” reports great quantities of field ice at 43N 50W. (NYMR).
Mar 7 SS “Graf Bismark” from Bremen to New York encountered much ice on the passage. (LL).
Mar 8 SS “Gaelic” passed several pieces of ice 4345’N 5245’W. (NYMR).
Mar 10 Easterly winds have brought the ice along blocking the harbour. (Newf.).
Mar 11 3 large bergs in 4511’N 497’W. (NYMR).
Mar 14 “State of Alabama” from Glasgow to New York spent 4 days in the ice. (LL).
Mar 17 SS “State of Alabama” from Glasgow to New York put in here 13th damaged. She was caught in very heavy ice to the southward of Cape Race having had both her bows stove and fore-compartment full of water, and propeller much injured. (Newf.).
Mar 20 The “Cancellor” from Liverpool to St. John, NB, got caught among large quantities of ice in 47N 48W and had to stand SW 24 hours to get clear. (LL).
Mar 24 Brigantine “Come-On” from Trapani 73 days arrived yesterday reports heavy ice 300m east of St. John’s – very unusual at this season. On 9th she spoke the “Waldensian” from Portland to Glasgow. She had met a considerable quantity of ice and her bows were much rubbed. (Newf)

April

Apr 1 SS “Weser” at New York passed a large berg in 43N 49W. (LL).
Apr 2 SS “Lord Clive” from Boston to Liverpool 46N 42W passed 2 large bergs and several smaller ones. (LL).
Apr 3 SS “Adriatic” passed 3 bergs 4602’N 4252’W. (NYMR).
Apr 4 SS “Victoria” from Glasgow to New York 46N 42W to 46W passed numerous bergs. (LL).
Apr 5 Brig “Learder” from St.Jago de Cuba to St. John’s was reported leaking after the vessel was 8 days in the ice off Scatary. (LL).
Apr 10 SS “Idaho” passed several bergs 4626’N 4047’W. (NYMR).
Apr 10 SS “Tigress” was in the ice ~80m off the Funks. “Panther” towed her out. Later “Tigress'” boiler burst killing 21 men. Also, “Osprey” lost at the ice in the gale of last Sunday [Apr 5]. Crew saved. (Newf.).
Apr 13 SS “Maas” from Rotterdam to New York 46N 42W passed 2 bergs. (LL).
Apr 16 SS “Macedonia” from Glasgow to New York reports having passed large quantities of ice. (LL).
Apr 20 Brig “Wild Horse” was driven ashore by floating ice at Cariboo, CB. (LL).
Apr 22 SS “Tigress” exploded at the seal hunt. [boiler explosion – PL] (HDR had this event as occurring the following year). (HDR).
Apr 22 SS “Cornwall” from Bristol to New York 47N 46W passed several bergs. (LL).
Apr 23 SS “Republic” passed several bergs 4522’N 44?5’W and on 24th. much ice in 4347’N 5031’W. (NYMR). Apr 23 SS “Republic” from Liverpool to New York 45N 44W passed several bergs. (LL).
Apr 25 SS “California” from Glasgow to New York 46N 46W passed several large bergs. (LL).
Apr 26 The “Carolus Magnus” from Liverpool to New York passed bergs and a quantity of drift ice; reports no ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. (LL).
Apr 30 SS “Main” from New York to Southampton 44N 44W passed bergs. (LL).
Apr 30 SS “City of Richmond” from New York to Liverpool 44N 44W passed a berg. (LL).
Apr 30 The “George” from Bremen to New York 46N 45W passed large quantities of ice. (LL).
Apr 30 SS “City of Brussels” from Liverpool to New York 44N 45W passed a berg. (LL).


May 2 “Dogmar” from Bremen to New York 44N 44W passed several large bergs, one 200′ high and aground. (LL).
May 3-4 SS “State of Pennsylvania” from Glasgow to New York from 46N 46W to 43N 52W passed several bergs. (LL).
May 4 “Madusa” from Bremen to New York between 47N and 44N and 48W and 50W passed a large number of bergs. (LL).
May 4 “Havfruen” from Rotterdam to New York 47N 47W passed large quantities of field ice. ( LL).
May 5 SS “Dunraven” from Barrow to New York experienced a heavy gale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; had boats damaged and bow stove in by heavy field ice. (see May 12). (LL).
May 6 SS “Canada” 1 berg at 4158’W 4429’W. (NYMR).
May 6 SS “Adriatic” ice at 4749’N 4717’W. (NYMR).
May 6 SS “Canada” from Liverpool to New York 45N 44W passed a large berg. (LL).
May 6 Ship “Atlas” from Hamburg to New York on the eastern edge of the Banks, struck a berg losing bulwarks, jib-boom etc. (LL).
May 6 Barque “A.C. Meyer” from Rotterdam to New York 45N 47W passed a large berg. (LL).
May 6-7 “Mary Fry” from Troon to Harbour Grace (?) passed a number of large bergs and some loose ice on the northern edge of the Grand Bank. (LL).
May 7 The “Arragon” from Bristol to New York 47N 46W passed several large bergs. (LL).
May 7 “Regulus” from Havre to New York 47N 45W passed a number of bergs. (LL).
May 8 The “Shandon” from Liverpool to Quebec 46N 50W passed innumerable bergs and field ice and was 36 hours getting through. (LL).
May 8 SS “Hansa” from Bremen to New York 46N 47W passed a berg. (LL).
May 8 “Leonilda” from Sligo to New York 49N 46W passed a number of bergs and large quantities of field ice.(LL).
May 9 “Willima Tapscott” from Hamburg to New York took the Northern Passage and passed several bergs. (LL).
May 9 Barque “Stefanino” from Leith to New York 46N 49W passed a number of bergs and was surrounded by field ice for 3 days. (LL).
May 10 Barque “Mai” from Hambirg to New York 45N 49W ran into a berg during a thick fog. (LL).
May 10-11 “Gazelle” from Stavanger to New York 48N 45W passed large quantities of ice. (LL).
May 11 “Commodore DuPon” from Messina to New York from 45W to 50W saw several large bergs. (LL).
May 12 Schooner “Marie Vigilante” from Cape St.Ignace to Montreal was totally destroyed by ice in the harbour.(LL).
May 12 SS “Dunraven” from Barroq to Quebec was carried from her moorings by ice and got aground but shortly afterwards floated undamaged. (LL).
May 14 SS “Westphalia” from Hamburg to New York ~45N 45W passed 8 bergs. (LL).
May 14 Issue: The “Gaelic” from Liverpool to New York 46N 50W passed several bergs. (LL).
May 14 SS “Atlas” from Liverpool to New York passed a large berg and drift ice on the edge of the Banks. (LL).
May 15 Issue: The “Ganges” has been badly damaged by ice. (LL).
May 15 Issue: Ship “Harald Haarfager” was carried away by the ice at Quebec. (LL).
May 16 The “Les Poits” from the Clyde to New York 44N 48W passed a number of bergs and large quantities of field ice. (LL).
May 16-17 “Frederick Hasselmann” from St. John, NB, to Liverpool 43N 48W passed a large berg ~½m long and ~60′ high; 17th, 43N 46W also passed 9 bergs in a group varying from 1/8 – 1/16 of a mile long. (LL).
May 17 SS “America” from New York to Southampton 42N 49W passed a berg and some pieces of field ice. (LL).
May 18 “Humboldt” from Stettin to New York 43N 45W passed a berg ~2m long. (LL).
May 20 SS “Spain” from Liverpool to New York 44N 45W passed 2 bergs. (LL).
May 21 SS “Annie Goudey” at New York from Yarmouth, NS 45N 48W passed large quantities of ice. (LL).
May 22 “Sea Flower” from Pensacola to the Clyde 44N 44W passed a large berg ~70′ high; small pieces of ice floating eastward from the berg, ~2m. (LL).
May 25-29 Barque “Alma” from Havre to New York 46N 26[!]W to 48W passed a large number of bergs. (LL).
May 26 SS “Austrian” from Liverpool to Halifax passed a large number of bergs. (LL).
May 27 SS “Weser” from New York to Southampton 42N 51W and later in 49W passed some large bergs.(LL).
May 27 SS “Main” from Bremen to New York 44N 48W passed a number of bergs. (LL).
May 28 The “Colonial Empire” from Hamburg to Quebec between 46W and 50W encountered several bergs. (LL).
May 28 SS “Hermann” from Baltimore to Southampton 43N 49W passed a very large berg. (LL). May 29 SS “C.F. Funch” from Antwerp to New York 45N 40W passed several large bergs. (LL).


Jun 2 Issue: The “Calista Haws” from Greenock to Quebec has been badly damaged by collision with ice at the latter port. (LL).
Jun 3 SS “Glamorgan” from Cardiff to New York 46N 45W passed 4 large bergs, 1 of them being a mile long. (LL).
Jun 3 SS “Algeria” from New York to Liverpool 43N 48W passed a berg. (LL).
Jun 4 SS “City of Paris” from New York to Liverpool 44N 48W passed 2 large bergs. (LL).
Jun 5 SS “Braunschweig” from Baltimore to Southampton 43N 48W passed bergs. (LL).
Jun 12 Issue: Barque “Zacharias” from Falmouth to New York 48N 45W passed through a quantity of ice, carried away cutwater and received other slight damage. (LL).
Jun 12 Issue: “Melpomene” from Liverpool to Quebec 48N 46W was in a collision with a berg. (LL).
Jun 12 Issue: “Canso” from Greenock to Quebec entered a large field of ice on the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, and after boating about for 24 hours, was obliged to bear up and run along the outer edge to the southward during which time she passed several large bergs. (LL).
Jun 17 SS “Order” [“Oder” ?] from New York to Southampton 43N 49W passed several large bergs. (LL).
Jun 17 SS “City of Brussels” from New York to Liverpool 44N 49W passed 4 large bergs. (LL).
Jun 18 Issue: “Ragnar” from Doboy to Liverpool 42N 45W passed 5 bergs, 1 being a mile long and nearly 90′ high; they were very dangerous as they were in the track of shipping. (LL).
Jun 18 Issue: SS “Main” from New York to Southampton 42N 49W passed bergs. (LL).
Jun 20 SS “Olympus” from Boston to Liverpool 42N 50W passed a large berg to the southward. (LL).
SS “Osprey” lost at the ice.
(No mention of ice in PL)
From Ref #866, The log book of SS “Mastiff” on a sealing voyage commanded by Samuel Dawe commencing March 9 1874 from Harbour Grace (very much abbreviated): 9th, Left Harbour Grace and made little headway. 10th, Got clear of ice short of Baccalieu. 11th, Heavy scattered ice. Struck ice berg carrying away bowsprit, stern rail, cut head, bulwarks, ship much injured. 12th, off Wadham Is. 13th, course NW no ice to be seen, 14th, Passed the westernmost Grois Is., ice very scarce, later in the ice off Letter (?) Islands. 15th, off White Cape. 16th, At Belle Isle. Sealing till near the end of the month then ice too tight for them to get out – floated around 5056’N to 5039’N till about Apr 4. Apr 7th, Ice too tight to proceed, icebergs sighted 5020’N. 8th, ice eased, cleared ice between C. Freels and C. Bonavista. 9th, At Harbour Grace. 14th, Set sail again and got in the ice north of Baccalieu. 15th, Light sheet ice. Off C.Fogo. 17th, 15m of Belle Isle. 18th, 5047’N. May 5, returned to Harbour Grace ice to entrance of Conception Bay.