1854 Season
Dec 21 Schooner “Mary Elizabeth” for Charlottetown from Halifax put in at Georgetown again. Was in ice in Pictou on the 21st. (HG 28 Dec p2)
Jan Shipping News Heavy Disaster in the St. Lawrence – A late Canadian paper says that since the year 1811 there has not been such an unfavorable season as the present. That year there were 74 vessels compelled to winter at Quebec. The weather has again set in cold with easterly wind, which has filled the rivers and harbors with floating ice which is casting many vessels on shore. Property to the value of £60,000 to £70,000 lies a the mercy of the winds, tides and ice about the Brandy Pots. Nine ships are ashore at Hail Island and several below Bic. (NS 04/01/1854 p7 #2)
Jan 12 Schooner “Fanny” from Halifax for Charlottetown was off St. Peter’s Island on the 12th, has since gone into Pinette for the winter. (HG 14 Jan p3)
Jan 21 Capt. Bourke reports on Jan 24 after a severe snow storm 43°N 6442’W fell in with Prussian park “St. John’s” from City Point US for Liverpool GB, out 50 days in distress, loss of rudder, rails, spars, and in a leaky condition on the starboard side, bulwarks and stanchions gone, covering board split – asked to be taken off the wreck; both vessels blocked by ice; put out their small boats, when the snow storm commenced again from NW ; it being impossible to render them any assistance, lay by the wreck, during the night, the following day at 3 pm the crew of the wreck put off in their large boat, when the ship gave a heavy roll and broke the boat in two halves; still hard gales at 10 pm put out our boat and saved the lives of crew, but none of their effects, – wind shifted suddenly to SSE with heavy snow squalls. (NS 6/02/1854 p3 #5)
Jan 31 from Halifax: vessel locked in by ice 43°N 64°42’W. (SCL)
Feb The Miramachi Gleaner says – T’was one of the seamen landed from the vessels in the ice near Caraquet proceeded to St. John by instruction of the Lieutenant governor, – the three vessels from which they were landed were last seen passing the north side of Miscou Island, – so that if not lost they must be in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. (NS 27/02/1854 p7 #2&3)
Feb 10 Halifax, Friday, February 10 … packet Brigt “Halifax”,5 days from Boston, has been 3 days on the coast, 48 hours in the ice. (NS 3/02/1854 p2 #5)
Feb 14 Ice of Barrington harbour wrecking a ship. (LL).
Feb 16 SS “Canada” at Halifax passed through considerable quantities of ice and lost several paddle floats. (LL)
Feb 18 Halifax, Friday, February 18 Schr “Noble”, Chambers, __ days from Newfoundland, cargo of fish, to order; reports fell in with large quantities of ice; came on the south side of Sable Island; off Jedore saw two vessels – a brigt and schr – the former appeared to have lost her mainsail. (NS 27/02/1854 p3 #5)
Feb 22 Halifax, a letter from Guysborough, dated 22nd ult says : “The wreck reported in the ice to the Eastward was a brig from New York bound to Newfoundland with a cargo of flour, pork, tea, etc. She has gone to pieces. No report of the fate of the crew or whether an American or English vessel.” Later : – Brig “Resolution”, Dowing, of St. John’s, Nbd, [sic] lost on Black Cedge, near White Head, 16th cargo total loss: crew saved with great difficulty.” (NS 06/03/1854 p5 #5)
Mar Halifax, arrived March 18 – Packet schr “Oranoque” (Fr), 5 days fm St. Pierre, Miq, reports, passed through great quantities of ice on passage.” (NS 27/03/1854 p3 #5)
Mar Halifax,. “By letters from Cape North, received in town during the early part of this week, information has been received of seven or eight vessels being enclosed in the ice, some miles off from Aspy bay, Cape North. Several of these vessels reported them to be abandoned by their respective crews. We are without any particulars as to the names, descriptions, etc, of any of them.” (NS 27/03/1854 p5 #3)
Mar Halifax, “A brig laden with flour was drifting about in the ice off Louisburg, about 8 days since, abandoned. A schr was about to proceed to the wreck for the purpose of getting it into ports. A schr was also fitting out at Louisburg to proceed in search of other vessels reported in the ice on that coast.” (NS 03/04/1854 p6 #5)
Mar 9 Halifax, Thursday, March 9. RMS “Asia”, 1 day fm Liverpool, reports, “Arabia”, hence, going into the Mersey on Saturday : also, “Pride of the Sea”: Am. ship “Gauntlett”, with loss of fore and mainmast, and bulwarks on the port side : with great quantities of ice on the coast: exchanged signals with Sambro light house at 3 pm [arr at 9 o’clock last evening.] (NS 13/03/1854 p7 #4)
Apr Halifax, Friday – The “Cleopatra” (ss) at Portland 5th inst., from Liverpool 11th ult , had a very severe passage. Her decks were swept and houses carried away. In going up the St. Lawrence she encountered an island of ice, by which she was considerably damaged in her bow and could get only as far as St. Paul’s when she put about and bore up for Portland. …” (NS 15/05/1854 p7 #1&2)
Apr 17 Halifax “Government schr “Darling”, from Sable Island ; reports no wrecks there; the stern of brig “Resolute”, sometime since cast away at White Head, has drifted over on to Sable Island – saw no ice.” (NS 24/04/1854 p3 #5)
Apr 21 Gulf of St. Lawrence full of heavy ice. (LL)
Apr 25 St. Lawrence navigation opened. (HH 03/05/1904 p7#5)
Apr 26 Arichat, April 26 – arrd “Farroge” Jersey, 84 days ; reports met large quantities of ice long 45 lat 45, and ran through it for a distance 200 miles ; again met it off St. Pierre, Miq, extending to the south – large bergs, not piled ice. (NS 08/05/1854 p7 #4)
May Halifax, Monday May 15 – Schr “Hibernia” , 17 days from Port aux Basques, Nfld; reports fell in with large fields of ice and saw a number of vessels entangled in it. (NS 22/05/1854 p3 #5)
May Halifax, arrived – Monday May 23 -RM Steamship “Merlin”, 4 days from St. John’s Nfld, via Sydney CB, – has 15 passengers; reports the loss of new schr “Prince” form St. Mary’s for L’pool in January last, capt and crew saved; brought up from Sydney capt and crew of ship “Marquis of Bute”, for Padston for Quebec, foundered in the ice. (NS 29/05/1854 p7 #1)
May 3 Halifax: Pictou,“The brigs “Amelia” “Rambler” “Triumph” and “Sweetheart”, left on Thursday last for Boston, but all except the latter had to put back the same night on account of the ice. They sailed again on Saturday night. The latest arrivals report little or no ice visible in the Gulf.” (NS 22/05/1854 p3 #5)
May 4 Arrived Charlottetown 3 schooners from Arichat. (HG 6 May p3)
May 6 Schooners from Boston and Pictou arrived Charlottetown. (HG 6 May p3)
May 7 “Pudiana” or “Pudyona” spoken to off [Cape?] St. George’s Head in a sinking state having struck an iceberg. Mention of several vessels in ice off Cape North and Bird Rocks. (LL)
May 10 Halifax “Capt. Rogers of schr “Hibernia”, at this port Monday from Port aux Basque, Nfld reports having seen large fields of ice on the passage; counted, 10th inst, 76 ships and brigs and two steamers, some in the ice, most of them on the outer edge – among them were ships “Shannon”, had sprung a leak but succeeded in stopping it – “Three Bells”, from Glasgow to Quebec also “Princess Royal” and “Glasgow” of ditto; saw a ship and brig in the ice abandoned and apparently full of water – could not learn their names; also spoke ship “Majestic” of Shields, from Carthagena to Quebec ; ship “Canada” from Liverpool to Quebec; “Shandon”, Greig, in Port aux Basque, had struck a pan of ice in the Gulf which set the vessel leaking. Barque “Princess Royal”, of Plymouth, bound to Quebec, wished to be reported. Saw a Jersey brig with loss of mainmast, name unknown, (was spoken by Capt Evans, of “W H Hart”), trying to put into Sydney CB, had been struck by a sea April 19. The steamer “Merlin”, which should have left Sydney for St. John, on Saturday, was detained until Monday by the ice. (NS 22/05/1854 p7 #4)
May 10 Halifax, Schr “W H Hart”, from Port aux Basque, reports – saw great quantities of ice; fell it [sic] with brig “Temetope”, of Jersey, on 10th May, with loss of mainmast in a gale on 18th April. The “T” was bound to Gaspe. On 9th inst, spoke ship “Prince Royal”. (NS 29/05/1854 p3 #5)
May 10 Halifax, the first vessel at Quebec, and from sea this season, 10th inst was “Glencaine” from Glasgow – reports nearly all the spring ships detained by the ice. (NS 29/05/1854 p7 #1)
May 15 Schooner “Hibernia” at Halifax from Port aux Basques passed extensive fields of ice upon the coast of Newfoundland. On 10th saw 76 sail of large vessels on the edge of it and a ship and a brig in it, abandoned and apparently sinking. (LL)
May 18 Halifax, Quebec, May 17 – … The Spring Fleet is only now making its appearance , being three weeks later than usual. – The cold in these northern latitudes has been greater this season than it has been for 60 years. – Quebec May 18. NS 05/06/1854 p2 #3)
May 19 Issue: brig “Bachelor”, 28 days from London to Quebec, fallen in with in 46°N 57°30’W just clear of the ice in which she had been for 2 days and bow stove. (PL)
May 20 First steamer of season arrived Montreal. (HH 03/05/1904 p7#5)
May 23 Issue: SS “Ottawa”, from Liverpool bound for Quebec put into Sydney, CB in consequence of the ice. (PL)
Jun 18 Halifax “Messrs H and E Burstall have received a telegraphic despatch [sic] from Richibucto, dated yesterday, stating that the “Helen Thomson”, foundered at sea among the ice, on the 18th instant, and that the captain and crew, and 130 passengers were taken off by the brigantine “Sarah”, and carried to Richibucto.” (NS 19/06/1854 p3 #5)