The song "Southern Cross" is a traditional Newfoundland folk ballad describing the loss of Southern Cross on the south coast of Newfoundland with 173 men on board.
She got up the steam twelfth day of March and shortly did embark.
To try her fortune in the Gulf in charge of Captain Clark.
She carried a hundred and seventy men, a strong and vigorous race,
Some from St. John's and Brigus, and some more from Harbour Grace.
She reached the Gulf in early March, the white-coats for to slew,
When seventeen thousand prime young harps killed by her hardy crew,
All panned and safely stowed below, with colours waving gay,
The Southern Cross she leaved the ice, bound up for home that day.
She passed near Channel homeward bound, as news came out next day,
To say a steamer from the Gulf she noe is on her way.
"No doubt it is the Southern Cross, "the operator said,
"And looking to have a bumper trip, and well down by the head."
The last of March the storm came on with blinding snow and sleet;
The Portia, bound for western ports, the Southern Cross did meet;
When Captain Connors from the bridge he saw the ship that day,
And thinking she would shelter up in St. Mary's Bay.
St. Mary's Bay she never reached, as news came out next morn.
She must have been all night at sea, out in that dreadful storm.
No word came from the Southern Cross now twenty days or more;
To say she reached a harbour around the western shore.
The SS Kyle was soon dispatched to search the ocean round,
But no sign of the missing ship could anywhere be found.
She searched Cape Race and every place until she reached Cape Pine,
But of the ship or wrecking the captain saw no sign.
The Southern Cross out twenty days, she now is overdue;
We hope, please God, she'll soon arrive and all her hearty crew,
But put your trust in Providence and trust to Him on high
To send the Southern Cross safe home and fill sad hearts with joy.
All things do happen for the best, but if they're called away,
The brave lads on the Southern Cross out in the storm that day,
We trust they reach the heavenly and rest with Him on high,
Where cares and sorrows are no more, but all is peace and joy.
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The Alphabet Fleet was a fleet of vessels owned and operated by the Reid Newfoundland Company as part of the provisioning of the 1898 Railway contract between the Dominion of Newfoundland and the Reid Newfoundland Company. The vessels were named after places in Scotland, the native homeland of Sir Robert Gillespie Reid, founder of the Reid Newfoundland Company.
The Advance was a composite schooner built in 1874 at Auckland, New Zealand, that was wrecked when she drifted onto rocks at Henrys Head, Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia, on 12 June 1902, whilst carrying ballast between Wollongong and Newcastle, New South Wales.
Hillsborough was a three-decker merchant ship launched in 1782. She made six voyages to India and China as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company. In 1798 she transported convicts from England to New South Wales. After delivering her convicts in 1799, she became a whaler in the South Seas fisheries for several years. She was broken up in 1804.
Earl Spencer was an East Indiaman, launched in 1795 for the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven voyages for the EIC until in 1811-12 the government took her up to transport convicts to Australia in 1813. On her return voyage from Australia she sailed via China, where she carried a cargo back to England for the EIC.
SS Point Pleasant Park was a merchant steamship constructed for Canada's Merchant Navy in 1942 during the Second World War as part of Canada's Park ship program. She carried a variety of wartime cargoes to Atlantic and Indian Ocean ports until the German submarine U-510 sank her off the coast of South Africa on 23 February 1945 as Point Pleasant Park was sailing independently from Saint John, New Brunswick to Cape Town. Point Pleasant Park was the last vessel sunk in South African waters during the Second World War.
Hougomont was the name of a four-masted steel barque built in Greenock, Scotland in 1897 by Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. In 1924 she was purchased by Gustav Erikson's shipping company in Mariehamn, Åland, Finland. She was used for transport and schooling ship for young sailors until 1932 when a squall completely broke her rig on the Southern Ocean and she was sunk as breakwater near the town of Stenhouse Bay in South Australia. ' Hougomont had a crew of 24 men. The name "Hougomont" is derived from Château d'Hougoumont where the Battle of Waterloo was fought. While seaworthy she sailed to Peru, Florida, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, and Sweden among other destinations. She had two sister ships, Nivelle and Archibald Russell.
Georgiana was launched in 1791. She served as a merchantman, packet ship for the British East India Company (EIC), a whaler, a warship of the navy of the United States of America, and a merchant vessel again. She was sold after being condemned in 1818 as leaky.
Northumberland was launched in 1780 to serve as a regular ship of the British East India Company (EIC). She made six voyages for the EIC between 1780 and 1797. She was sold in 1797 for breaking up.
Brunswick was launched in 1792 as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She made five complete voyages for the EIC before the French captured her in 1805. Shortly thereafter she wrecked at the Cape of Good Hope.
Britannia was launched by the Bombay Dockyard in 1772, and was rebuilt in 1778. The British East India Company (EIC) apparently acquired her in 1775. Between 1779 she made eleven complete voyages as an East Indiaman for the EIC. She also participated in three naval campaigns, during the first of which she was deployed as a cruiser off Sumatra. There she engaged and captured a French ship. In the other two she served as a transport. She set out for her twelfth EIC voyage but was lost in 1805 during the third naval campaign.
Dublin was launched in 1784 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), to India and China. On her last voyage for the EIC she recaptured a country ship. Her owners sold Dublin in 1800 and she became a West Indiaman, but apparently was lost on her first voyage.
Dutton was built by John Barnard at Barnard's Thames Yard at Deptford and launched in 1781 as an East Indiaman. She made five voyages for the British East India Company. She was wrecked in January 1796 while carrying troops for a military expedition to the West Indies.
Bombay Castle was launched in 1792 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was sold in 1807 for breaking up. In addition to carrying cargo for the EIC, she transported troops in one campaign, participated in a naval action in which she helped capture a French frigate, and played a leading role in an encounter between the French Navy and a fleet of East Indiamen in which the East Indiamen succeeded in bluffing the French to withdraw.
Marchioness of Exeter was launched in 1801 as an East Indiaman of the British East India Company (EIC). She made seven complete voyages for the EIC. She then made one more voyage to Java, sailing under a license from the EIC. Her last voyage ended in 1819.