Schooner EDWARD STANLEY

LOSS OF THE EDWARD STANLEY.

We have the unpleasant duty of recording the loss of another of the coasting craft of the colony. The Edward 
Stanley, a smart little schooner of 22 tons, left Wanganui for Nelson on Thursday, the 3d instant, in ballast, 
with a crew of four hands and three passengers; namely, J. Nixon, Esq., of Nelson, Mr. G. Taylor, who also 
formerly resided here, and Mr. Duncan, of Wanganui. When off the Croixelles, on Friday afternoon, about ten 
miles from the shore, the wind at the time blowing very strong from W.N.W., the vessel was struck by a heavy 
sea, which threw her on her beam ends, and shifted the ballast. It was immediately seen by those on board 
that there was no chance of the vessel righting, as she immediately began to settle down, and the only possibility 
of escape was by a small dingy, which the vessel carried. The little boat was therefore instantly launched, but 
being driven under the mast as it lay over the side, she filled with water. The boat had then to be drawn up the 
side of the sinking vessel, and launched a second time, fortunately with better success. Five of the persons on 
board now stowed themselves in the bottom of the boat, and the captain took his place at the stern with one 
paddle, and one of the men at the bow with the other. The object of this was to keep the bow of the boat to 
the wind, and let her drift before it, as any change from this position must, in such a sea, have led to her being 
immediately swamped, and the destruction of the lives of the whole party. For about four hours the boat was in 
this most helpless position, those who were sitting in the bottom employing themselves in baling out the water 
with their hats as it came rushing over the gunwales. At last, by the aid of the wind and the set of the tide, the 
boat most fortunately drifted into Croixelles harbour, where, on reaching smoother water, the crew were able 
to put her about, and pull for the shore, but it was even then necessary for the captain to hold his blue shirt 
over the stern, to prevent her being swamped by the waves. On reaching the shore, the natives acted with the 
utmost kindness towards the party, and as the schooner Catherine was there about to load with timber, she 
was chartered to bring all hands to Nelson, where they arrived on Sunday morning last. From the suddenness 
with which the accident occurred, and the rapidity with which the vessel filled, (she went down almost instantly 
after the boat left her), not a single thing was saved by any one on board but the clothes which they had on at 
the time. A subscription has been opened for providing the crew with a few articles of clothing in lieu of those 
which they lost, and also to make a small present to the Maories for the kindness shown by them. The Edward 
Stanley was the Property of Messrs. Taylor and Watt, of Wanganui.

Transcribed from the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, of 12 January 1850, Page 181