The brig foundered in the North Sea 100 nautical miles (190 km) south west of Heligoland. Her six crew were rescued by an Italian vessel. Amelia was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham to a Baltic port.[1]
The brig foundered in the Bay of Bengal. Her nineteen crew took to a boat. They were rescued on 10 May by Evangeline (Jersey). Kutty Rahiman was on a voyage from Galle, Ceylon to Chittagong.[2]
Lizzie
United Kingdom
The brigantine was driven ashore and wrecked at Port Nolloth, Cape Colony.[3]
Menzaleh
United Kingdom
The steamship ran aground at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire. She was on a voyage from Barrow-in-Furness to Quebec City, Dominion of Canada. She was refloated on 4 May.[4]
3 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 3 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Albert
United Kingdom
The steamship was run into by the steamship Martaban (United Kingdom) and sank in the Clyde at Greenock, Renfrewshire.[5]
Emulous
New Zealand
The 157-ton brigantine went ashore in a heavy swell at Oamaru. The schoonerOcean Wave stranded nearby but lifted clear at the next high tide. Although the Emulous was described as a wreck and sold as such at auction, she was refloated later in 1874, only to again run aground just north of Oamaru on 11 October. On this second occasion she was too badly wrecked to be repaired.[6]
4 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Blue Jacket
United Kingdom
The smack was driven ashore and wrecked on Schiermonnikoog, Friesland, Netherlands. Her crew survived.[4]
6 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Puno
United Kingdom
The ship struck rocks off the Isla de Flores, Uruguay. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Callao, Peru. She was refloated and put in to Monte Video, Uruguay.[7][8]
Unnamed
Flag unknown
The steamship foundered in the North Sea 32 nautical miles (59 km) north north east of the Noord Hinder Lightship (Netherlands) with the loss of all hands.[9]
7 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Clifton
United Kingdom
The barque was wrecked at Oeiras, Portugal. She was on a voyage from Malabar to Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.[10]
Concurrent
Netherlands
The ship was sunk by ice at Cronstadt, Russia. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne to Saint Petersburg, Russia.[11][1]
8 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 8 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Ceres
United Kingdom
The fishing cutter was driven ashore on Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands. Her crew were rescued.[12]
Clifton
United Kingdom
The barque was destroyed by fire at Lagos, Portugal with some loss of life.[12]
Edgar
United Kingdom
The fishing cutter was driven ashore on Terschelling. Her crew were rescued.[12]
Express
United Kingdom
The fishing cutter was driven ashore on Terschelling. Her crew were rescued.[12]
Mizpah
United Kingdom
The fishing cutter was driven ashore on Terschelling. Her crew were rescued.[12]
Times
United Kingdom
The tug collided with the steamshipEmily (United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames at Greenwich, Kent.[11]
9 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Great Yarmouth
United Kingdom
The steamship ran aground on the Newcombe Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk. She was on a voyage from Riga, Russia to Lowestoft, Suffolk. She was refloated.[11]
Jolly Dogs
United Kingdom
The Thames barge capsized in The Downs. She was towed in to Ramsgate, Kent.[11]
Maritana, and Retreiver
United Kingdom
The full-rigged ship collided with the tugRetreiver off the Tuskar Rock and foundered with the loss of a crew member. Maritana was on her maiden voyage, from Glasgow, Renfrewshire to San Francisco, California, United States. Retreiver also sank. Her crew survived.[13] Survivors from both vessels were rescued by the tug Universe (United Kingdom).[14][15]
The screw frigate ran aground in Palermo Bay, Sicily, Italy. Refloated and sailed to Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy for assessment.
Eve
Italy
The brig collided with the steamshipAlice (United Kingdom) and sank at "Seraglio". Her crew were rescued.[11]
Royal Navy
The screw frigate ran aground in Palermo Bay suffering moderate damage. Refloated and sailed to Cagliari for assessment.
Pearl
United Kingdom
The schooner was sunk by a large marine animal off Galle, Ceylon with the loss of one of her six crew. Survivors were rescued by the steamshipStrathowen (United Kingdom. Pearl was on a voyage from Mauritius to Rangoon, Burma.[16]
The royal yacht, a paddle steamer, ran aground at Vlissingen, Zeeland, Netherlands.[17] She was on a voyage from Vlissingen to Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom. She was refloated on 13 May.[18]
Eliza Nelson
United Kingdom
The brig was wrecked on the Domesnes Reef, in the Baltic Sea. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Copenhagen, Denmark to Riga, Russia.[19]
Zuova
Italy
The brig was driven ashore and wrecked on Nexø, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Cronstadt, Russia to Dundee, Forfarshire, United Kingdom.[20][21]
12 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Anna
Norway
The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked in St Andrews Bay. Her six crew were rescued by the Saint Andrews Lifeboat Ladies' Own ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[22][23]Anna was on a voyage from Dram to St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom.[24]
Hilda
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore at Battery Point, in the Firth of Forth. She was on a voyage from Alloa, Clackmannanshire to Christiania, Norway.[23]
Orlebar
United Kingdom
The ship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Belfast, County Antrim to Richibucto, New Brunswick, Dominion of Canada.[25]
Severn
United Kingdom
The schooner sprang a leak and sank 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north of Aberdovey, Merionethshire.[26]
Viking
United Kingdom
The steamship was driven ashore at Father Point, Quebec, Dominion of Canada. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Montreal, Quebec.[9]
13 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 13 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Pioneer
United Kingdom
The steamship was driven ashore at Hoek van Holland, South Holland, Netherlands. She was on a voyage from Rotterdam, South Holland to Bristol, Gloucestershire. She was refloated and put back to Rotterdam in a leaky condition.[9]
14 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 14 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Neride
Germany
The barque ran aground on the Shipwash Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk, United Kingdom. Her crew were rescued. She was refloated with the assistance of some smacks and a tug and assisted in to Harwich, Essex, United Kingdom.[20]
15 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Firefly
United Kingdom
The brigantine ran aground on the Haisborough Sands, in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk. Her crew were rescued by Jane Cargill (United Kingdom). Firefly was on a voyage from Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands to South Shields, County Durham. She floated off and came ashore at Sea Palling, Norfolk.[20]
Hanover
United Kingdom
The ship departed from Tientsin, China for Newcastle, New South Wales. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands.[27]
17 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Nore
Sweden
The steamship ran aground at Domsten. She was on a voyage from an English port ot a Russian port.[28]
18 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Bonita
Belgium
The steamship ran aground and was wrecked at Vigo, Spain. Her crew were rescued.[29]
20 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
United States
The fishing schooner sank off Dennis Port, Massachusetts.[30]
Austria-Hungary
Tegethoff fast in the ice in the Barents Sea.
Austro-Hungarian North Pole expedition: The steamship was abandoned in the Barents Sea 275 nautical miles (509 km) off Franz Josef Land.[31]
21 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 21 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Royal Navy
The wreck of Niobe (centre). Illustration from the Illustrated London News, 18 July 1874.
The 23-ton cutter departed from Manukau Harbour for the Waikato River. She was not sighted again, although wreckage from her washed ashore near Raglan in late June.[36]
Brazil Navy
The corvette ran aground in the River Thames at Blackwall, Middlesex, United Kingdom. She was on a voyage from London, United Kingdom to Rio de Janeiro.[28] She was refloated and resumed her voyage.[37]
Royal Navy
The despatch vessel ran aground at Ryde, Isle of Wight.[35] She was refloated with assistance from the tugCamel (United Kingdom).[38]
23 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
British Admiral
United Kingdom
The passenger ship, travelling from Liverpool, Lancashire to Melbourne, Victoria was sunk after hitting rocks off King's Island, Tasmania. Only nine of the 88 passengers and crew were rescued.[39]
Brazil Navy
The corvette ran aground in the River Thames. She was refloated and resumed her voyage.[35] She was refloated and resumed her voyage
The steamship ran ashore at the South Foreland. She was on a voyage from China to London. She was refloated the next day with the assistance of a tug.[41]
25 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 25 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Coronet
United Kingdom
The steamship ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, Kent. She was on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium to Cardiff, Glamorgan. She was refloated the next day and resumed her voyage.[42]
The clipper was wrecked on "Huon Island" with the loss of all hands. She was on a voyage from Moreton Bay to Foo Chow Foo, China.[43][44][45]
United Kingdom
The steamship was driven ashore at the Abbot's Cliff, between Dover and Folkestone, Kent. She was on a voyage from Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France to Folkestone. She was refloated with the assistance of (United Kingdom).[46]
26 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 26 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Agamemnon
United Kingdom
The steamship ran aground at Hangkow, China.[47] She was on a voyage from Hankow to a British port. She was refloated on 30 May.[48]
Cable ship stranded in Rio Grande do Sul on bar while transporting 204 nmi (378 km; 235 mi) of cable. No loss of life, but the ship and cable were lost. Replacement cable lost with some 58 lives on foundering of (United Kingdom) on 29 November 1874.[50][51]
Mary Thompson
New Zealand
The 49-ton collierschooner was driven onto a reef and wrecked at Omaha Bay, New Zealand.[36]
27 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Elite
United Kingdom
The barquentine was wrecked on the Pallister Reef, off Barbuda. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Montserrat to London.[52]
Rubenow
Germany
The ship was wrecked on the Longsand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex, United Kingdom. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from London to the White Sea.[53]
28 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Earl of South Esk
The 336-ton barque, laden with a cargo of coal from Australia, hit Barrett's Reef while trying to enter Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, in a heavy sea. The crew abandoned ship and were saved, and Earl of South Esk slipped off the reef and sank minutes later.[36]
United Kingdom
The steamship ran aground at Villareal, Spain. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Huelva, Spain. She was refloated the next day and resumed her voyage.[54]
29 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1874
Ship
Country
Description
Nabob
United States
The ship was sighted off Cape Horn, Chile whilst on a voyage from Portland, Oregon to Queenstown, County Cork, United Kingdom. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands.[55][56]
The ship was wrecked on Inagua, Bahamas. She was on a voyage from New York to Cuba.[12]
United Kingdom
The steamship lost her propeller in the Atlantic Ocean before 8 May. Her passengers were taken off by the steamship State of Pennsylvania (United States).[60]
Euphegena, or Iphigenia
United Kingdom
The ship was wrecked on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. The wreck was plundered by the local inhabitants. She was on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to Pensacola, Florida, United States.[61][62]
The steamship caught fire and was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Saint John's, Newfoundland Colony.[12]
Marie Vigilante
Dominion of Canada
The ship was wrecked at Quebec City before 13 May. She was on a voyage from Cap-Saint-Ignace to Montreal.[65]
Moss Rose
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore at Rangoon, Burma before 15 May. She was refloated and taken in to Akyab for repairs.[20]
The ship ran aground at Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Dominion of Canada before 13 May. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to Montreal, Quebec. She was refloated and resumed her voyage.[65]
Sylvia
United States
The ship was wrecked on the Long Bank Reef. She was on a voyage from New York to Cárdenas, Cuba.[28]
Teaser
Dominion of Canada
The ship was wrecked in the Caicos Islands. Her cew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Inagua to Halifax, Nova Scotia.[12]
Tenasserim
United Kingdom
The steamship ran aground at "Buckeer", Burma. She was on a voyage from Glasgow, Renfrewshire to Rangoon, Burma. She was refloated and completed her voyage.[28]
William Cargill
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore and wrecked at Barbadoes. She was on a voyage from Callao, Peru to Saint Vincent.[9][20]
Unnamed
Flag unknown
The brig capsized in the North Sea. She was driven ashore on Sylt, Germany.[35]