The list of shipwrecks in May 1878 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during May 1878.

1 May

List of shipwrecks: 1 May 1878
Ship State Description
Medillon Colombia United States of Colombia The sternwheeler exploded at Honda with the loss of 27 lives. She was on a voyage from Honda to "Caracoli". She was refloated on 4 May but grounded again. Subsequently refloated.[1][2]
Norden  Sweden The ship ran aground in the River Nene. She was on a voyage from Gothenburg to Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. She was refloated the next day and found to be severely leaky.[3]
Sontag  United States The barque was sighted off "Bouka Island" whilst on a voyage from Sydney, New South Wales to Hong Kong. She may have been the vessel wrecked before 11 June on "Namayonne", in the "Halls Group" whose crew were murdered and eaten by the local inhabitants.[4]

2 May

List of shipwrecks: 2 May 1878
Ship State Description
Alexander  United Kingdom The brig was wrecked by ice. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Runcorn, Cheshire to Akureyri, Iceland.[5]
Bernita  United Kingdom The brigantine was driven ashore in Dunraven Bay, Glamorgan. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Bilbao, Spain to Newport, Monmouthshire.[3]
Fawn  United Kingdom The fishing smack collided with another vessel and sank in the North Sea with the loss of all seven crew.[3]
Henrietta  Germany The brig was driven ashore on Læsø, Denmark and was severely damaged. She was on a voyage from Dordrecht, South Holland, Netherlands to Riga, Russia. She was refloated and taken in to Fredrikshavn, Denmark.[3]
Union  United Kingdom The schooner foundered in the North Sea off the Mouse Lightship ( Trinity House) with the loss of one of her three crew. Survivors were rescued by Sherburn ( United Kingdom). Union was on a voyage from London to Blakeney, Norfolk.[6]
Unnamed Board of Customs The tender collided with the tug Toiler ( United Kingdom) in the River Mersey and was beached at Tranmere, Cheshire.[3]

3 May

List of shipwrecks: 3 May 1878
Ship State Description
Abstainer  United Kingdom The schooner ran aground at Carrickfergus, County Antrim. She was on a voyage from Carrickfergus to a Baltic port.[7]
Active  Norway The barque ran aground on the Vestr Fingrunddel and was wrecked. Her crew were rescued.[3]
Ada Elizabeth  United Kingdom The schooner was driven ashore at Kingsdown, Kent. She was on a voyage from Harwich, Essex to Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. She was refloated and taken in to The Downs.[3]
Escape  United Kingdom The ketch was driven ashore at Cowes, Isle of Wight. She was on a voyage from Plymouth, Devon to Cowes. She was refloated and taken in to Cowes.[7]
Fria  United Kingdom The barque was driven ashore at "Ellekalde", north of Helsingør, Denmark. She was refloated with the assistance of a steamship and towed in to Helsingør.[8][9]

4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1878
Ship State Description
Bonita  United Kingdom The full-rigged ship was driven ashore at the Dunraven Castle, Glamorgan. She was on a voyage from Bilbao, Spain to Newport, Monmouthshire.[7]
B1185  France The fishing lugger was driven ashore at Aberdeen, United Kingdom.[10] She was refloated and taken in to Aberdeen.[11]
City of Aberdeen  United Kingdom The barque ran aground on the Roan Bank, in the English Channel off New Romney, Kent.[12] She was on a voyage from London to Cleveland Bay, Queensland. She was refloated and taken in to The Downs.[7]
Genie  United Kingdom The barque ran aground at Leith, Lothian. She was on a voyage from Sfax, Beylik of Tunis, or from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Leith. She was refloated on 6 May and taken in to Leith.[13][14]
Hagelik  Norway The schooner ran aground on the Lillegrunden, in the Baltic Sea. She was on a voyage from Drontheim to Gävle, Sweden.[7]
Jorgen Flag unknown The barque ran aground in the River Mersey off the Runcorn Lightship () and was severely damaged. She was refloated.[12][15]
Lady Clarendon  United Kingdom The ship ran aground in the North Sea. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Bremen, Germany.[15]
Leveret  United Kingdom The schooner ran aground at Ballyness, County Donegal. She was on a voyage from Londonderry to Ballyness.[7]

5 May

List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1878
Ship State Description
Johanne  Denmark The schooner collided with the steamship Calypso ( United Kingdom) in the Øresund and sank. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Riga, Russia to a Danish port.[7]
Silver Craig  United Kingdom The barque was driven ashore at Dungeness, Kent. She was on a voyage from London to Callao, Peru. She was refloated and resumed her voyage.[7]

6 May

List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1878
Ship State Description
Arrange  United Kingdom The schooner was driven ashore on Seal Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was on a voyage from Boston, Massachusetts, United States to Cork.[14]
Beaconsfield  United Kingdom The steamship ran aground off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Odessa, Russia. She was refloated and resumed her voyage.[13]
Duna  Russia The steamship ran aground off Osmussaar. she was on a voyage from Reval to Riga and Saint Petersburg. She was refloated.[13]
Eastern Queen  United Kingdom The ship ran aground on the Pluckington Bank, in Liverpool Bay. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Liverpool, Lancashire. She was refloated and taken in to Liverpool.[13]
Peter der Grosse  Germany The steamship was driven ashore on Seskar, Russia.[13]
Sofala  United Kingdom The barque ran aground in the Rock Channel. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to Limon Bay. She was refloated and put back to Liverpool in a leaky condition.[13]
W. H. Harkness  United Kingdom The ship ran aground in the River Thames at Barking, Essex. She was on a voyage from London to Callao, Peru. She was refloated and taken in to Gravesend, Kent.[13]

7 May

List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1878
Ship State Description
Clara  United Kingdom The schooner was driven ashore at Ballyferris Point, County Down. She was on a voyage from Glasgow, Renfrewshire to Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, France.[16]
Commodore  United Kingdom The steamship collided with the steamship Wimbledon ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Yenikale Strait.[17][18] Commodore was on a voyage from Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France to Kertch, Russia.[19] She had been refloated and taken in to Sebastopol, Russia by 28 May.[20]
John Clarke  United States The ship was driven ashore at "Cutter". She was on a voyage from Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure to Calais, Maine. She was a total loss.[16]
Lizzie Gardner  United Kingdom The steamship was beached at Cairnryan, Wigtownshire. She was on a voyage from Glasgow to Belfast, County Antrim.[16]
Maindee Park  United Kingdom The steamship was damaged by fire at Königsberg, Germany.[18]
Orvar Odd Flag unknown The steamship was damaged by fire at Königsberg.[18]
River Plate  Cape Colony The ship was wrecked near Guion Point.[21]
Rosa  France The brig collided with the steamship Denia ( United Kingdom) and sank in the North Sea. Her crew were rescued by Denia.[17][16]

8 May

List of shipwrecks: 8 May 1878
Ship State Description
Eliza  United Kingdom The fishing boat was abandoned off Whitby, Yorkshire. Her crew were rescued by the Whitby Lifeboat, which later took in to Whitby.[22]
Inheritance  United Kingdom The ship ran aground on the Joachim Bank, off Shantou, China. She was on a voyage from Niuzhuang to Shantou. She was refloated and taken in to Shantou.[17]
James and Sarah  United Kingdom The fishing boat was abandoned off Whitby. Her crew were rescued by the Whitby Lifeboat. She subsequently sank.[22]

9 May

List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1878
Ship State Description
Britannia  Norway The schooner was driven ashore at Nidingen, Sweden. She was on a voyage from Libava, Courland Governorate to Schiedam, South Holland, Netherlands.[17]
Confidence  United Kingdom The ship sank after being hit by a tidal wave off the coast of Peru.[23]
Esther and Mary  United Kingdom The ship was driven ashore "near the Fane Lane", County Dublin. She was on a voyage from Bangor to Dundalk, County Louth.[17]
Fayal  Norway The barque sank at Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands.[17]
Maria  United Kingdom The schooner was driven ashore at Filey, Yorkshire.[9]
Sisters  United Kingdom The brig ran aground and was wrecked on the Holm Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk. Her eight crew were rescued by a yawl. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Sheerness, Kent.[24][25]
W. J. Lewis Canada Canada The ship was destroyed by fire in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by the barques Oasis and Titania (both  United Kingdom). W. J. Lewis was on a voyage from Buenos Aires to Hamburg, Germany.[26][27]

10 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1878
Ship State Description
Alarm  United Kingdom The pilot cutter was run down and sunk in the Bristol Channel by the steamship Foyle ( United Kingdom). Her crew were rescued by Foyle.[28]
China  United Kingdom The steamship suffered an onboard explosion and caught fire at Bombay, India and was scuttled with the loss of three lives.[29]
Hinemoa  New Zealand The 75-ton schooner left Auckland for Samoa with a crew of six and one passenger, and was not sighted again.[30]
Sardinian  United Kingdom The steamship was damaged by an onboard explosion and caught fire off Moville, County Donegal. She was scuttled. Four of the 518 people on board were killed. Sardinian was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Quebec City, Canada.[31][32][33] She was later refloated and taken in to Birkenhead, Cheshire.[34]

11 May

List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1878
Ship State Description
Esther and Mary  United Kingdom The smack was driven ashore and wrecked at Gormanstown, County Meath. She was on a voyage from Bangor to Dundalk, County Louth.[35]
Lily of the Wave  New Zealand The 10-ton ketch stranded on a beach near the mouth of Nelson Harbour, during a gale and subsequently broke up.[36]
Mermaid  New Zealand The 9-ton ketch stranded and was wrecked on North Tata Island during a gale.[36]
Tom of Chester  United Kingdom The smack sprang a leak and foundered 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Drogheda, County Louth. Both crew were rescued by a lifeboat.[35]

12 May

List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1878
Ship State Description
Edward John  United Kingdom The barquentine was run into by the steamship Lady Downshire ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Crosby Channel.[37]
Gipsy  United Kingdom The schooner-rigged steamship struck rocks and sank in the River Avon at Bristol, Gloucestershire, lying across the river. She was on a voyage from Bristol to Waterford. She broke in two during salvage efforts, blocking the river until 17 May. Her remains were later blown up to clear the river.[28][38]
Lloyd's Herald  New Zealand The 48-ton schooner was holed while off the coast of The Catlins during a gale. She was deliberately run ashore at Wiltshire (Wilsher) Bay near Kaka Point to save the lives of the crew.[36]

13 May

List of shipwrecks: 13 May 1878
Ship State Description
Pfeil  Germany The schooner was wrecked on Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde Islands. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Hamburg to Lagos, Lagos Colony.[39]

14 May

List of shipwrecks: 14 May 1878
Ship State Description
Leopold Auguste  France The brig sprang a leak and sank off the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom with the loss of four of her nine crew.[40][41][42]
Noord Holland  Netherlands The ship was driven ashore at Narva, Russia. Her crew were rescued.[43]
Winifred  United Kingdom The ship ran aground on the Haisborough Sands, in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk. She was on a voyage from Middlesbrough, Yorkshire to Naples, Italy. She was refloated and taken in to Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.[44]

15 May

List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1878
Ship State Description
Corsair  United Kingdom The steamship foundered off Browndown, Hampshire with the loss of three of her crew. She was on a voyage from Portsmouth, Hampshire to Cowes, Isle of Wight.[44]
Dolphin  United Kingdom The ship sprung a leak at latitude 49°00′N 70°10′W / 49.000°N 70.167°W / 49.000; -70.167. A bottle containing the ships position was found at Padstow Cornwall, along with the following message: Water gaining. Crew taking to boats.[45]
Medina  United Kingdom The steamship foundered in Stokes Bay with the loss of three of the four people on board. She was on a voyage from Portsmouth, Hampshire to Newport, Isle of Wight.[46][47]
Remoleader  Venezuela The tug exploded and sank off Coro with the loss of thirteen of the sixteen people on board.[2]

16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1878
Ship State Description
Ann Gambles  United Kingdom The 424-ton barque was driven onto rocks at Tiwai Point, New Zealand during a strong gale and was while trying to enter Bluff Harbour. Her aft bulkhead gave way and the vessel was swamped. All crew survived, but the vessel and cargo were lost. She was on a voyage from Gravesend, Kent to Bluff Harbour.[48]
Unnamed  United States The schooner was wrecked on São Miguel Island, Azores.[21]

17 May

List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1878
Ship State Description
Beaver  United States During a voyage from Glenora, British Columbia, Canada, to Wrangell, Territory of Alaska, the steamer was wrecked on a reef while passing the Stikine River in Southeast Alaska. Her machinery was salvaged, but otherwise she was a total loss.[49]
Emily  United Kingdom The brig was driven ashore at Estância, Brazil. She was a total loss.[50]
Madala  United Kingdom The ship ran aground on the Lappen, in the Baltic Sea. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Cronstadt, Russia.[51]
Pride of the Taff  United Kingdom The pilot boat was run down and sunk off Lundy Island, Devon by the schooner H. R. Tilton ( United States) with the loss of three lives.[50][52]
Water Hen  United Kingdom The brig was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean 112 nautical miles (207 km) east of Flores Island, Azores. Her crew were rescued by the full-rigged ship Cairnsmore ( United Kingdom). Water Hen was on a voyage from Maceió, Brazil to the English Channel.[39]
No. 3  United Kingdom The pilot boat foundered 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Aberdeen. All three people on board were rescued by the pilot boat No. 4 ( United Kingdom).[53]

18 May

List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1878
Ship State Description
Herbert  United Kingdom The smack struck a sunken wreck and foundered in the North Sea off the coast of Lincolnshire. Her crew were rescued by a smack.[54]
Kedar  United Kingdom The barque was abandoned off the Friendly Islands. One of her crew died in the 50 days they spent on a raft. She was on a voyage from the Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, Canada to Melbourne, Australia.[55]
Onega  United Kingdom The steamship was driven ashore on Anholt, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Saint Petersburg, Russia to London. She was refloated with assistance and towed in to Copenhagen, Denmark the next day.[52][51]
Shon Quilt  United Kingdom The barque was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her nine crew were rescued by Innisfail ( United Kingdom) and she subsequently foundered. Shon Quilt was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Bristol, Gloucestershire.[56][57][58]
Zephyr  Sweden The schooner was driven ashore and damaged at Marstrand. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Hull, Yorkshire, United Kingdom to Cronstadt, Russia. She was later refloated with the assistance of two steamships and towed in to Gothenburg.[50][34][20]

19 May

List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1878
Ship State Description
Abelone  Denmark The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Hasle, Bornholm. She was on a voyage from Leith, Lothian, United Kingdom to Saint Petersburg, Russia.[52][34]
Cyrus Canada Canada The barque was driven ashore and wrecked on the Towzer Sands, off "Landlos", Glamorgan, United Kingdom. Her eleven crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Swansea, Glamorgan to Santos, Brazil.[52][59]
Midias  United Kingdom The ship capsized in the River Dee near Chester, Cheshire. Her crew were rescued.[27]
Witch  United Kingdom The barque was driven ashore at Hasle. She was on a voyage from London to Riga, Russia. She was refloated with assistance.[52]
Unnamed  United Kingdom The smack sank off Warden Point, Isle of Sheppey, Kent.[52]

20 May

List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1878
Ship State Description
Ægean  United Kingdom The ship was driven ashore on Amager, Denmark. She was on a voyage from London to Luleå, Sweden. She was refloated with assistance and taken in to Copenhagen, Denmark.[51]
Ariel  United Kingdom The schooner collided with the schooner Goddess ( United Kingdom) and was abandoned in the North Sea. Her crew were rescued by Goddess.[52] Ariel was towed in to Grimsby, Lincolnshire in a derelict condition.[51]
Cassandra  United Kingdom The brig ran aground off Goeree, Zeeland, Netherlands and was wrecked. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. She was a total loss.[60][61]
Johann Sverdrup Flag unknown The barque capsized at Burntisland, Fife, United Kingdom and was wrecked.[51]
Laura  Portugal The brig was wrecked at Salinas, Brazil with the loss of 170 lives.[60][62]
Leander  Germany The brig ran aground on the Spijker Plaat, in the North Sea off the Dutch coast. She was on a voyage from Port-au-Prince, Haiti to Antwerp, Belgium.[52] She was refloated and towed in to Antwerp.[63][27]
Northumberland  United Kingdom The steamship ran aground in the Weilingen Channel.[52]

21 May

List of shipwrecks: 21 May 1878
Ship State Description
HMS Cormorant  Royal Navy The Osprey-class sloop ran into another vessel in the River Medway and was severely damaged.[64]
North Carolina  United States The ship was driven ashore "at Big Island". She was on a voyage from Wilmington, North Carolina to Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom.[65]
Viking  United Kingdom The smack sank at Ballywater, County Down.[60]

22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1878
Ship State Description
Aberystwyth  United Kingdom The steamship was driven ashore at Dunaverty Castle, Argyllshire. She was on a voyage from Londonderry to Troon, Ayrshire. She was refloated and taken in to Troon.[65]
Lottie  United Kingdom The steamship was driven ashore at Cap Haïtien, Haiti. She was refloated with assistance.[54]
Roath  United Kingdom The ship struck the Mearns Blackhead. She was on a voyage from Caen, Calvados, France to Cardiff, Glamorgan. She put in to Falmouth, Cornwall in a leaky condition.[54]

23 May

List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1878
Ship State Description
Abeona  United Kingdom The schooner foundered in the Bristol Channel south west of Ilfracombe, Devon. Her crew were rescued by the tug Hazard ( United Kingdom). Abeona was on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to Penzance, Cornwall.[66]
Garland  United Kingdom The brig was wrecked on the Gunfleet Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex. Her nine crew were rescued by the Clacton Lifeboat Albert Edward ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[25][67] Garland was on a voyage from the River Tyne to London.[68]
Khedive, and
Voorwarts 		 United Kingdom
 Netherlands 		The steamship Voorwarts was run into by the steamship Khedive and was beached at Muka Head, Malaya, where she was wrecked. Her 130 passengers and 81 crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Batavia, Netherlands East Indies to Amsterdam, North Holland. Khedive was on a voyage from Bombay, India to China. She was taken in to Penang, Malaya in a severely damaged condition.[69][70][71][72][73]
Soskummeren  Norway The ship was driven ashore and wrecked on Saaremaa, Russia. She was on a voyage from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland.[54]
Unnamed Flag unknown The brig ran aground on the Gunfleet Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex, United Kingdom.[54]

24 May

List of shipwrecks: 24 May 1878
Ship State Description
Elseina Geertruida  Netherlands The ship ran aground and sank in the Zuyder Zee. She was on a voyage from Kampen, Overijssel to Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, United Kingdom.[74]

25 May

List of shipwrecks: 25 May 1878
Ship State Description
Italian Hero  United Kingdom The ship ran aground at La Atunara, Spain. She was on a voyage from Genoa, Italy to Liverpool, Lancashire. She was refloated.[75]
Secret United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Jersey The ketch ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, Kent. She was on a voyage from Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands to Jersey. She was refloated.[39]
William and Susannah  United Kingdom The ketch sprang a leak and sank in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Her three crew and the ship's dog were rescued. She was on a voyage from London to Spalding, Lincolnshire.[39][76]

27 May

List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1878
Ship State Description
Othere  United Kingdom The barque was driven ashore at Barnegat, New Jersey, United States. She was on a voyage from Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure, France to New York, United States.[77]
Stanley  United Kingdom The steamship ran aground at Kertch, Russia. She was refloated and resumed her voyage.[20]

28 May

List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1878
Ship State Description
Charlotte  Germany The ship was driven ashore in the River Avon.[77] She was on a voyage from Bristol, Gloucestershire to New York, United States.[72]
Ganger Rolf  Sweden The ship ran aground on the Langgrogrunden. She was on a voyage from Stockholm to Nordmaling.[77]

29 May

List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1878
Ship State Description
Muriel  United Kingdom The steamship was driven ashore. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Liverpool, Lancashire. She was refloated.[78]
Nojet  Russia The schooner ran aground on the Middlegrund. She was on a voyage from Loviisa, Grand Duchy of Finland to Montrose, Forfarshire, United Kingdom. She was refloated with assistance.[79]
Nonsuch  United Kingdom The schooner capsized at Wapping, Middlesex.[79] She was righted.[80]
United  United Kingdom The brig ran aground at Saltholm, Denmark. She was refloated on 1 June and taken in to Helsingør, Denmark.[79][81]

30 May

List of shipwrecks: 30 May 1878
Ship State Description
Avona  United Kingdom The ship was damaged by fire in the West India Docks, London.[82]
Stornoway  United Kingdom The steamship ran aground on a reef in Loch Carron and sank. She was on her maiden voyage, from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides to Stromeferry, Ross-shire. Although declared a total loss, she was refloated in mid-June. Subsequently repaired and returned to service.[83][84][80]

31 May

List of shipwrecks: 31 May 1878
Ship State Description
Adela  Nicaragua The ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso, Chile with the loss of two of her crew.[85][86]
Anita  Nicaragua The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Avelina Sanchez  Guatemala The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Bella Vista  Nicaragua The barque was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[87]
Bride  United Kingdom The barque was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Colleen  United Kingdom The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[88]
Deva  United Kingdom The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[88]
Elisa  Nicaragua The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso.[87]
Elsa  Germany The barque was abandoned off Valparaíso in a hurricane.[87][85] Her twelve crew survived.[86]
Elvira Alvarez  Nicaragua The barque was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Esta  Nicaragua The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[87]
Estela  Chile The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked in gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Freia  Chile The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
George Reynes  Chile The hulk was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso .[85]
Glenmore  United Kingdom The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[88]
SMS Großer Kurfürst, and
SMS König Wilhelm 		 Imperial German Navy
Großer Kurfürst sinking
The Preussen-class ironclad Großer Kurfürst was accidentally rammed by the ironclad König Wilhelm and sank off Folkestone, Kent, United Kingdom, with the loss of 284 lives. Survivors were rescued by boats from SMS König Wilhelm and SMS Preussen ( Imperial German Navy), and by three fishing vessels:- 27 by Emily, 18 by Susannah, and 17 by Six Brothers (all  United Kingdom). König Wilhelm was severely damaged. She was taken in to Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom for temporary repairs.[89][90]
Guatemala  France The barque was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Halcon  Nicaragua The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Herminia Alvarez  Chile The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Isabel Clarisa  Chile The hulk sank in a gale at Valparaíso.[87]
Kent  United Kingdom The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso with the loss of a crew member.[88][86]
Lotina  United Kingdom The schooner was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Maffeo  Chile The hulk was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Olga  Nicaragua The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Portena  Nicaragua The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Quillota  United Kingdom The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[88][85]
Rinsonor  Guatemala The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaísp.[85]
San Fernando  Nicaragua The barque was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Sarah Julia  Chile The barque sank in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Taltal  Chile The schooner sank in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Tam O'Shanter  Chile The launch sank in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Tavanda  Chile The hulk was driven ashore and wrecked in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Tranisto Alvarez  Nicaragua The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Valparaíso  Chile The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]
Washington  Chile The brig was damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[85]

Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date in May 1878
Ship State Description
Adrianus  Netherlands The full-rigged ship was driven ashore at Petten, North Holland. She was refloated with the assistance of a tug and taken in to the Nieuwe Diep.[91]
Alice  United Kingdom The ship was wrecked on the coast of America. She was on a voyage from Casablanca, Morocco to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[51]
Antonio  United Kingdom The steamship was driven ashore at Cape Henry, Virginia, United States. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire to Baltimore, Maryland, United States.[65] She was refloated on 22 May and resumed her voyage.[54]
Caterina Chiazzaro  Italy The barque was destroyed by fire in the Chincha Islands, Peru before 18 May.[77][20]
Chicago  United Kingdom The steamship was wrecked on the Longsand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex on or before 10 May. Fifteen of her 23 crew were rescued by the pilot cutter Stella ( United Kingdom); the rest reached shore in a boat. Chicago was on her maiden voyage, from Hartlepool, County Durham to Boston, Massachusetts, United States.[92][41][93][94]
Clara  United Kingdom The brig foundered in the Atlantic Ocean before 29 May. She was on a voyage from Runcorn, Cheshire to the Natal Colony.[78]
Cowburn  United Kingdom The brigantine was wrecked on St. Paul Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her crew were rescued.[60][26]
Deva  United Kingdom The full-rigged ship was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso, Chile.[95]
Emmanuel  United Kingdom The steamship was driven ashore on Hveen, Sweden. She was on a voyage from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham to Stettin, Germany. She was refloated with the assistance of a steamship and taken in to Copenhagen, Denmark.[96]
Empress of India  United Kingdom The ship foundered in Lake Ontario with the loss of eight of the seventeen people on board.[70]
Eureka  United States The ship was abandoned in the Indian Ocean before 16 May. She was on a voyage from New York to Yokohama, Japan.[97]
Golden Plover  United Kingdom The brig was wrecked at Horsey, Norfolk. Her ten crew were rescued by the Palling Lifeboat.[25][67] She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Bari, Italy.[98] She was refloated on 8 June with the assistance of a tug and towed in to Great Yarmouth, Norfolk in a severely leaky condition.[99]
Harriet G.  United Kingdom The brig was driven ashore at Paraguana, Venezuela before 15 May. She was on a voyage from Puerto Cabello to Maracaibo.[2]
Jane Milloy  United Kingdom The schooner was wrecked at Tobago. Her crew were rescued.[50][100]
Kenley  United Kingdom The steamship was beached at Whitby, Yorkshire. She was refloated on 3 May and taken in to Whitby.[91]
Lion  United Kingdom The brig was wrecked at Caravelas, Brazil. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Rio de Janeiro to Aracaju.[20]
Luiga  Italy The ship was wrecked on Zea, Greece.[74]
Luiga Madre  Italy The ship was driven ashore at Pensacola, Florida, United States. She was on a voyage from Pensacola to Hull, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.[18]
Mabel Clarke  United States The ship was wrecked on Tristan da Cunha. There were six survivors.[101]
Magnolia  United Kingdom The ship was driven ashore and wrecked in the Magdalen Islands, Nova Scotia. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Lisbon, Portugal to Quebec City, Canada.[100][102][72]
Mangrove  United Kingdom The steamship collided with the steamship Rose Mary ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Bon, Beylik of Tunis. She was on a voyage from London to Bombay, India.[103]
Maréchal de Turenne  France The ship was wrecked on Fortune Island, Bahamas. She was on a voyage from Haiti to Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure, France.[60]
Maria Therese  France The ship was driven ashore. She was on a voyage from Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône to Rio de Janeiro. She was refloated and towed in to Dénia, Spain, where she was condemned.[51]
Matador  United Kingdom The ship was driven ashore on Green Island. She was on a voyage from London to Quebec City She was refloated and completed her voyage.[24]
Medellin  Ceylon The steamship was damaged by a boiler explosion. Several of her crew were killed.[52]
Orange  United Kingdom The schooner was driven ashore and severely damaged on Seal Island, Nova Scotia, Canada before 7 May. She was on a voyage from Boston, Massachusetts, United States to Cork. She was later refloated and towed in to New York, where she arrived on 14 May.[13][44]
Pride of Canada  United Kingdom The ship was abandoned in the Indian Ocean. Some of her crew were rescued by the barque Europa ( Norway). Pride of Canada was on a voyage from Liverpool to Rangoon, Burma.[65][64]
Quillota  United Kingdom The barque was severely damaged in a gale at Valparaíso.[95]
Scout  United Kingdom The barque was wrecked on the coast of Patagonia, Argentina. She was on a voyage from Swansea, Glamorgan to Valparaíso.[95]
Sophia Bowen  United Kingdom The ship was damaged at sea whilst on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. She put in to Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands on 14 May. She was condemned.[104]
Stornoway  United Kingdom The ship struck a submerged rock and sank in Loch Carron.[79]
Thorn  United Kingdom The smack was wrecked at Drogheda, County Louth. Both crew were rescued by the Drogheda Lifeboat.[25]
Uranus  United Kingdom The ship was driven ashore near Libava, Courland Governorate. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Riga, Russia.[74]
Vanguard  United Kingdom The East Indiaman, a barque, foundered in the Indian Ocean before 22 May with the loss of all twenty crew. She was on a voyage from Colombo, Ceylon to London. Wreckage washed up on the coast of the Natal Colony.[82][105]
Vestalinden  Norway The ship was driven ashore and wrecked in the Saint Lawrence River at English Point, Quebec, Canada with the loss of three of her crew. She was on a voyage from Kragerø to Quebec City, Canada.[50][34][102]
Yang Tsze  France The steamship ran aground in the Suez Canal. She was on a voyage from Marseille to China.[91]

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Bibliography

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