The schooner Canada, belonging to Kingston, encountered a tragic incident on December 3, 1848. The vessel, carrying a cargo of salt, went ashore near Port Hope on Lake Ontario. Unfortunately, the wreck resulted in the loss of six lives, making it a devastating event. Both the vessel and its cargo were declared total losses.
The Canada was initially mistaken for the steamer CANADA and was reported as such. However, it was later clarified that the vessel was a schooner and not a steamer. The schooner Canada was an older vessel, and it was owned by Mr. Richardson of Toronto.
Reports indicate that the schooner Canada cleared from port in Kingston on Thursday, November 30, 1848, bound for Cobourg. It was carrying a cargo primarily consisting of 1,000 barrels of salt. The exact cause of the accident is not specified in the available information.
This gale on Lake Ontario also caused other losses and damages. The brig Concord, which cleared from the same port as the Canada, was reported ashore above Kingston but was expected to be refloated. Additionally, the steamer Comet was reported ashore below Toronto, although no further details were provided. The schooner Ottawa, owned by Hamilton, was also lost near Port Stanley while carrying salt.
The loss of the Canada had a profound impact on the crew and their families. Alexander McDougal, the captain of the vessel, was the sole survivor of the crew. Unfortunately, the rest of his crew, including his two sons, perished in the accident. This loss was a heartbreaking tragedy for the McDougal family and the entire community.
The property loss resulting from the wreck of the schooner Canada was estimated at $3,200 according to the casualty list of 1848.
It is important to note that there was confusion regarding the vessel’s identity, initially mistaking it for the steamer CANADA. However, subsequent reports clarified that it was indeed a schooner named Canada.
