HMS SPEEDY

British Gun Boat
Still Missing?

The Speedy, a schooner, was built in 1798 at Cataraqui (Kingston), Ontario. Initially serving as a gunboat, it was constructed with wood and had a single deck. The vessel had two masts and a tonnage of 80 (old style).

Tragically, the Speedy met its final fate on October 8, 1804, off Presque Isle in Ontario, Lake Ontario. It foundered in a blizzard and gale while carrying passengers, including principals involved in a murder trial and several British V.I.P.s. The ship sank, and all hands were lost.

In 1804, the Speedy was commissioned to transport a court from York to Presque Isle. Captain Thomas Paxton was in command of the vessel, tasked with conveying the members of the court, law officers, witnesses, and the prisoner to Newcastle at Presque Isle. The boat departed from York on the evening of October 7, and additional passengers were taken on board at Oshawa.

As darkness fell on October 8, a fierce gale blew from the northeast, accompanied by driving rain. The boat was observed to be in trouble from the shore, and efforts were made to assist it by lighting a bonfire at the tip of Presque Isle. However, the boat disappeared, and no survivors were found.

Following the storm, attempts were made to locate the submerged rock off Milligan’s Beach where the Speedy was believed to have foundered. Several search missions were conducted, involving multiple boats and men, but neither the rock nor the wreckage of the Speedy could be located. The rock, estimated to be a tall column standing upright in the lake, had vanished along with the ship.

There are conjectures regarding the rock’s origin and disappearance. It was speculated that the rock, possibly made of granite, was transported and deposited in its position by glacial action. Over time, natural elements may have weakened its base. It is hypothesized that the collision between the Speedy and the rock caused the tall column to collapse, creating a whirlpool that pulled the schooner down with it. However, the exact circumstances remain unknown, leaving the fate of the Speedy shrouded in mystery.