Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Scotland (1863)

Explore the wreck of the Scotland, a wooden barge-schooner hybrid lost in 1903 on the St. Lawrence River. Discover its intriguing history and the mysteries surrounding its final voyage.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Scotland
  • Type: Wooden Barge / Schooner Hybrid
  • Year Built: 1863
  • Builder: William Saunders, Brockville, Ontario
  • Dimensions: Length 146.7 ft (44.7 m); Beam 28.2 ft (8.6 m); Depth of hold 10.6 ft (3.2 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 424 net tons
  • Location: Near Sparrow Hawk Point, St. Lawrence River
  • Official Number: Enrollment Kingston No. 134 of 1863
  • Original Owners: George Chaffee & Brothers, William Jones, Page & Company, James Buckly
  • Number of Masts: Three masts (initially rigged as a schooner)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Originally built as a rigged barge for river service—with three masts and centre-board sailing rig, later converted to a non-rigged barge after mast removal.

Description

The SCOTLAND was a wooden barge-schooner hybrid, initially designed for river navigation. It featured a three-masted rigging system and a centre-board for enhanced maneuverability. Over its service life, the vessel underwent significant modifications, including the removal of its rigging, transforming it into a non-rigged barge.

History

Owned initially by George Chaffee & Brothers from 1863 to 1864, the SCOTLAND changed hands several times. From 1868 to 1873, it was owned by William Jones, during which time its rigging was removed. In 1873, the vessel was scuttled at Ferry Point near Belleville to escape creditors but was later raised and rebuilt in 1885 by Paradis at Sorel, Quebec. It re-entered service in the coal trade between Oswego and Montreal, with ownership transferred to James Buckly in 1886. Captains included John McGillies and Captain Dobbie.

Significant Incidents

  • 1873: Scuttled at Ferry Point to escape creditors.
  • 1885: Raised and rebuilt after being scuttled.
  • 1903: Lost on 2 June near Sparrow Hawk Point; no recorded casualties.

Final Disposition

The SCOTLAND was lost on 2 June 1903 near Sparrow Hawk Point on the St. Lawrence River. The circumstances of its loss remain unclear, with no contemporary records indicating whether it was due to a collision, storm, or grounding. No casualties were recorded in available summaries.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No known modern survey or GPS coordinates exist for the wreck of the SCOTLAND. It is presumed submerged in the river near Sparrow Hawk Point, with no public dive records found.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”scotland-1863″ title=”References & Links”]

The SCOTLAND was a wooden, schooner-rigged river barge launched at Brockville in 1863, which underwent multiple ownership changes, was scuttled and rebuilt, and ultimately lost on 2 June 1903. While its dimensions and service history are well documented, specific details regarding its final voyage and wreck site remain unknown. Further archival exploration is recommended to uncover its final fate.

Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

(Wooden Barge / Schooner Hybrid, Official Enrollment Kingston No. 134 of 1863)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Builder: William Saunders, Brockville, Ontario, launched in 1863.
  • Enrollment: Kingston port, No. 134 (20 May 1863) (Internet Archive).
  • Type: Initially single-decked river barge rigged as a three‑masted schooner with centre‑board.
  • Dimensions: Length 146.7 ft (44.7 m), beam 28.2 ft (8.6 m), depth 10.6 ft (3.2 m).
  • Tonnage: 424 net (≈ gross) tons.
  • Capacity: Approx. 2,400 bushels (cargo volume).
  • Hull Material: Wood; plain‑head bow configuration.

Vessel Type

Originally built as a rigged barge for river service—with three masts and centre‑board sailing rig, later converted to a non‑rigged barge after mast removal.

Ownership & Service Chronology

  • 1863–1864: Owned by George Chaffee & Brothers, Kingston.
  • 1868–1873: Owned by William Jones, Belleville; rigging removed.
  • 1873: Page & Company, Brockville, insolvent—barge scuttled at Ferry Point near Belleville to escape creditors, later raised (Internet Archive).
  • 1885: Remained scuttled in mud at Belleville until raised and rebuilt by Paradis at Sorel, Québec; re-entered service in coal trade between Oswego and Montreal.
  • 1886: Ownership transferred to James Buckly of Prescott, Ontario.
  • Captains included John McGillies (1863) and Captain Dobbie (1873).

Final Disposition

  • Loss date: 2 June 1903, lost near Sparrow Hawk Point on the St. Lawrence River (Lake St. Peter–Kingston reach).
  • Circumstances: No contemporary record of cause (collision, storm or grounding).
  • Casualties: None recorded in available summary sources.

Wreck Location & Discovery

  • No known modern survey or GPS coordinates.
  • Presumed submerged in river near Sparrow Hawk Point; no public dive records found.

Investigation, Salvage & Inquiry

  • No digitized report by Department of Marine & Fisheries or marine boards found in 1903 annual reports or accident indices.
  • The 1903 Montreal–Kingston pilot/inquiries reports lacked mention of a vessel named Scotland or Barque Barge losses in that zone (naval-history.net, Internet Archive).

Notmars & Advisories

  • No Notices to Mariners or buoyage records directly referencing this wreck were located.
  • River buoy and pilot aids documentation shows channel hazards but no specific wreck hazard listing for 2 June 1903.

Gaps & Next-Step Recommendations

Due to limited online references, further archival investigation is warranted:

  1. Library and Archives Canada – Senate/House papers or maritime annual reports from 1903 may contain specific loss entry.
  2. Dominion Department of Marine & Fisheries annual reports around 1903–1904 (text isn’t searchable online in indexed form).
  3. Local newspapers: Belleville Intelligencer, Kingston Whig‑Standard, Montreal Gazette from May–July 1903—may include notes or small marine loss reports.
  4. Transport Canada archives or Sorel shipyard records (Paradis yard) may document reconstruction and subsequent voyages.
  5. Local maritime heritage societies in Prescott, Brockville, Belleville, or Kingston may hold genealogical files, vessel enrollment registers, or insurance/docking lists.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The SCOTLAND was a wooden, schooner‑rigged river barge launched at Brockville in 1863, changed rig and ownership multiple times, scuttled and rebuilt in 1885, and eventually lost on 2 June 1903 near Sparrow Hawk Point on the St. Lawrence River. While ownership, dimensions, modifications, and service chronology are well documented, specific details of her final voyage, sinking mechanism, and wreck site remain unknown in publicly available digital sources.

Further archival exploration—especially through regional newspapers, Dominion marine annual reports of 1903, and shipyard or harbor authority logs—is recommended to uncover her final fate in full academic detail.

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