The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Sea Nymph
According to the July 28, 1860 issue of the British Colonist, the Sea Nymph was a British barque, built in 1859, with a deck length of 37 m, a beam of 7 m, and
a depth hold of roughly 5 m; it was advertised for auction, in Victoria, with all her Sails, Boats, Chronometer, Barometer, Sympiesometer and other gear.1
According to Murdoch, Thomas William Clinton to Merivale, Herman 21 February 1859, CO 60:5, no.
2013, 497, the Sea Nymph was bound for British Columbia, a voyage upon which at least one passenger, a Mr.
Cadell, complained about the state of the ship and the treatment of the passengers.
The Sea Nymph, however, did not fall under the guidelines of the Passengers Act, so Government
officials lacked power to intervene. The same despatch mentions that the owners appointed
a new Master, who saw that all passengers were comfortable, and ensured that the Sea Nymph was in a proper state by the time it departed to sea.