From Ulverston Mirror and Furness Reflector, Saturday 15 December 1877:
FOUNDERING OF SCHOONER NEAR FLEETWOOD:
About 8:30pm, on 7 Dec 1877, a vessel was seen to be making signals of
distress in close proximity to the Danger Patch buoy, a few miles west
of the Wyre Light. The steamtug Nelson took the lifeboat in tow and proceeded
in the direction from which the signal came, but had to return without finding
any vessel. In the meantime, the crew of the schooner Zion Hill, of
Porthmadog, Caernarfon, landed at Fleetwood about 11:30pm in a small boat and
stated that their vessel had foundered. The crew consisted of Captain David
Davies and five men, and all were saved. The schooner was on a passage from
London to Lancaster with a cargo of cement.
On 12 December, the salvage steamer Hyena arrived at Fleetwood from Liverpool with pumps, etc, to endeavour to lift the schooner Zion Hill, of Porthmadog, wrecked on North Wharf.
On 18 December the hull of the schooner Zion Hill, of Porthmadog, stranded on King's Scar, was sold at auction.
The Zion Hill (ON 14588) is in the Mercantile Navy List up to 1878 but not 1879. This suggests she was not put back in service. However, the hull, having been sold, will have been recovered and recycled to some extent.
Shipping and Mercantile Gazette Friday 14 December 1877:
Re: Zion Hill. Report of David
Davies, Master of the schooner Zion Hill, of Caernarvon, 113 tons, from London
Nov. 20. 3 p.m., for Lancaster (cement):
Proceeded, experiencing
very rough weather during her passage, and was at anchor in the Downs and in Red
Wharf Bay. Passed Morecambe Bay Lightship about 4 p.m. on the same day
as the casualty happened, from which time the lead was kept constantly going,
the last three or four casts giving no soundings. A minute or two after,
found the vessel had taken the ground on the south side of the River Lune.
On
Dec. 7, at tide young flood, weather squally, with showers, wind west moderate
squally, the schooner took the ground near the King Scar Perch, off Fleetwood.
Immediately got out boat, with the intention of laying out an anchor, but unable
to so, the sea being too heavy. Then tried pumps, but found she was making
water, all hands pumping vessel, labouring heavily, water increasing, and
finding there was no chance of getting her off, made signals of distress
for life-boat, but
the water was gaining so fast, we were obliged to take to our own boat, and made for
Fleetwood, where we arrived about 10:30 the same evening. Deponent further
states that signals were made for a Pilot fully half an hour before she struck,
but none in sight. Deponent finds they went out to render assistance, but the
crew had left the vessel, which the tide covers at high water. As far as lading was
concerned, the vessel was in good sailing trim. Fleetwood, Dec. 8.