# List of shipwrecks in December 1885

The list of shipwrecks in December 1885 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during December 1885.

## 1 December

List of shipwrecks: 1 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aurore, and Fede Amor | Netherlands Italy | The barque Aurore was run into off the Goodwin Sands, Kent, United Kingdom by the barque Fede Amor and was abandoned. Her crew were rescued by a Spanish steamship. Aurore was on a voyage from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States to Amsterdam, North Holland. She was subsequently taken in tow for Dunkerque, Nord, France by three fishing luggers. Fede Amor was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham, United Kingdom to Livorno. She was towed in to the River Thames for repairs by the tug Dreadnought ( United Kingdom). |
| Fidelio | Germany | The barque was towed in to Dover, Kent in a capsized condition, having been in collision with another vessel. She was partially righted and the body of a crew member was discovered. |
| Monarch | United Kingdom | The steamship was damaged by and onboard explosion. She was on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to Madeira. She put in to Falmouth, Cornwall. |

## 2 December

List of shipwrecks: 2 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| No. 3 | United Kingdom | The pilot boat was run down and sunk off the Bar Lightship ( Trinity House) by the steamship Landana ( United Kingdom) with the loss of one of the 21 people on board. |

## 3 December

List of shipwrecks: 3 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| J. A. Furlong | United Kingdom | The schooner ran aground on the North Bull, off the coast of County Dublin. |
| Nathaniel | United Kingdom | The schooner was abandoned on the Jordan Flats, in Liverpool Bay. Her crew were rescued by a lifeboat. She was on a voyage from Cork to Weston Point, Cheshire. She was subsequently towed in to New Ferry, Cheshire.c |
| Palgrave | United Kingdom | The disabled vessel Palgrave was being towed by Deccan ( United Kingdom) when the hawser parted while off the coast of Ireland. Deccan lost sight of the vessel and seven of the crew were seriously injured. |
| Wakefield | United Kingdom | The cargo liner collided with the cargo liner Chester ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Humber. Of the 40 people on board, her stewardess drowned. Wakefield was on a voyage from Grimsby, Lincolnshire to Hamburg, Germany. |

## 4 December

List of shipwrecks: 4 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Jane Shearer | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at the mouth of the River Bann. |

## 5 December

List of shipwrecks: 5 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Daniel | United Kingdom | The ship sank in the River Mersey off New Brighton, Cheshire. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Runcorn, Cheshire to Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. |
| Dorie Emory | United States | The tugs boiler exploded in the North River off Fifty-Seventh Street, New York. All four crew were killed. |
| Mary Maria | United Kingdom | The ketch was run into by the steamship Glendale ( United Kingdom) at Blackwall, Middlesex and was beached. |
| Oconto | United States | The steamship was wrecked in a gale/snowstorm on Charity Island, Michigan with the loss of a crew member. The rest of her crew and passengers were ferried to the island in her boat. She floated off on 6 April 1886, drifted 20 nautical miles (37 km) and sank in Saginaw Bay near North Island in 14 feet (4.3 m) of water. |
| St. George | France | The fishing boat collided with another French fishing boat and sank in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure. Her crew took to a boat; they were rescued by the steamship Enniskillen ( United Kingdom). |

## 6 December

List of shipwrecks: 6 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Abissinia | Italy | The steamship was driven ashore and wrecked near Casablanca, Morocco. She was on a voyage from Genoa to the River Plate. |
| Bretton Hall | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore and wrecked at Sharpham Point, Devon. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium to Cardiff, Glamorgan. |
| Burswell | United Kingdom | The steamship was sighted off Dover, Kent whilst on a voyage from the River Tyne to Genoa. No further trace, reported missing. |
| Grace | United Kingdom | The sloop was abandoned in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) off Scarborough, Yorkshire. Her crew were rescued by the smack Challenger ( United Kingdom). |
| Kingswear | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Greenock, Renfrewshire. She was on a voyage from Glasgow, Renfrewshire to Dublin. |
| Leader | United Kingdom | A schooner, likely Leader of Inverness, on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham for Lossiemouth, Moray with coal and six crew, was run into by the steamship Hayle ( United Kingdom) and sank about 16 nautical miles (30 km) east of the Bell Rock lighthouse, Fife, United Kingdom. A boat was lowered from Hayle but no survivors were found. |
| Petrel | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore at Sunderland, County Durham. She was on a voyage from Montrose, Forfarshire to Sunderland. She was refloated on 16 December and taken in to Sunderland. |
| Ruth | United Kingdom | The Thames barge collided with the sailing barge Emily ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Medway. Her crew survived. |

## 7 December

List of shipwrecks: 7 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Flora | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Osmington, Dorset. Her crew were rescued by the Coastguard. She was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham to Weymouth, Dorset. |
| Mary Coverdale | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground at Saltholmen, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Memel, Germany to Hull, Yorkshire. She was refloated and towed in to Helsingør, Denmark. |

## 8 December

List of shipwrecks: 8 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Elisabeth | Norway | The ship was abandoned in the North Sea. Some of her crew were rescued by the fishing smack Corsair ( United Kingdom). |

## 9 December

List of shipwrecks: 9 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Canada | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked on the Morant Cays. Her ten crew survived. She was on a voyage from Queenstown, County Cork to Mobile, Alabama, United States. |
| Rose | United Kingdom | The steamship struck the pier and sank at Amble, Northumberland. She was on a voyage from Dundee, Forfarshire to Amble. |
| Tit | United Kingdom | The Thames barge was run into by the steamship Iona ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames at Limehouse, Middlesex. |

## 10 December

List of shipwrecks: 10 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Flora | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground on Ormington Ledge. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham to Weymouth, Dorset. |
| Onward | United States | The fishing schooner ran aground on Hampton Ledge, floated off and sank. Her crew were rescued. |

## 11 December

List of shipwrecks: 11 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Charger | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south of Ballywater, County Antrim. She was on a voyage from Belfast, County Antrim to Doboy, Georgia, United States. |
| Eagle | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked near Scourie, Sutherland. Her crew were rescued. |
| Souverain | Norway | The barque was driven ashore at "Jaederen", Denmark. She was on a voyage from St. Ubes, Portugal to Drontheim. She was a total loss. |

## 12 December

List of shipwrecks: 12 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Julia Catherine | Russia | The schooner was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by the steamship Rinaldo ( United Kingdom). Julia Catherine was on a voyage from Swansea, Glamorgan, United Kingdom to Tunis, Tunisia. |
| Unnamed | Flag unknown | Wreckage from a large steamship was washed up on the south shore of Guernsey, Channel Islands. |

## 13 December

List of shipwrecks: 13 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Beatrice | United Kingdom | The tank barge was run into by the steamship T. E. Foster ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames at Blackwall, Middlesex. |
| Georgina | Canada | The ship departed from Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands for Liverpool, Nova Scotia. No further trace, reported missing. |

## 14 December

List of shipwrecks: 14 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aldebaran | France | The barque foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by the barque Finland ( Russia). Aldebaran was on a voyage from Nantes, Loire-Inférieure to Martinique. |
| Empress | United Kingdom | The schooner was run into by the steamship Risca ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames at Gravesend, Kent. She was on a voyage from Chester, Cheshire to Grays, Essex. She was later refloated and towed upstream. |
| George Franklin | United States | The lighter, under tow of Star ( United States), sank 3⁄4 nautical mile (1.4 km) east south east of Robbin's Reef, New Jersey. Her captain drowned. |

## 16 December

List of shipwrecks: 16 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Red Jacket | Portugal | The coaling hulk dragged her anchors and was driven ashore at Funchal, Madeira Island in a heavy gale. She was a total loss. |
| Veronica | United States | The barque, previously arrived at Funchal, Madeira Island from St. Michael's was cast ashore in a gale and wrecked. |

## 17 December

List of shipwrecks: 17 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alster | United Kingdom | The steamship struck the Three Stone Ore, near Gurnard's Head, Cornwall. She was refloated and headed for St Ives, Cornwall, but sank about 1+1⁄2 nautical miles (2.8 km) off St. Ives Head. Her fifteen crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Swansea, Glamorgan to Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure. |
| Atlantic | Canada | The ship foundered off Queenstown, County Cork, United Kingdom. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham, United Kingdom to Buenos Aires, Argentina. |
| Neva | United Kingdom | The fishing trawler was run into by the steamship Lesbos ( Greece) off the Eddystone Rocks, Cornwall with the loss of three of her five crew. Survivors were rescued by Lesbos. |
| Sussex | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Seal Rock, near the Maiden Bower, in the Isles of Scilly and was abandoned by her crew. She broke up in heavy seas during the night of 4–5 January 1886. |

## 18 December

List of shipwrecks: 18 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Industry | United Kingdom | The trow collided with the steamship Teviot ( United Kingdom) and sank at the mouth of the River Usk. Industry was on a voyage from Newport, Monmouthshire to Portmadoc, Caernarfonshire. |
| State of Alabama | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in Lower New York Bay. She was on a voyage from Glasgow, Renfrewshire to New York. She was refloated with assistance and completed her voyage. |
| Tangier | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Sadras, India whilst going to the assistance of Caramania (Flag unknown). She was on a voyage from Madras, India to London. She was refloated in March 1886 and taken in to Calcutta. |

## 19 December

List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Charger | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore near Ballyhalbert, County Down. She was refloated and taken in to Belfast, County Antrim. |
| Refulgent | United Kingdom | The steamship collided with the steamship B. Granger ( United Kingdom) and was beached at Becton, Middlesex. |

## 22 December

List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eliza Hunting | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore and capsized on the coast of Devon. Some of her crew took to a boat and were rescued by a brig. The rest were unaccounted for. Eliza Hunting was on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to Puerto Mazzaron, Spain. |
| Gertrude | United Kingdom | The pilot boat was run into and sunk by the steamship Eliza Hunting ( United Kingdom) off Penarth, Glamorgan. Her crew were rescued by Eliza Hunting and transferred to another pilot boat. |
| Glaucus | Queensland | The steamship ran aground on the Kings Reef, off Dunk Island, Queensland. She was on a voyage from Australia to New Zealand or vice versa. She was refloated and resumed her voyage. |
| Lion | United Kingdom | The smack ran aground at Caernarfon. She was on a voyage from Caernarfon to Pembroke. She was refloated and put back to Caernarfon in a leaky condition. |
| Sarah Forsyth | United Kingdom | The schooner foundered 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Dipper Point. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Ayr to Belfast, County Antrim. |

## 23 December

List of shipwrecks: 23 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| West Jersey | United States | The ferry boat, under tow of F. W. Vosburg ( United States), sank 15 to 18 nautical miles (28 to 33 km) north of Barnegat, New Jersey with the loss of her captain. |

## 25 December

List of shipwrecks: 25 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mabel Dilloway | United States | 1885 Christmas gale: The fishing schooner sank in a gale on the Georges Bank. Lost with all 16 or 17 crew. |

## 26 December

List of shipwrecks: 26 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cleopatra | United States | 1885 Christmas gale: The fishing schooner was dismasted in the gale. Five crew killed. Survivors were rescued the next day by the steamship Lord Gough ( United States). Cleopatra was scuttled by burning. |
| Delia Hartwell | United States | 1885 Christmas gale: The schooner dragged anchor in Flagg's Cove, Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada. She was fouled by Sabra Killam ( Canada) then was driven ashore and wrecked at Centreville. |
| Ivanhoe | United States | 1885 Christmas gale: The fishing schooner was wrecked on LeHave Bank in the gale, and was abandoned the next day. Her crew were rescued the next day by Gellert ( Germany). |
| Sabra Killam | Canada | 1885 Christmas gale: The schooner dragged anchor in Flagg's Cove, fouled Delia Hartwell ( United States) then went ashore and wrecked at Centerville. Her captain froze to death. |

## 27 December

List of shipwrecks: 27 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Golden Fleece | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship was wrecked on Fly Island, off Sandalwood Island, Fiji Islands with the loss of two of her crew. She was on a voyage from the Clyde to Shanghai, China. |
| Governor Loch | Isle of Man | The schooner ran aground and was severely damaged at Dunfanaghy, County Donegal. She was on a voyage from Dunfanaghy to Londonderry. |
| John Ray | United Kingdom | The steamship sank in the River Thames near Gravesend, Kent. She was refloated on 21 January 1886 and beached. |

## 28 December

List of shipwrecks: 28 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Racer | United States | The schooner sank 16 nautical miles (30 km) off Portland, Maine. |
| Rhoda | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore at Portrush, County Antrim. She was on a voyage from Maryport, Cumberland to Portrush. |

## 29 December

List of shipwrecks: 29 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ann Webster | United Kingdom | The steamship was run into by the steamship Berno ( United Kingdom) and sank in the River Thames near Woolwich, Kent. |
| Benbow | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Clyde off Dumbarton. |
| Neckaron | Norway | The full-rigged ship was abandoned at sea. Her crew were rescued by the fishing smack Charles and Ada ( United Kingdom). |
| Rapid | United Kingdom | The steamship struck the Wembdon, in the Estuary of Bilbao and was severely damaged. |

## 30 December

List of shipwrecks: 30 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ida Louise | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore on the French coast. She was on a voyage from Bilbao, Spain to Dunkerque, Nord, France. She was refloated the next day and taken in to Dover, Kent in a leaky condition. |
| Unnamed | United Kingdom | The cutter capsized off Yellow Ledges in the Isles of Scilly with the loss of one life while on her way to the assist the stranded steamer Sussex ( United Kingdom) at Seal Rock. |

## 31 December

List of shipwrecks: 31 December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Blanche | United Kingdom | The steamship collided with the steamship Tiber (Flag unknown) and sank in the River Thames at Tilbury, Essex. Blanche was on a voyage from London to Dunkerque, Nord, France. She was refloated on 3 January 1886 and beached at Greenhithe, Kent. |
| Paladin | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked on Faial Island, Azores. All on board were rescued. She was on a voyage from Boston, Massachusetts, United States to Flores Island, Azores. |
| Schwan | Germany | The ship was run into by Skerryvore ( United Kingdom) in the River Thames at Blackwall, Middlesex and was beached. She was refloated the next day and towed to Limehouse, Middlesex by two tugs. |
| Virginia Dare | United States | New Year's gale: The schooner sank in a gale on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland with the loss of all fourteen hands. |

## Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date in December 1885 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Acacia | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Cartagena, Spain. She was refloated and found to be leaky. |
| Albano | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Cape Henry, Virginia, United States. She was on a voyage from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Baltimore, Maryland, United States. |
| Alice Tarleton | United States | The schooner collided with another vessel and sank. Her crew were rescued by the schooner Cumberland ( United States). Alice Tarleton was on a voyage from Boston, Massachusetts to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. |
| America | Germany | The steamship was driven ashore in Chesapeake Bay. She was on a voyage from Baltimore to Bremen. |
| Ardanaz | Spain | The steamship ran aground in the Loire. She was on a voyage from Vinaròs to Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure, France. |
| Ariel | United States | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón, United States of Colombia. |
| A. T. Franklin | Flag Unknown | 1885 Christmas gale: The schooner was wrecked at Ingall's Point. |
| Blanche | Norway | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Bonnie Lassie | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore and sank at "Toppershoedje", Netherlands East Indies. |
| Caramania | Flag unknown | The steamship was driven ashore at Sadras, India on or before 18 December. She was on a voyage from the Clyde to Madras, India. She was later refloated and taken in to Calcutta, where she arrived on 1 January 1886. |
| Charles A. Hoard | United States | The ship ran aground on the Romer Shoals. She was on a voyage from Saint Croix to New York. |
| Charles | France | The ship sank off Sark, Channel Islands. |
| Charles Worsley | United Kingdom | The ship caught fire and was abandoned at sea. She was on a voyage from Chittagong, India to Dundee, Forfarshire. She was subsequently towed in to Calcutta, India. |
| Christina | Denmark | The ship was driven ashore on the Duddon Sands. She was on a voyage from Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom to Nykøbing. She was refloated and towed in to Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire in a severely leaky condition. |
| Christine | Denmark | The brigantine was driven ashore and wrecked on Skagen. She was on a voyage from Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, United Kingdom to Odense. |
| Claxton | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore and wrecked with the loss of six of her crew. She was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham to Copenhagen Denmark. |
| Colombia | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Tambo de Mora, Peru. She was refloated and taken in to Callao, Peru. |
| Cyrene | United Kingdom | The ship ran aground at Cochin, India. She was refloated and found to be severely leaky. |
| Douglas Castle | Norway | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Duchess of Lancaster | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore on the Isla de Flores, Uruguay. She was on a voyage from Newport, Monmouthshire to Riachuelo, Uruguay. She was later refloated. |
| Eagle | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Badcall, Sutherland. She was on a voyage from "Glendhue" to Ullapool, Ross-shire. |
| Elizabeth | Flag unknown | The ship ran aground at Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. She was on a voyage from Cap-Haïtien to Antwerp, Belgium. She was refloated and put back to Cap-Haïtien in a leaky condition. |
| Elsy | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Covehithe, Suffolk. Her five crew were rescued by rocket apparatus. She was on a voyage from London to Lowestoft, Suffolk. |
| Elvina | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked in a hurricane at Colón. |
| Evelina | United Kingdom | The brig was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Expert | United Kingdom | The schooner was wrecked near Montrose, Forfarshire. |
| Exio | Flag unknown | The ship was driven ashore at Batoum, Russia. She was refloated and taken in to Batoum in a leaky condition. |
| Fortitude | United Kingdom | The fishing smack was driven ashore and wrecked at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire. Her crew were rescued. |
| Frank Atwood | United States | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Florence | United Kingdom | The Thames barge sank in the River Thames at Mucking, Essex. |
| Friedrich Carrow | Flag unknown | The ship ran aground at Jamaica. She was consequently condemned. |
| Gazelle | Flag Unknown | 1885 Christmas gale: The schooner went ashore at Woodward's Cove. |
| George Evans | United Kingdom | The smack caught fire at St. Dogmaels, Cornwall and was scuttled. |
| Golden Sheaf | United Kingdom | The ship was lost. |
| Grane | Norway | The brig was driven ashore at Galveston, Texas, United States. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to Galveston. She was a total loss. |
| Greenore | United Kingdom | The dredger sank in the Carlingford Lough. She was refloated on 11 December and taken in to Warrenpoint, County Antrim. |
| Gutenberg | Germany | The ship was wrecked in the Dry Tortugas. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Bremen. |
| Hastings | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Dungeness, Kent. She was refloated and resumed her voyage. |
| Hekla | Netherlands | The steamship was driven ashore at Lemvig, Denmark. She was on a voyage from Stettin, Germany to Amsterdam, North Holland. |
| Helden | Norway | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Historian | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Magdalena River. She was on a voyage from London to Savanilla, United States of Colombia. She was refloated on 29 December and taken in to Colón. |
| Il Nazarena | Italy | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked on Robben Island, Cape Colony. Her crew were rescued. |
| Incemore | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore and damaged at Haugesund, Norway. She was on a voyage from Sulina, Romania to Bergen, Norway. She was later refloated. |
| Inflexible | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore. She was on a voyage from Port Royal, Jamaica to London. She was refloated and taken in to Norfolk, Virginia, United States in a leaky condition and was placed under repair. |
| Jane Stephenson | United Kingdom | The fishing trawler was driven ashore at Donna Nook. Her crew were rescued. |
| Johanna von Schubert | Germany | The ship collided with the steamship Essex ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Pregel. Johanna von Schubert was on a voyage from Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom to Pillau. |
| John McLaggan | United States | The ship was abandoned at sea. She was on a voyage from Summerside to Philadelphia. |
| Jupiter | Norway | The barque was driven ashore at Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. She was later refloated and taken in to Coatzacoalcos. |
| Kamehamaha Iv | United Kingdom | The ship capsized at New York. She was on a voyage from Demerara, British Guiana to New York. |
| Karnau | Norway | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Kedron | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore at Domesnes, Courland Governorate with the loss of all hands. |
| Kent, and Lord Howe | United Kingdom | The collier Kent collided with the ketch Lord Howe in the River Thamed and was beached. Lord Howe sank. Her crew were rescued. |
| King's Lynn | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground at Gröden, Germany. She was refloated with the assistance of a steamship and resumed her voyage. |
| Lady of the Lake | United Kingdom | The ship sank off Lowestoft. Her crew were rescued. |
| Lass o'Down | United Kingdom | The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked near North Berwick, Lothian. Her crew were rescued. |
| Laura | United Kingdom | The Thames barge was run into by the steamship Thunder ( United Kingdom) and was beached at Limehouse, Middlesex. |
| Lord Beaconsfield | United Kingdom | The fishing smack was driven ashore at Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire. Her crew survived. |
| Lynton | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked near Aspinwall, United States of Colombia with the loss of all hands. She was on a voyage from South Shields, County Durham to Aspinwall. |
| Magician | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship collided with the full-rigged ship Ben Douran ( United Kingdom) and sank with the loss of a crew member. Magician was on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan to San Francisco, California, United States. |
| Marathon | United Kingdom | The ship was driven ashore at Heidle Point, Peru. She was a total loss. |
| Marie Frederike | Russia | The schooner foundered off "East Bolderaa". Her crew were rescued. |
| Mary Coverdale | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Thisted, Denmark. |
| Mayflower | United Kingdom | The schooner was abandoned off "Voel Nant". |
| Minnie | Flag Unknown | 1885 Christmas gale: The schooner was wrecked at Brown's Point. |
| Moel-y-Don | United Kingdom | The barque was driven ashore near Rosses Point, County Sligo. |
| Morasize | United Kingdom | The ship sank with the loss of all hands. |
| Montevideo | Argentina | The steamship ran aground in the Paraguay River. |
| Nameless, and St. Helier | United Kingdom | The brigantine Nameless collided with the steamship St. Helier at Penarth, Glamorgan. Both vessels were severely damaged and put in to Cardiff for repairs. Nameless was on a voyage from Cardiff to Youghal, County Cork. St. Helier was on a voyage from Cardiff to Palermo, Sicily, Italy. |
| Nanny | Flag unknown | The barque was driven ashore at Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland. |
| Nimrod | Netherlands | The brig ran aground on the Middelgrund, in the Baltic Sea. She was on a voyage from Gävle, Sweden to Delfzijl, Groningen. |
| Nockar | Norway | The full-rigged ship was abandoned in the North Sea on or before 31 December. |
| Norway | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground in the Scheldt at Terneuzen, Zeeland, Netherlands. She was on a voyage from Brăila, Romania to Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium. |
| Ocean | Norway | The full-rigged ship was driven ashore and wrecked near Quiberon, Morbihan, France. She was on a voyage from Mobile, Alabama, United States to London, United Kingdom. |
| Océan | France | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Ortolan | Norway | The brig was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Pachumba | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground at "Linga", Persia. She was refloated. |
| Papua | Germany | The steamship ran aground on the Osprey Reef, in the Torres Strait. |
| Peter | Denmark | The schooner was driven ashore on Hirsholmene. She was on a voyage from Bandholm to Arendal, Norway. |
| Pioneer | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Eyemouth, Berwickshire. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Dundee. She was later refloated. |
| Rocklands | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore at Cádiz, Spain. |
| Rover of the Seas | United Kingdom | The ship foundered at sea. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from "Victoria, V.I." to Liverpool. |
| Ryerson | United Kingdom | The full-rigged ship caught fire at New Orleans. She was on a voyage from New Orleans to Liverpool. |
| Sadie Ankers | Flag unknown | The ship was abandoned off Cozumel, Mexico. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Porto Cortez, Honduras to London. |
| Salmon | Canada | The ship ran aground at Fleetwood, Lancashire. She was on a voyage from Saint John, New Brunswick to Fleetwood. She was refloated and found to be waterlogged. |
| Seagull | United Kingdom | The smack was driven ashore in Malltraeth Bay. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire to Garston, Lancashire. |
| Seenymphe | Germany | The schooner was wrecked at Durban, Natal Colony. Her crew were rescued. |
| Silica | United Kingdom | The barque was wrecked near the mouth of the Tonalá River. She was on a voyage from Colón to Minatitlán, Mexico. |
| Skinfaxe | Norway | The ship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Newport, Monmouthshire to Guadeloupe. |
| Southwood | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground on the St. Lambert Bank, in the Gironde. She was on a voyage from Carloforte, Sardinia, Italy to Bordeaux, Gironde, France. |
| St. Andrews Bay | United Kingdom | The steamship was driven ashore in Chesapeake Bay. She was on a voyage from Baltimore to Bordeaux. She was later refloated and resumed her voyage. |
| Stella Catalina | United States of Colombia | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Storra Lee | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground at Maassluis, South Holland, Netherlands. She was on a voyage from Sulina to Rotterdam, South Holland. She was refloated with assistance and resumed her voyage. |
| Theodore | Russia | The schooner collided with the barque Trimpus ( Russia) and ran aground off the coast of Sweden. Theodor was on a voyage from South Shields to Liepāva. She was refloated and towed in to Helsingborg in a severely damaged condition. |
| Theodore Reimers | Germany | The ship was driven ashore at Hela. She was on a voyage from Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom to Dantsic. |
| Three Brothers | United Kingdom | The fishing trawler was driven ashore and wrecked at the Heugh Lighthouse, County Durham. Her crew were rescued. |
| Tigri | Austria-Hungary | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Tolfaen | United Kingdom | The steamship collided with the steamship King Ja Ja ( United Kingdom) off Plasnewydd. She was beached at "Raynol". |
| Tweed | United Kingdom | The tug was driven ashore at Penarth, Glamorgan. Her crew were rescued. |
| Universal | United Kingdom | The steamship ran aground on the Borneira Rock, in Vigo Bay and was severely damaged. She was on a voyage from Carthagena, Spain to Workington, Cumberland. She was refloated and taken in to port. |
| Veronica | United States | The barque was driven ashore and wrecked at Madeira. Her crew were rescued. |
| Veteran | United States | The barquentine was driven ashore and wrecked at Colón. |
| Viceroy | United Kingdom | The steamship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by the barque Laurel ( United Kingdom). Viceroy was on a voyage from New Orleans to Bremen. |
| Waikna | United States | The yacht was driven ashore at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. She was on a voyage from New York to British Honduras. |
| Wergeland | Norway | The brig put in to Cowes, Isle of Wight on fire. Attempts by HMS Hector ( Royal Navy) to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful and she was scuttled. |
| W. Rohl | Germany | The barque caught fire and sank at Rio de Janeiro. She was on a voyage from Iquique, Chile to Hamburg. |
| Unnamed | Flag unknown | The brigantine ran aground and sank on the East Hoyle Bank, in Liverpool Bay. |
| Unnamed | France | The pilot boat sank off the La Coubre Lighthouse, Gironde. |
| Unnamed | Flag unknown | The brig was driven ashore at the Shornemead Fort, Kent. |