On the 25th September, during a thick fog, signals of distress were heard, and the Life-boat Forster Fawsett was dis- patched as quickly as possible. Near the Crumstone Rock, Fame Island, she found the s.s. Britannia, aground.

When the Life-boat reached the vessel the crew were not anxious to leave her, and the captain asked the boat to stand by. Later a tug arrived and attempted to tow the vessel clear, but at high water she had ten feet of water in her, and, as the weather gave signs of changing, those on board decided to leave. Seven of the crew were taken off by the Life- boat, and the remainder reached safety by means of the ship's boats. Next day the vessel slipped off the rocks and sank in deep water..