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.. The Southern Cross was the second ship of the name in the series of Melanesian Mission vessels, which numbered at least sewn. The first of the name was similar in appearance and size to her successor. She was a brigantine of 100 tons register, costing £1,800. Her first voyage to Melanesia was in May 1856, and after four years of service she was wrecked on June 18, 1860 at Ngunguru, on the northern coast of New Zealand. The mission was thus without a ship and from 1860 to 1863 had to depend on chartered ships.
The second Southern Cross, purchased in 1863, was a yawl-rigged brigantine of 93 tons, built in England at a cost of £3,932 10s. and arrived in New Zealand in February 1863. She left Auckland on her first voyage to the Melanesians on May 2, 1863 and for 10 years rendered useful service, though not as successful as had been hoped, in 1872 the question was being discussed of obtaining a vessel equipped with auxiliary power. During her visits to the mission stations among the Pacific islands she naturally called at the Melanesian Mission on Norfolk Island and this is the reason for her presence on the Norfolk stamp.
SG 85 Sea Breezes 4/68

When George Selwyn (1809-1878 was appointed missionary bishop for his new formed diocese in New Zealand, due to a clerical error his diocese was much larger than the intentions were, instead that the northern border of his diocese was 34S was it given in his patent as 34N.
17 October 1841 he was consecrated at Lambeth, and on 26 December he left the U.K. on board of a vessel.

After arrival in New Zealand he visited the next six years all corners of the country and in December 1847 he set sail for his first visit to the Pacific Islands.
Between 1847 and 1851 he made an average of four voyages to the Pacific Islands and travelled more as 17,000 miles on board of a 20 ton schooner UNDINE. During this voyages many times he took over the watch on board the schooner and did all kind of ships-work.

During a visit to the U.K. in 1854/55 he got sufficient donations to order a barkentine rigged vessel.
Built on the yard van Poplar Co, Middlesex, on orders of Bishop G.A.Selwyn for his missionary voyages in the Pacific.
Launched as the SOUTHERN CROSS (I) She was the first ship under that name for the Melanesian Mission see http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/story_melanesia1926/
Tonnage 92.36 ton, dim. 87.4 x 19.5 x 6.6ft.
Completed in 1862.
Building cost £3,932 and 10Sh.
First registered in London under No 332/1862.
22 October 1863 registered in Auckland under No 31/1863. Owner given as (Bishop) John Colerididge Patteson, and under command of Captain G.Sustins.

02 May 1863 she left Auckland for her first voyage for the mission to the Pacific Islands.
Was in service for the mission around 10 years.
20 September 1871 Bishop Patteson died, appointed as executants of his will were J.C. Buckland, B.T. Dudley and H.S. McKeller, which became on paper also the owners of the SOUTHERN CROSS.
Around 1880 she was sold and renamed SANTA CRUZ, with many shareholders-owners, not sure what she was doing for her new owners.
1882 Registered in the port of Sydney, N.S.W. Australia under No 46/1882, changed owner in 1888 and registered under No. 23/1888 in Sydney.
The last time she is mentioned is on 29 November 1890 when was reported that the SANTA CRUZ was sold in Hong Kong to a foreign country.

On the stamps of Norfolk Island and Solomon Islands she is depict as a topsail schooner.

Norfolk Island 1967 15c sg 85, scott108
Solomon Islands 1970 4c sg206, scott219

Source: lost