The 398 ton barque Ocean King was built at James Lange & Sons in Sunderland 1859. On January 22, 1881 she still carried the same name and while she was sailing in the South Atlantic she ran onto some submerged rocks off the South African coast. She was stuck fast, but the master and crew managed to get her off. This move however did not save her as she sank in deep water. All the crew got off safely and there were no lives lost. The loss was not know in England until Feb. 5 when a Lloyd's telegram was sent out.