Name | Acheron (1835) | Explanation | |
Type | Sloop | ||
Launched | 23 October 1835 | ||
Hull | Wooden | ||
Propulsion | Paddle | ||
Builders measure | 720 tons | ||
Displacement | 1006 tons | ||
Guns | |||
Fate | 1855 | ||
Class | |||
Ships book | |||
Note | Launched 1838.08.23 | ||
Snippets concerning this vessels career | |||
Date | Event | ||
27 November 1838 - December 1841 | Commanded by Lieutenant commander Andrew Kennedy, Mediterranean | ||
3 December 1842 - 9 September 1846 | Commanded by Lieutenant Benjamin Aplin, Mediterranean | ||
10 September 1846 - 6 June 1847 | Commanded by Lieutenant commander Andrew Robert Dunlap, Woolwich, after which Dunlap and the crew transferred to Tartarus | ||
14 October 1847 - 15 August 1851 | Commanded by Captain John Lort Stokes, East Indies | ||
(27 August 1855) | Tender and surveying vessel, Australia | ||
Extracts from the Times newspaper | |||
Date | Extract | ||
Ma 14 September 1840 | It appears that neither the Salamander nor Comet steam-vessels are to be paid off; they are equipping at Woolwich, with great despatch; they will be both at Spithead about the last week in September. The Medea will leave Woolwich on the 24th. The Vesuvius is fitting at Chatham for the Mediterranean. These four steam ships will increase Sir R. Stopford's force to 10 powerful steam-vessels of war, he having already the Gorgon, Cyclops, Phoenix, Rhadamanthus, Hydra, and Stromboli; and to which there are several steamers already fitted for guns, &c., employed in the conveyance of the mails, such as the Acheron, Volcano, Prometheus, Megaera, Alecto, &c. | ||
We 7 October 1846 | Portsmouth, Tuesday. The Acheron steam vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Dunlop,[sic] arrived yesterday from Woolwich, and came into harbour to embark troops and stores for Ireland. | ||
We 14 October 1846 | The Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commanding A.R. Dunlap, sailed for Ireland to-day to be under the orders of the Commissary-General. She also, like the Dasher, took a number of marines from this division, to be employed as occasion directs in the suppression of disturbances, and as guards. | ||
We 4 November 1846 | Portsmouth, Tuesday. The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Johnstone [sic], arrived at Cork from this port on Thursday last, and found there the Rhadamanthus steam-vessel, Master-Commander Aylen; the Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Dunlop [sic]; the Dee steam-vessel, Master-Commander Driver; the Blazer steam-vessel, Captain Washington; and the Myrmidon steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Jenkin; which vessels were about being sent to various ports along the Irish coast with meal to relieve the prevailing distress, which is increasing along the coast to the westward. | ||
Ma 7 June 1847 | Portsmouth, June 6. The Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander A.R. Dunlop [sic], arrived this morning from Cork. She has been employed as one of the relief squadron. | ||
Tu 20 July 1847 | Woolwich, July 19. The Tartarus steam-vessel, Lieutenant Commander Dunlop [sic], and the crew of the Acheron, left yesterday for Portsmouth, where she will embark supernumeraries and proceed to Cork, and will be employed about three months on the coast of Ireland, until the Acheron receives new boilers. | ||
Th 14 October 1847 | Woolwich, Oct. 13. The crew of the Acheron steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Dunlap, recently serving in the Tartarus steam-vessel, were paid off to-day at Woolwich, and a number of the men have stated their intention of again serving in the Tartarus, commissioned on Monday last by Lieutenant Sir Godfrey Webster, Bart., who has the command of the vessel. The Tartarus is refitting, and will soon be ready for service. | ||
We 20 October 1847 | Woolwich, Oct. 19. The Acheron steam-vessel, recently commanded by Lieutenant Dunlop [sic], was recommissioned yesterday by Commander Stokes, and when ready for sea will proceed to New Zealand to be employed in the surveying service in that quarter of the world. The Acheron is at present in the basin under the shears, having her masts put in. | ||
Tu 26 October 1847 | Woolwich, Oct. 25. The Acheron steam-vessel, Commander Lort Stokes, received her complement of Royal Marines to-day from the Woolwich division, consisting of 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and 10 privates, and will soon be ready to proceed to New Zealand on the surveying service. | ||
Fr 5 November 1847 | Woolwich, Nov. 4. The Acheron steam-vessel, Captain Lort Stokes, is in the basin under the shears having her masts taken out today, as others of larger dimensions are to be substituted previous to her proceeding to New Zealand on the surveying service. | ||
Fr 12 November 1847 | Woolwich, Nov. 10. The Acheron, the Blazer, and the Porcupine steam-vessels are in the basin, and a number of hands are employed upon them to get these vessels ready for sea with the least possible delay. | ||
Th 9 December 1847 | Woolwich, Dec. 8. The Acheron steam-vessel, Captain Stokes, was taken out of the basin to-day, and will be ready in a few days to proceed to New Zelaland. | ||
Tu 14 December 1847 | Woolwich, Dec. 13. The Acheron, steam-vessel, Cuptain Lort Stokes, on being taken out of the basin last week was forced by the strength of the tide, against one of the buoys in the river, and it being apprehended that she might have been injured, she was taken into dock to have her bottom examined; no injury having been sustained worth mentioning, she will be taken out of dock this afternoon, and the Stromboli be taken in to be examined previous to proceeding to sea.A fatal accident occurred, about 7 o'clock, on the evening of Friday last, to a man named Ashe, servant to a gentleman who was visiting the officers of the Acheron, on board the Hebe receiving-ship, off Woolwich dockyard, the servant having fallen down the main hatchway into the cockpit, and from the injuries he sustained died on his way to the hospital, where he was being carried by some of the crew, after every attention had been paid to him by the surgeon of the vessel. A coroner's inquest was held this morning on the body, and a verdict of "Accidental death" returned. | ||
Tu 21 December 1847 | Monthly Mails. — The following important notices were issued yesterday at the General Post-office:— "An arrangement having been made for despatching one of Her Majesty's ships on the first of every month to the western coast of Africa, calling at Madeira and Sierra Leone, mails to be conveyed by such vessels will in future be made up at this office on the evening of the last day of each month, or when that day falls on a Sunday, on the previous evening. All letters and newspapers for Sierra Leone, not directed to be forwarded by any other vessel, will be despatched by these mails. Letters and newspapers for Madeira or for any part of the western coast of Africa, except Sierra Leone, intended to be sent by these vessels must be specially addressed by 'Her Majesty's ship — .' The name of the vessel will be announced in the packet list about the 26th of every month." Mails for Madeira, Cape of Good Hope, &c. — Mails will be made up for Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Sydney, and New Zealand, to be conveyed by Her Majesty's steamer Acheron. The postage on letters to Madeira will be 1s. 10d. per half-ounce, and so on; newspapers, 2d. each, which must be prepaid. Letters to the Cape of Good Hope, &c., 1s. per half-ounce. No charge for newspapers. Both must be specially addressed "by Her Majesty's steamer Acheron." Newspapers to Brazil, — "The Brazilian Post-office having consented to withdraw the charge which it had imposed upon newspapers from the united kingdom delivered in Brazil, on and after the 1st of January next, no charge will be made in the united kingdom on British newspapers, posted in accordance with the usual restrictions, addressed to Brazil, when conveyed by packet; and, in like manner, Brazilian newspapers addressed to the united kingdom, and brought to this country by packet, will be delivered free from postage." Her Majesty's brig Seagull, with the Madeira, Brazilian, and Buenos Ayres mails of the evening of the 4th inst., put back on the 19th inst. | ||
Th 30 December 1847 | Woolwich, Dec. 29. The Acheron steam-vessel, Captain Lort Stokes, is to leave Greenhithe to-day, after having her compasses adjusted, and will take out mails from Portsmouth for New Zealand. | ||
Th 27 January 1848 | Her Majesty’s steamer Acheron, with mails for Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Sydney, New South Wales, and Auckland, New Zealand, sailed from Devonport on the 24th inst. | ||
Th 11 May 1848 | We have intimation of the Firebrand steam-frigate, Captain Hope, being at Rio on the 1st of March, a letter of which date states— "The Inconstant, 36, Captain Shepphard [sic] and the Acheron steam-sloop, Captain Stokes, arrived yesterday. We go to-morrow to the River Plate with Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert, and expect to return here at the end of this month en route to England." | ||
Ma 22 May 1848 | The Kestrel packet left Monte Video the 12th of March, and arrived at Rio the 30th, and remained with Her Majesty's ship Comus, Acheron steamer, and Crescent receiving ship. | ||
Fr 30 June 1848 | Cape of Good Hope, April 21. The President, 50, Captain Stanley, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Dacres, the Commander-in-Chief, sailed from Simon's-bay on the 15th for the Mauritius, taking the Rosamond steam sloop, Commander Foote, with him part of the way. The Rosamond was to go to Mozambique with despatches, and then on to the Mauritius to meet the Admiral there. The Geyser steam sloop, Commander Brown, left this on the 18th, calling off Buffalo River to land Colonel Hare, and then goes on to the Mauritius to join the Admiral; and then they all go to Tamatave to make a treaty with the Queen of Madagascar. The Brilliant, 26, Captain Watson, left this about a month since for the Mauritius, and remains there until the Admiral's arrival, and then she would go to Tamatave with him. The Eurydice, 26, Captain Anson, is to come here to refit; and the Nimrod, Commander Belgrave, on the Eurydice's arrival, will take the Bishop of the Cape to St. Helena on a visit. The Admiral still feels the loss of his son most acutely. The Mariner, 12, Commander Mathison, arrived here on the 15th, the day the Admiral left; she was 17 days from Rio, and left at anchor there the Maeander, 44, Captain the Hon. H. Keppel; the Inconstant, 36, Captain Shepphard [sic]; the Acheron steam surveying ship, Captain J.L. Stokes; and the Hydra steam sloop, Commander Skipwith; — all from England. The Maeander and Acheron are expected here hourly, as they were to leave three days after the Mariner, which has been here nearly a week. The latter leaves this on the 25th for India. All is quiet and going on prosperously in the colony. They have had a severe hurricane at the Mauritius; the damage done is considerable. The Fox, 42, Commodore Sir Henry Blackwood, is expected here every day from India, homeward bound; also the Albatross, 14, Commander Farquhar, from the coast of Africa, en route to India. The Devastation steam sloop, Commander Michell, is also daily expected here from the coast for service on this station. The Seringapatam store ship, Master Commanding Russell, is in Simon's-bay. | ||
Fr 28 July 1848 | Portsmouth, Thursday. The Fox, 42, Commodore Sir Henry Blackwood, Bart., late second in command on the East India and China station, arrived this morning from that station, bringing home the Marquis of Tweeddale, late Governor of Madras, the Marchioness, and the staff, official and domestic. The Fox left Madras on the 20th of March, and the Cape of Good Hope on the 25th of May. At the latter place all was quiet inland, and the Admiral had gone to Madagascar on a diplomatic mission with his squadron. The Eurydice, Nimrod, Acorn, Acheron, and Devastation, lay in Simon's Bay, Captain Anson, of the first-named, being senior officer. The Fox brought Mr. Cockcraft, Lieutenant of the Brilliant, on the Cape station, home on leave, the only naval officer passenger. She arrived at St. Helena on the 8th of June, and sailed on the 10th. No men-of-war were there then. She arrived at Ascension on the 14th, and sailed same day; the only men-of-war there being the Tortoise store and guard ship, and her tender, the Snap. She passed the Rifleman in Yarmouth roads this morning. The Fox brought several passengers and mails from the Cape, St. Helena, and Ascension. She was to be paid off here immediately according to Admiralty orders; she was ordered this evening, however, to re-store for sea, — supposed for Cork. | ||
Th 14 September 1848 | Extract of a letter from the Cape of Good Hope, dated July 1: "Since my last I have to notice the arrival of the Hercules, 74. Master Commander Fulton, for Bombay, to load teak for the dockyards in England, 31st of May; the Arab, 12, Commander Morris, on the 11th of June, from Mozambique; the Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine, 21st of June; and the Dee steam trooper, Master Commander Filmer, on the 23d. The Havannah beat the Dee three days in the voyage from Madeira. Mrs. Stokes, wife of Captain J. L. Stokes, of the Acheron steam-sloop, died here on the 10th ult., and the Acheron sailed for New Zealand on the 15th" | ||
We 29 November 1848 | The Havannah and Acheron had arrived on the New Zealand station prior to the 26th of August, all well. | ||
We 24 January 1849 | Portsmouth, Jan. 23. The Dido, 18, Captain J.B. Maxwell, arrived at Spithead this morning, as noticed else where, and is ordered to Sheerness to be paid off. This ship has made an astonishingly quick passage home — the quickest, we believe, yet known. She has run over 13,438 miles in 77 days, and has averaged 174 miles per day since she left New Zealand, from which station she ran to Cape Horn (5,017 miles) in 25 days.The Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine, was at Auckland when the Dido sailed. The Rattlesnake surveying ship, Captain Owen Stanley, and her tender the Bramble, were surveying in Torres Straits. The Fly, 18, Captain Oliver, was at Wellington. The Acheron surveying steam sloop. Captain Stokes, was at Newcastle, a small place near Sydney, coaling, on her way to New Zealand. All who went out in the Dido have come home in her — a rare occurrence. | ||
Th 21 June 1849 | The merchantman Cornelia, Captain Meckleburg, passed the Wight to-day with 30 passengers from New Zealand. Her dates are — Wellington, Dec. 12; and Auckland, March 3, She sent in passengers and mails. Her Majesty's ships Fly, 18, Captain Oliver; and the Acheron steam surveying-vessel, Captain Stokes, were at Auckland at the above date. | ||
Fr 23 November 1849 | Portsmouth, Thursday Night. The Louisa, Captain Wycherley, passed this port for London this evening, and landed passengers in a pilot-boat at the Quebec Hotel, and mails from the above colony, which she left — Auckland on the 14th of July, and Pernambuco on the 29th of September; Lieutenant Gray, 39th Regiment; Mr. Cormack, a Newfoundland traveller; Mr. and Mrs. James Boyd, and the Rev. Charles Dudley, came home passengers.New Zealand throughout was in a most pacific state. The Governor was not in good odour with the population: he made a grand mistake in going down to see Heki about 12 months since, the impression made by which impolitic act had not been erased; it had a most unfortunate effect on the colonists and natives, the latter especially, who had before ceased to think of Heki as a leading chief; but the Governor's visit to him caused a re-action in their estimation, and re-established him in all his former power in their minds. Her Majesty’s ship Fly, 18, Captain Oliver, was at Auckland when the Louisa sailed. Her Majesty's ship Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine had sailed for the Feejees, with the probability of being in Sydney in December. Her Majesty’s ship Acheron, surveying steam-sloop, Captain Stokes, was down to the southward pursuing her scientific avocations. The Louisa is loaded with spars for the Royal dockyard at Chatham; has 14,000l. in specie from the New Zealand Bank on Government account, and 20 tons of Cowrie gum. | ||
Sa 26 January 1850 | The Acheron steam surveying vessel, Captain Stokes, arrived off Kapiti, New Zealand, prior to the 27th of September, having completed her survey of the line of coast from Banks' Peninsula to Queen Charlotte's Sound on the Southern Island. | ||
Ma 11 February 1850 | By letters and papers from New Zealand received last night we learn that Her Majesty's ship Acheron, Captain Stokes, has discovered a magnificent harbour to the south of Queen Charlotte's Sound. The ship Oriental Queen, having on board 71 enrolled pensioners for service in New Zealand, the same number of women, and 118 children, arrived at Auckland in 124 days from Gravesend, on the 18th of September. The pensioners and their families suffered much from scurvy during the voyage. | ||
Ma 24 June 1850 | The Acheron, steam surveying-vessel, Captain Stokes, arrived at Auckland on the 14th of January from Sydney, and sailed on the 18th for Wellington, New Zealand. | ||
Ma 4 August 1851 | The Acheron steam vessel, Captain Stokes, arrived at Wellington, New Zealand, on the 25th of March from the west coast of Middle Island, after a cruise of survey and discovery of nearly four months. She left Wellington on her last expedition on the 28th of November, since which time she has visited nearly every port on the south-east and south-west coast of the Middle and Stewart’s Islands. She encountered very severe weather at the southward, and, having run short of provisions ran back to Wellington to revictual and refit. | ||
Fr 19 September 1851 | Sydney, June 11. Her Majesty's ship Acheron has been ordered to Panama with despatches, to sail early in June. | ||
Ma 17 November 1851 | By letters from New Zealand we learn that the Calliope, 26, Captain Sir J.E. Home, C.B., arrived at Sydney on the 20th of July, and, the Fantome, 12, Commander Gennys, on the 25th of the same month, from Hobart Town and England. The Pandora, 6, Commander Drury, arrived at Sydney on the 21st of July from the Cape of Good Hope. All remained quiet at Sidney on the 14th of August. The Acheron steam sloop, Captain John Lort Stokes, has been paid off on station, and Captain Stokes and Commander Richards ae coming home passengers in the Havannah; the Acheron having served four years on the station. The engineers have been left in her until further orders from the Admiralty, until the receipt of which by the Commodore she would act as a tender to the Governor of New Zealand. The Fly, 14, Commander Oliver, was daily expected from the New Zealand station at Rio, on her way to England, on the 15th ult. The Havannah, 26, Captain Erskine, is bringing home a freight of about 4,000l. in gold from the Bathurst diggings on Government account, and a very rare bird, called the "kiwi," for Professor Owen,[presumably Richard Owen] intended, we believe, for the Zoological Society. This bird will be the first of its species ever brought to England alive, should success attend its transmigration; and it is probable Captain Stokes may bring home in the Havannah some very extraordinary specimens of parrots, which he has obtained in New Zealand, called the "kakapo." The Bishop of Lyttelton tried this summer to bring one of this species to England alive for the Zoological Society but failed. Should Captain Stokes succeed, it is hoped he will present one to the Society. | ||
Fr 2 January 1852 | Zoological Society of London. — At the monthly general meeting, held yesterday, at the society’s house, in Hanover-square, Mr. Broderip, vice-president, in the chair, Messrs. A.B. Hope, M.P., J.D. Gordon, and G.R. Gray were elected fellows, and Messrs. J.H. Gurney, T. Lacy, G. Gillett, R. O'Brien Jameson, and Miss Burnett Coutts proposed as candidates for the fellowship. The report of the Council stated that the total number of visitors to the gardens during the year 1851 had been 667,243, and exhibited an increase over 1850 of 306,841. The most important additions to the menagerie during the last month consisted of an apteryx, presented by Lieutenant-Governor Eyre, which had been brought from New Zealand by Captain Erskine, R.N.; a weka (ocydromis Australis),[now: Gallirallus australis] also from New Zealand, which had been presented by Captain Stokes, R.N., late of Her Majesty's ship Acheron; and two specimens of boa dixiniloqua,[should be diviniloqua; now Boa constrictor] presented by Lieutenant Forman, of Her Majesty's 88th Regiment. | ||
Fr 23 January 1852 | THE VOYAGE OF HER MAJESTY'S SURVEYING STEAMER ACHERON. The Acheron's officers have been sent home passengers in the Havannah, and the Acheron remains laid up at her anchorage near Garden Island. We do not profess to be sufficiently acquainted with naval economy to understand the propriety of the measure; but it does seem strange that a vessel like the Acheron, which, from her efficiency, character, and steam power, is so well adapted to the survey of a coast, particularly like that of the Middle Island of New Zealand, on the southern and south-western coast of which no sailing vessel can prudently approach, and certainly not without running much risk, should be laid up in idleness, and a new ship commissioned to complete the few remaining portions of a coast that has been already so nearly brought to a finish; unless it be that the Admiralty have calculated upon the probability that the work to be performed is more extensive than could reasonably be expected to be completed during the period usually allotted to a ship in commission. In consequence of the numerous applications of the authorities in New Zealand to the Admiralty to have the coast surveyed — for the coasts were but very indistinctly traced on the chart, and the ports almost unknown — Captain Stokes was appointed to the service, with instructions to make a detailed survey of the coasts and plans of the harbours and roadsteads, and to procure all possible information as to the character of the interior and the productions of the Middle and Southern Islands, which, although occupied, by stragging settlers, were but little known even to the neighbouring colonies. This service has been all but performed, and, had the Acheron remained in employment for six months longer, the whole of the coast would have been planned and charted. Indeed, all that now remain to be done, as we are informed, are the following portions of the North Island, containing about 500 miles of coast:- The north extreme, from the Bay of Islands and the west coast to Cape Egmont, at the northern entrance of Cook's Straits, and a portion of the north-east coast between Tauranga and East Cape, with the ports of Wangarooa, Okiahangtea, and False Okiahanga, Kiapara, and the entrance of Port Manukao. Cook’s Straits require a little detail on the south shore, about Pelorus River, and other portions of minor consequence; but all to the south is complete. Sufficient, however, remains to make the Pandora's voyage one of much interest. We wish Captain Drury and his officers every success, and a more agreeable termination of their voyage than has been the fate of their predecessors. It may, however, be useful to enumerate the principal features that have been effected by the Acheron's officers. Large and detailed plans have been made of the Gulf of Shouraka, including Waimate, Waikeke, and the River Thames, Mercury Bay, Poverty Bay, Hawke Bay, all the ports and anchorages in Cook’s Straits, excepting the Pelorus River, Port Cooper, Akaroa, Otago, Molineux Harbour, on the east coast of the Middle Island; and the numerous and deep sounds on its south-west part, viz. — Preservation Harbour, Chalky Bay, Dusky Bay, Doubtful Harbour, and that most remarkable feature of the coast, Milford Haven, which has been already described. Indeed, all the sounds in that part are of the most extraordinary character, running for 20 miles into the land, bounded by perpendicular masses of rock scarcely half a mile wide, the space between being unfathomable. The mountains of Milford Haven were found to rise almost perpendicularly from their base to a height of 4,000 feet, of which we have seen some remarkable and most interesting drawings. Stewart Island, with its numerous and beautiful harbours, has also been examined and planned with great care and detail, and the position of the "traps" and "snares" ascertained with precision. The Acheron arrived in Sydney on the 22d of May, to await the arrival of Her Majesty’s ship Calliope, to meet the orders from the Admiralty, reported to have been sent out for her recall. In the meantime, at the suggestion of the Government, and by order of the senior officer (Captain Erskine), Captain Stokes employed his vacant time in a survey of the coast from Port Stephens to Cape Howe, and in completing a plan on a large scale of Newcastle, with others of the entrance of Broken Bay, Port Hacking, Bateman Bay, and Cape Howe; and, in connexion with the last, to report upon the best position for the erection of the lighthouse, which it is understood he has performed with great advantage to the colony, and merited the approbation of the Government. The importance of this coast survey may not be generally known; the only chart that exists of that part of the coast that exists between Port Jackson and Cape Howe was made by Captain (then Lieutenant) Flinders, and Mr. Bass, the discoverer of Bass's Strait, in the year 1798, in an open whaleboat; indeed, the part between Illawarra and Svdney was performed by Flinders and a boy, in the Tom Thumb, a small boat 12 feet long. The coast was necessarily very incorrectly laid down, and an increasing error of longitude between Sydney and Cape Howe of upwards of 10 minutes was the consequence. That this error so close to Sydney should have remained so long, is a matter of surprise; but its collection has been contemplated by the hydrographer to the Admiralty for many years, and only unavoidably omitted from its being always left to the last. Had the late Captain Stanley lived it was to have been made, but his unfortunate and lamented death stopped it and had not Captain Stokes, at some considerable inconvenience and interruption to his preparations, for giving up his ship, willingly met the wishes of the Government, it might have remained incomplete for many years. It should, however, be observed that all the materials for a chart were already in existence, being the tracings by chain made under the order of Sir Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor-General; but, his map being drawn on a stereographic projection, it was not available for mariners; nor did it contain the soundings and other particulars necessary for the navigator's use. Now that this survey has been effected, it is to be hoped that the erection of the lighthouse on Cape Howe may be proceeded with without delay. And from an intimate knowledge of the necessities of Newcastle, we think that a lighthouse ought to be erected on Nobby, the trade of the port being sufficiently large to meet the expense, towards which the small traders, by whom the chief benefit will for some time be derived, ought to pay a moderate quota. | ||
Ma 14 June 1852 | Portsmouth, Sunday, June 13. Yesterday evening the merchant ship Vimiera, Captain Neatby, passed this port for London from Sydney, an sent in mails by a pilot boat to the 10th of March and passengers. … Her Majesty's ships Calliope, Captain Sir James E. Home, C.B.; Fantome, 16, Commander Gennys; and Pandora, 4, Commander Drury, were at New Zealand on the 10th of March; the Bramble, tender to the Calliope, at Hobart Town; and the Acheron steam sloop was laid up at Sydney. | ||
Tu 8 May 1855 | Her Majesty's sloop Lily, 12, Commander Sanderson, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from the China and Australian stations, last from the Brazils. She was detached from the China squadron and left Singapore on the 18th of November, 1854, arrived at Port Phillip December 29, left on the 23d of January, arrived at Rio on the 10th of March last, and left on the 17th for Spithead. She brought golddust from Australia to the amount of 40,000l. sterling, on merchants' account. She met with strong westerly gales and in latitude 58·46 S. longitude 161·8 W. fell In with large icebergs, and was running among them for a fortnight; on coming upon them the barometer was observed to fall a great deal, accompanied by heavy snow-storms. She passed the Exodus, of Liverpool, about 300 miles S.W. of the Lizard, on the 28th ult., with loss of topmasts. When she left the Australian station Her Majesty's ships Calliope and Acheron were at Sydney, and the Fantome and Electra at Melbourne; the marines and seamen of the Electra had been landed on several occasions to act with the military in the late disturbances. The Electra had been to King's Island to rescue the crew of two merchant vessels wrecked there, and had saved 20,000l. in specie. The Lily has been five years and three months in commission, during which time she has circumnavigated the globe. She brought home Lieutenant Davis, on promotion from the Electra; Lieutenant Brock, on promotion from the Lily; Mr Howarth, mate, from the Electra; Mr. Tucker, clerk, from the Fantome; and Mr. Douglas, mate, from the Styx, to join the Bulldog. |