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| Name | Gorgon (1837) | Explanation | |
| Type | Frigate | ||
| Launched | 31 August 1837 | ||
| Hull | Wooden | ||
| Propulsion | Paddle | ||
| Builders measure | 1111 tons | ||
| Displacement | 1610 tons | ||
| Guns | 6 | ||
| Fate | 1864 | ||
| Class | |||
| Ships book | |||
| Note | |||
| Snippets concerning this vessels career | |||
| Date | Event | ||
| 19 June 1839 - 2 April 1842 | Commanded by Captain William Honeyman Henderson, Mediterranean (including operations on the coast of Syria in 1840) | ||
| 25 November 1842 - 6 May 1846 | Commanded by Captain Charles Hotham, south-east coast of America, including Anglo-French action in Uruguay | ||
| 13 May 1846 - 28 November 1846 | Commanded (until paying off at Woolwich) by Commander Edward Crouch, south east coast of America | ||
| 29 March 1848 - 4 February 1852 | Commanded (until paying off at Portsmouth) by Commander James Aylmer Dorset Paynter, Pacific | ||
| 25 February 1854 - 18 April 1854 | Commanded by Commander Arthur Cumming, the Baltic during the Russian War | ||
| 19 April 1854 - 8 May 1854 | Commanded by Captain Arthur Cumming, the Baltic during the Russian War | ||
| May 1854 - 20 November 1854 | Commanded by Commander Peter Cracroft, the Baltic during the Russian War | ||
| 1 December 1854 - 15 May 1856 | Commanded by Commander Richard Borough Crawford, the Baltic during the Russian War | ||
| 16 May 1856 - 1 August 1857 | Commanded (until paying off at Woolwich) by Commander George William Towsey, Mediterranean (returning with marbles from the Mausoleum at Helicarnassus ) | ||
| 31 March 1858 - 5 November 1858 | Commanded (until paying off at Woolwich) by Commander Joseph Dayman, taking soundings for Agamemnon, laying the first Transatlantic cable (initiated 16 August 1858, but stoped working only a couple of week later) | ||
| 27 April 1859 - 25 March 1861 | Commanded by Commander Bedford Clapperton Tryvellion Pim, Cape of Good Hope | ||
| 1 April 1861 - 11 February 1864 | Commanded (until paying off at Woolwich) by Commander John Crawford Wilson, Cape of Good Hope | ||
| Extracts from the Times newspaper | |||
| Date | Extract | ||
| Tu 19 September 1837 | On Thursday last the Gorgon, a steam-frigate, built for Her Majesty?s Government, was launched from the Royal Dockyard, Pembroke. This vessel is of a new construction, being intended either for steaming or sailing; for the former she is fitted with engines, &c., and for the latter she is rigged as a brigantine. She has rows of guns between decks, and on deck she has two immense pieces of ordnance on swivels, which are calculated to do great damage to an enemy in action. ? North Wales Chronicle. | ||
| Tu 19 September 1837 | The Gorgon, steamer, recently launched at Pembroke, arrived on Tuesday at Sheerness, under charge of Mr. Walker, of Devnport. to be docked for placing the blowing-off pipes and holding down-bolts in her bottom. | ||
| Ma 16 October 1837 | The Gorgon Steam Frigate.? This splendid vessel, which was launched at Pembroke in August, has been fitted with two engines of 110 horse power each. Her armament has also been completed, and consists of 14 long 32-pounders, and two 84-pounders, on circular sweeps. She will either steam or sail. ? Hereford Journal. | ||
| We 3 January 1838 | The largest steamer in Her Majesty?s navy is the Gorgon, recently built, being of 1,150 tons, builders? measurement, She will carry 20 days? coal, 1,000 troops, 156 crew, with stores and provisions for all for six months. The engines are 320 horse power, and the vessel is so constructed that the steam-machinery can scarcely be reached by shot. | ||
| Tu 4 September 1838 | Portsmouth, Sept 1I. ? The Gorgon steam frigate, Commander Dacres [at this time Dacres was commander of Salamander; he was apparently put temporarily in charge of Gorgon], arrived here yesterday, from the Note, with a Spanish brig in tow, which had run foul of her on her passage, but without material damage to either vessel. The arrival of this ship has excited much attention, as she is the largest Government steamer ? being 1,140 tons. She mounts two 84-pounders, bow and stern, on sweep slides, and six 32-pounders long guns on the broadside, all on the upper deck. At present her draught is 15 feet 6 inches forward, and 15 feet 10 inches abaft. Her stowage is for 500 tons of coals, but she only took in this voyage 350 tons, barely, we understand, a ten days? consumption. She has had no coals stowed in her boxes, and her spare heavy pieces of machinery are stowed forward, instead of the place originally intended. She has a deck below the presumed gun-deck, where 400 troops could be comfortably berthed at a time ? her two engines comprise a strength of 320-horse power, and appear of beautiful construction ? her boilers are of copper. She will sail in a few days with a detachment of marines and supplies of provisions for San Sebastian. | ||
| Ma 10 September 1838 | The Gorgon steam frigate. Commander Dacres, having in tow the Venerable, 74, sailed this afternoon for Plymouth, where the latter is to be broken up. The Gorgon will proceed from Plymouth to St Sebastian. | ||
| We 26 September 1838 | The Gorgon steamer towed the Venerable, 74, to Plymouth from this port, in 17 hours, the estimated distance 140 miles; the wind being favourable, both ships had the advantage of setting all their canvass. A new steamer to be called the Stromboli, on the plan of the Gorgon, is ordered to be built in this dockyard; but is to have 170 feet length of keel, and is to be launched in April next. Orders have been received at Pembroke-yard, since the failure of the Gorgon, to lengthen, by 12 feet, the Cyclops steamer, now building. ? Portsmouth paper. | ||
| 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. | ||
| Sa 25 March 1854 | Portsmouth, March 24 The Gorgon, 6, paddle sloop, Commander Cumming, left this morning for the Baltic. | ||
| Fr 28 May 1858 | The Impérieuse, 51, screw frigate, will be undocked this day at Portsmouth and placed in the steam basin to be completed for commission. | ||
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