On This Day

CDRE Rowley Lambert, CB, was appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS CHALLENGER ...

HMVS VICTORIA, and the Government steamer PHAROS, rescued 452 passengers and crew from the clipper ship NETHERBY, wrecked on King Island, Bass Straight, off Victoria. ...

The Government Gazette proclaimed: ‘The whole of Garden Island is now therefore permanently dedicated as a Depot for the use of Her Majesty’s Ships’. Garden Island, Sydney, occupied 12 acres ...

CDRE Rochford Maguire, RN, was appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS CHALLENGER. ...

LEUT Cornelius E. Hunt of the Confederate States raider Shenandoah recorded in his journal two days out of Port Phillip:””Our ship’s company has received a mysterious addition of 45 men”. ...

The British Government allocated the White Ensign to the RN, the Blue Ensign to the RNR, and the Red Ensign to the MN. Squadronal colours were abolished in the RN. ...

Naval brigades from HM Ships CURACOA and MIRANDA, of the Australia Station, attacked the GRAND PAH in New Zealand. The naval campaign in the Maori Wars was directed by the ...

HMVS VICTORIA transported 100,000 salmon, and 3000 trout ova, from Melbourne to Hobart to establish Tasmania’s fish hatcheries. ...

The NSW Naval Brigade was formed. The strength of the Brigade at its first parade was 20 officers and men. ...

The New South Wales Volunteer Naval Reserve was formed in Sydney. ...

CDRE Sir William S. Wiseman, RN, was appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS CURACAO. ...

The Admiralty offered the NSW Government the 3rd Rate Ship of the Line, HMS BRUNSWICK, as a training ship for the New South Wales Naval Brigade. The offer was conditional ...

The screw corvette HMS ORPHEUS, (CDRE William Burnett, RN), flagship of the Australia Station, was wrecked at the entrance to Manukau Harbour, New Zealand. Of the 256 ship’s crew, 187, ...

HMS BEATRICE, (99 ton topsail schooner), was commissioned. The vessel was jointly owned by the Admiralty and the South Australian Government, and was that State’s first man-o-war. ...

CDRE William F. Burnett, CB, appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS ORPHEUS. ...

HMVS VICTORIA, (CAPT W. H. Norman, RN), rescued the crew of the bark FIREFLY from a reef in the Sir Charles Hardy Islands off Queensland. The two vessels were searching ...

In the Royal Navy the rank of Master’s Mate was renamed as Sub Lieutenant, and the Captains’ rank insignia was changed to four stripes. ...

A naval brigade of 74 officers and ratings from HMS FAWN, (screw corvette), was despatched from Sydney with a military contingent to put down lawlessness amongst miners at Lambing Flats, ...

A gun crew from HMS PELORUS, flagship of the Australia Station, joined the defenders of the British redoubt at Huirangi, NZ, in repulsing savage attacks by Maoris. ...

CDRE Loring, commanding the Australia Station, reported from New Zealand where he was commanding a naval squadron against the Maoris: ‘The disturbances in New Zealand are likely to detain HM ...

HMC Schooner SPITFIRE, (LEUT J. W. Smith, RN), was attacked by natives off Cape Cleveland, QLD. The attack was repulsed without casualties in the schooner. ...

The Naval Brigade of HMS PELORUS, flagship of the Australia Station, participated in an unsuccessful attack on the Maori Pah at Puketakauere, New Zealand. ...

HMVS VICTORIA transported 120 troops of the 90th Regiment to New Plymouth, New Zealand. ...