On This Day

1770-1849 > First Fleet and RN

August 22, 1848

An historic tug-of-war between HMS BASILISK, (paddlewheel sloop), and HMS NIGER, (screw sloop), was conducted to prove the relevant efficiency of the two systems of propulsion. NIGER won the contest. Both vessels later served on the Australia Station.

May 17, 1843

The first war vessel built in Australia, the schooner ELIZA, (119 tons schooner), patrolled the estuary of the Derwent River, TAS, to put down smuggling, and prevent the escape of convicts from the colony. ELIZA was built at Port Arthur, TAS.

January 11, 1843

LEUT Charles B. Yule, RN, of HMS BRAMBLE, discovered and named Heron Island.

October 12, 1836

The schooner HMCS ISABELLA, (LEUT Charles Morgan Lewis, RN), arrived in Port Jackson, NSW, with one survivor and 45 skulls from the barque SIR CHARLES EATON, wrecked on Aureed Island, Torres Strait, in 1834. The crew and passengers of the barque had been massacred by natives.

September 11, 1836

CAPT Thomas Lipson, RN, was appointed Naval Officer, Port Adelaide, SA.

August 1, 1831

The NSW Government Gazette announced that officers of the Royal Navy and Marines, retiring from the service or going on half-pay, (in Australia), would be entitled to the following remissions when purchasing Crown land:- Those who had served 20 years and upwards; £300; 15 years and upwards; £250; 10 years and upwards; £200; 7 years and upwards; £150.

June 30, 1831

HMS COMET, (sloop, 18 guns), was stationed at Port Jackson, Sydney. The vessel was used for punitive expeditions in the Pacific Islands.

March 6, 1827

CAPT James Stirling, RN, in HMS SUCCESS, named Garden Island, at the mouth of the Swan River, WA, where Fremantle now stands. Garden Island became HMAS STIRLING, (Fleet Base West), and forms part of Cockburn Sound, named by Stirling after RADM Sir George Cockburn, RN.

December 4, 1824

HMC Ship AMITY, (brig), returned to Sydney after conveying the Governor of NSW, Sir Thomas Brisbane and his staff, to the Brisbane River, for the founding of the settlement which was named in his honour.

January 11, 1824

The following monthly rates of pay for naval officers were fixed by the Admiralty:- £61 7s 4d (1st rate ship); £23 0s 4d (sloop); First Lieutenant £11 10s 0d (1st rate ship); £9 4s 0d (sloop); Lieutenant £9 4s 0d (1st rate ship); £7 13s 4d (sloop); Master £ 13 0s 8d (1st rate ship); £7 13s 4d (sloop); Midshipman £2 8s 0d (all ships); Chaplain £12 5s 4d (all ships); Surgeon £12 5s 4d (all ships); Assistant Surgeon £9 4s 0d (all ships); Purser £7 0s 0d (all ships); Second Master £5 9s 4d (1st rate ship); £4 14s 0d (6th rate ship).

October 23, 1823

HMC cutter MERMAID sailed with explorer John Oxley to survey the coast between Fingal Head and Gladstone.

September 9, 1820

HMCS SPITFIRE, transported the expedition of LEUT J. W. Smith, RN, and G. E. Dalrymple, to explore northern Queensland. Spitfire Rock was named to honour the schooner

October 16, 1818

HMC brig LADY NELSON returned to Port Jackson, Sydney, after an unsuccessful search for survivors from the schooner WILLIAM COSSAR, in the Port Stephens, NSW area.

A wreck, identified as the colonial schooner GOVERNOR HUNTER, was found on a beach 40 to 50 miles north of Port Stephens.

October 23, 1817

The monthly rate of pay for an able seaman in HMC vessels was £11 3s 6d.

Soap and slops were charged against them.

October 19, 1817

The RN adopted the 9,000 item flag signalling system compiled by CAPT Frederick Marryat, RN. The system was adapted from the French Navy manual. It was first demonstrated in Australia by HMS WARSPITE, in 1826.

CAPT Marryat achieved lasting fame as the author of Mr. Midshipman Easy.

January 12, 1817

HMCS LADY NELSON, (brig), sailed from Sydney to search for survivors from the brig TRIAL in the Port Stephens area.

Natives interrogated by the ship’s crew said the convicts who had landed from the wreck had built a smaller vessel and had sailed north.

June 20, 1814

HMS NELSON, later HMVS NELSON, was launched on the River Thames, London.

February 10, 1814

Captain John Piper resigned his army commission to assume the duties of Naval Officer, Port Jackson.

December 25, 1811

Governor Lachlan Macquarie and Mrs. Macquarie celebrated Christmas in on passage from Hobart to Newcastle.

‘My poor Elizabeth has suffered a great deal from the seasickness’, recorded the Governor.

September 7, 1811

The Sydney Gazette published a proclamation by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, declaring Garden Island, Sydney, a public domain.

March 8, 1808

The 5th-rate, HMS SAN FIORENZO, (CAPT G. N. Hardinge, RN), captured the French ship PIETMONTAISE, (40 guns), in a battle which lasted three days.

CAPT Hardinge was killed in the battle. The victory gave the RN control of the Indian Ocean.

HMS SAN FIORENZO was the French ship MINERVE, captured at Corsica in 1794. CAPT Hardinge was presented with two prize swords for this action which are now on display at the Historical Collection of HMAS CRESWELL.

December 15, 1803

HMC Schooner CUMBERLAND, (CMDR Matthew Flinders, RN), was seized by the Captain General of Mauritius, Charles Mathieu Decaen. Flinders was held prisoner for five and a half years. He was released on 19 June 1809 after the island was blockaded by a British Squadron.

March 11, 1803

CAPT James Colnett, RN, in HMS GLATTON, was appointed Senior Officer of His Majesty’s Ships and Vessels in Port Jackson.

March 9, 1801

LEUT John Murray, RN, in HMC brig LADY NELSON, explored and took possession of Port Phillip.

He named the bay in honour of the first Governor of NSW, CAPT Arthur Phillip, RN.

September 25, 1800

A battery of two guns was established on Garden Island, to protect Sydney from a French attack.

The garrison of 12 Marines was commanded by Henry Hacking.