On This Day
1850-1899 > Colonial Navies & RN
On This Day - 1850-1899
- February 15, 1863
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 on the Government paying the cost of iron cladding the vessel. The offer was declined.
- February 7, 1863
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, including CDRE Burnett, and a number of Australian Midshipmen, were lost. ORPHEUS was less than two years old.
- September 27, 1862
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.
- July 21, 1862
CDRE William F. Burnett, CB, appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS ORPHEUS.
- September 4, 1861
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 for the ill-fated Burke and Wills trans-Australia expedition.
- April 16, 1861
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.
- February 23, 1861
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, NSW.
- January 23, 1861
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.
- December 29, 1860
The Naval Brigades of HMS PELORUS, (wood screw corvette), flagship of the Australian Station, and HMCS VICTORIA, landed at Kairau, New Zealand, to support British troops under attack from Maoris.
They were under the command of CDRE Frederick Seymour, RN, commander of the Australia Squadron, 1860-62.
- December 19, 1860
HMCS VICTORIA, (CMDR Norman, RN), landed a detachment of seamen, and captured Matarikoriko Pa, New Zealand.