On This Day

1850-1899 > Colonial Navies & RN

September 7, 1875

CDRE Anthony H. Hoskins, CB, was appointed Commodore Commanding the Australia Station. His flagship was HMS WOLVERINE

August 20, 1875

CDRE James Goodenough, RN, commander of the Australia Squadron 1873-75, died from wounds sustained from poisoned arrows, fired by Santa Cruz Islanders.

July 3, 1874

New victualling allowances proclaimed for all Imperial ships of the Australia Station were communicated as follows:-

Victualling Regulations.
Admiralty Office,  July 1 1874.

The King, having been pleased, by his order in council of 23rd June, to establish a new and improved scale for victualling His Majesty’s Navy, a copy thereof is subjoined.

“There shall be allowed to every person serving in His Majesty’s ships, the following daily quantities of provisions, viz.

• Bread…………………………… One pound.
• Cocoa……………………………One ounce.
• Sugar…………………………….One and a half ounce.
• Fresh meat…………………….One pound.
• Vegetables……………………..Half pound.
• Tea……………………………….Quarter of an ounce.

“When fresh meat and vegetables are not issued, there shall be allowed in lieu thereof:-

• Salt beef…………………….. Three quarter lb. and
• Flour…………………………… Three quarter lb.

Alternately

• Salt pork……………………… Three quarter lb. and
• Pease………………………….. One half lb

“And weekly, whether fresh or salt meat is issued,

• oatmeal– half pint;
• vinegar– half pint.

“On the days on which the flour is ordered to be issued, suet and raisins or currants, may be substituted for a portion of flour, at the following rate:-

• 1 lb. of raisins or, one half lb. of currants or, one half lb. of suet, considered equal to one lb. of flour”

“In case it should be found necessary to alter any of the above species of provisions and to issue other as their substitutes, it is to be observed that:-

• One quarter lb. of soft bread, or one lb. of rice, or one lb. of flour is to be considered equal to 1 lb. of biscuit.
• 1 pint of wine, or one quarter pint of spirits, is to be considered equal to a gallon of beer.
• 1 oz. of coffee, or one half oz. of tea, is to be considered equal to 1 oz. of cocoa.
• 1 lb. of rice, or 1 pint of calavances, or 1 pint of dholl, is to be considered equal to 1 pint of pease.
• 1 lb. of butter is to be considered equal to 1 lb. of sugar.
• 2 lbs. of cheese are to be considered equal to 1 lb. of cocoa.
• One quarter lb. of onions, or of leeks, is to be considered equal to 1 lb. of other vegetables.

‘By command of their Lordships, ‘J. W. CROKER’

May 28, 1874

The paddlewheel sloop HMS BASILISK, (CAPT John Moresby, RN), completed an extensive survey of New Guinea waters. Areas surveyed included Redscar Bay, Basilisk Bay, the China Straits, Hayter Island, Milne Bay, Normanby Island, Fergusson Island, Possession Bay, Cape Bartle Island, Collingwood Bay, Richie Island, Parsee Point, Huon Gulf, Lesson Island, Humboldt Bay and Threshold Bay.

March 2, 1874

HMVS NELSON was the first warship docked in the Alfred Graving Dock at Williamstown, VIC.

October 23, 1873

RADM J. S. Dumaresq, the first Australian-born Flag Officer to command the Australian Squadron, was born at Sydney.

September 14, 1873

The graving dock at Williamstown, Melbourne, was completed.

May 25, 1873

CDRE J. G. Goodenough, CB, CMG, was appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS PEARL

February 20, 1873

CAPT John Moresby, RN, HMS BASILISK, (wooden paddle sloop), discovered Port Moresby, New Guinea. He named it in honour of his father, ADML Sir Fairfax Moresby.

January 11, 1872

The British Prime Minister, Mr Gladstone, proposed the use of HMVS VICTORIA, (survey vessel), for policing blackbirding in the South Seas.

April 9, 1871

HMVS CERBERUS, (armoured-turret ship), launched in England in December 1868, arrived in Port Phillip, VIC, on her maiden voyage. At that time CERBERUS was the most powerful ship in the southern hemisphere.

October 29, 1870

HMVS CERBERUS, (armoured-turret ship), met a gale while on passage from Chatham to Plymouth, England. Officials at the Admiralty were concerned at the seaworthiness of the ship, following the loss of HMS CAPTAIN, a similar type of vessel. LEUT Panter, RN, reported the ship sailed like ‘a half-tide rock’. On arrival at Plymouth, the crew promptly deserted.

September 10, 1870

Gun teams from the Victorian Naval Brigade, exercised for the first time in HMVS NELSON.

September 3, 1870

CDRE Frederick H. Stirling was appointed Commodore Commanding the Australia Station. His flagship was HMS CLIO.

April 8, 1870

CDRE F. Stirling, RN, was appointed Commodore Commanding Australia Station. His Flagship was HMS CLIO.

February 9, 1870

A “Southern Cross Flag”, claimed to be the official ensign of the Colony of Victoria, was hoisted in HMVS NELSON.

November 27, 1869

HMS PHOEBE, (corvette), arrived at Port Phillip with ADML Hornby’s Flying Squadron. A midshipman in the vessel was William Creswell.

August 13, 1869

Fort Denison in Port Jackson, Sydney, was garrisoned by the NSW Naval Brigade.

August 4, 1869

HMS PHOEBE, (CAPT John Bythesea, RN), joined ADML Hornby’s Flying Squadron on a round the-world flag-showing cruise. A midshipman in HMS PHOEBE was William Creswell, later to become ‘the father of the RAN’.

February 4, 1868

HMVS NELSON, (Acting CMDR C. B. Payne, RN), arrived in Hobsons Bay, VIC. The wooden battleship was first commissioned in 1815 as a three-decker, mounting 120 guns. She was converted to a two-decker, 72 guns, and fitted with auxiliary machinery at Portsmouth.

January 4, 1868

The foundation stone of the graving dock at the Williamstown Naval Dockyard, VIC, was laid by HRH Prince Alfred, KG, Duke of Edinburgh, who arrived in Port Phillip in the Royal Navy’s steam frigate HMS GALATEA, having sailed from Plymouth on 24 January 1867 on a round the world voyage, visiting South America, the Cape, Australia, China, India, and Japan. The voyage was interrupted on 12 March 1868 in Sydney by a Fenian assassination attempt.

October 20, 1867

HMS NELSON, (wooden line of battleship), was presented to the Victorian Navy.

September 1, 1867

HMVS CERBERUS, (turret ship), was laid down at Palmer’s Yard, Plymouth, England.

July 22, 1867

HMVS NELSON, (1st rate), was commissioned under CMDR C. B. Payne, RN.

May 28, 1867

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