On This Day

1850-1899 > Colonial Navies & RN

July 14, 1866

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.

June 5, 1866

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 at this time. By 1900 it had grown to 19 acres due to reclaimation, and in 1980 it was 2.5 acres.

May 22, 1866

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

February 20, 1865

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 men were Australian volunteers smuggled on board at Williamstown.

August 5, 1864

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. Admirals of the Red, White, and Blue, were replaced by Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, and Admiral ranks.

April 28, 1864

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 Commodore Commanding Australia Station.

April 18, 1864

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

May 19, 1863

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

May 17, 1863

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

April 20, 1863

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

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.

October 22, 1860

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 Ships in these waters for an indefinite time’.

September 15, 1860

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.

June 27, 1860

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

April 30, 1860

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

April 24, 1860

HMVS VICTORIA sailed from Melbourne for service in the Maori War, in New Zealand. This was Australia’s first commitment of forces overseas.