On This Day

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. ...

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

HMCS VICTORIA, (screw steamer), joined the Australian Squadron, HM Ships IRIS, NIGER, CORDELIA, PELORUS, MIRANDA, HARRIET, and ORPHEUS, involved in the second Maori War. ...

CDRE F. B. P. Seymour, CB, RN, was appointed Commodore Commanding the Australia Station, his flagship was HMS PELOROUS. Seymour was a fighting officer, leading the naval forces in the ...

The Imperial Squadron on the Australia Station consisted of HM Ships IRIS, (26 guns sailing); PELORUS, (21 guns screw); NIGER, (14 guns screw); ELK, (12 guns sailing); and CORDELIA, (11 ...

CDRE W. Loring, RN, in HMS IRIS, offered to exchange Fort Macquarie for Garden Island as a base for RN ships in Australia. ...

CDRE William Loring, CB, was appointed Commodore commanding the newly established Australian Squadron of the Royal Navy, which became independent of the C-in-C, India. His Flagship was HMS IRIS, and ...

The Australia Station was established as a separate command. The Station was defined in a minute from the Admiralty: “Australia Station:- Bounded on the North by the Parallel of 10 ...

Boats from HMVS VICTORIA rescued the crew of the sailing vessel B. NORRIS, which caught fire and sank in Port Phillip. ...

The Victorian Government approved the building of a graving dock at Williamstown. ...

The hulk MELBOURNE was the first ship to be slipped at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC. ...

The Admiralty approved an expenditure of from £4000 to £6000 for rendering Garden Island, Sydney, available for the repair of HM ships. ...

The following ships were on the Australia Station:-Sailing vessels; IRIS, (26 guns), SAPPHO, (12 guns), and BRAMBLE, (tender).Steam screw vessel; CORDELIA, (11 guns). ...