Australian Naval History on 8 April 1870

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

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

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

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

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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

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

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

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

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. ...

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 ...

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

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 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. ...

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 ...

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

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

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

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

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 ...

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. ...