HMS Havannah

HMS Havannah (1811)

Browse RN vessels: A; B; C; D; E - F; G - H; I - L; M; N - P; Q - R; S; T - U; V - Z; ??

Name	Havannah (1811)	Explanation
Type	Fifth rate
Launched	26 March 1811
Hull	Wooden
Propulsion	Sail
Builders measure	949 tons
Displacement
Guns	36
Fate	1905
Class	Apollo
Ships book
Note	1860 lent as t.s.
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
(January 1840)	Out of commission at Sheerness
24 February 1848	Commanded by Captain John Elphinstone Erskine, East Indies, then senior officer on Australia station
2 August 1855 - 19 November 1859	Commanded by Captain Thomas Harvey, Pacific
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Th 14 September 1848	Extract of a letter from the Cape of Good Hope, dated July 1: "Since my last I have to notice the arrival of the Hercules, 74. Master Commander Fulton, for Bombay, to load teak for the dockyards in England, 31st of May; the Arab, 12, Commander Morris, on the 11th of June, from Mozambique; the Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine, 21st of June; and the Dee steam trooper, Master Commander Filmer, on the 23d. The Havannah beat the Dee three days in the voyage from Madeira. Mrs. Stokes, wife of Captain J. L. Stokes, of the Acheron steam-sloop, died here on the 10th ult., and the Acheron sailed for New Zealand on the 15th"
We 29 November 1848	The Havannah and Acheron had arrived on the New Zealand station prior to the 26th of August, all well.
We 24 January 1849	Portsmouth, Jan. 23. The Dido, 18, Captain J.B. Maxwell, arrived at Spithead this morning, as noticed else where, and is ordered to Sheerness to be paid off. This ship has made an astonishingly quick passage home — the quickest, we believe, yet known. She has run over 13,438 miles in 77 days, and has averaged 174 miles per day since she left New Zealand, from which station she ran to Cape Horn (5,017 miles) in 25 days. The Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine, was at Auckland when the Dido sailed. The Rattlesnake surveying ship, Captain Owen Stanley, and her tender the Bramble, were surveying in Torres Straits. The Fly, 18, Captain Oliver, was at Wellington. The Acheron surveying steam sloop. Captain Stokes, was at Newcastle, a small place near Sydney, coaling, on her way to New Zealand. All who went out in the Dido have come home in her — a rare occurrence.
Fr 23 November 1849	Portsmouth, Thursday Night. The Louisa, Captain Wycherley, passed this port for London this evening, and landed passengers in a pilot-boat at the Quebec Hotel, and mails from the above colony, which she left — Auckland on the 14th of July, and Pernambuco on the 29th of September; Lieutenant Gray, 39th Regiment; Mr. Cormack, a Newfoundland traveller; Mr. and Mrs. James Boyd, and the Rev. Charles Dudley, came home passengers. New Zealand throughout was in a most pacific state. The Governor was not in good odour with the population: he made a grand mistake in going down to see Heki about 12 months since, the impression made by which impolitic act had not been erased; it had a most unfortunate effect on the colonists and natives, the latter especially, who had before ceased to think of Heki as a leading chief; but the Governor's visit to him caused a re-action in their estimation, and re-established him in all his former power in their minds. Her Majesty’s ship Fly, 18, Captain Oliver, was at Auckland when the Louisa sailed. Her Majesty's ship Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine had sailed for the Feejees, with the probability of being in Sydney in December. Her Majesty’s ship Acheron, surveying steam-sloop, Captain Stokes, was down to the southward pursuing her scientific avocations. The Louisa is loaded with spars for the Royal dockyard at Chatham; has 14,000l. in specie from the New Zealand Bank on Government account, and 20 tons of Cowrie gum.
Ma 17 November 1851	By letters from New Zealand we learn that the Calliope, 26, Captain Sir J.E. Home, C.B., arrived at Sydney on the 20th of July, and, the Fantome, 12, Commander Gennys, on the 25th of the same month, from Hobart Town and England. The Pandora, 6, Commander Drury, arrived at Sydney on the 21st of July from the Cape of Good Hope. All remained quiet at Sidney on the 14th of August. The Acheron steam sloop, Captain John Lort Stokes, has been paid off on station, and Captain Stokes and Commander Richards ae coming home passengers in the Havannah; the Acheron having served four years on the station. The engineers have been left in her until further orders from the Admiralty, until the receipt of which by the Commodore she would act as a tender to the Governor of New Zealand. The Fly, 14, Commander Oliver, was daily expected from the New Zealand station at Rio, on her way to England, on the 15th ult. The Havannah, 26, Captain Erskine, is bringing home a freight of about 4,000l. in gold from the Bathurst diggings on Government account, and a very rare bird, called the "kiwi," for Professor Owen,[presumably Richard Owen] intended, we believe, for the Zoological Society. This bird will be the first of its species ever brought to England alive, should success attend its transmigration; and it is probable Captain Stokes may bring home in the Havannah some very extraordinary specimens of parrots, which he has obtained in New Zealand, called the "kakapo." The Bishop of Lyttelton tried this summer to bring one of this species to England alive for the Zoological Society but failed. Should Captain Stokes succeed, it is hoped he will present one to the Society.

Top↑