HMS Himalaya (1854)
HMS Himalaya (1854)


Royal NavyVessels

Browse RN vessels: A; B; C; D; E - F; G - H; I - L; M; N - P; Q - R; S; T - U; V - Z; ??
NameHimalaya (1854)Explanation
TypeTroopship   
Acquired1854
HullIron
PropulsionScrew
Builders measure3438 tons
Displacement4690 tons
Guns 
Fate1940
Class 
Ships bookADM 135/234
Note1853.05.24 launched.
Purchased from P&O.
1895 = C60 c.h.
1920 sold.
1940 sunk in air attack.
Snippets concerning this vessels career
DateEvent
5 January 1855
- 1 September 1856
Commanded by Commander Benjamin Pentland Priest
6 March 1857
- 31 March 1857
Commanded by Captain Benjamin Pentland Priest
24 March 1857
- 31 May 1858
Commanded by Commander William Henry Haswell
20 January 1858
- 23 July 1858
Commanded by Commander Shute Barrington Piers
21 July 1858
- 12 December 1859
Commanded by Commander John Seccombe
13 December 1859
- 30 March 1861
Commanded by Captain John Seccombe
27 June 1861
- 31 July 1862
Commanded by Captain John Seccombe
25 July 1862
- 19 June 1865
Commanded by Captain Edward Lacy
20 June 1865
- 8 October 1856
Commanded by Captain Thomas Bridgeman Lethbridge
18 February 1867
- 31 March 1870
Commanded by Captain Shute Barrington Piers
22 March 1870Commanded by Captain Edward Madden
1 August 1876
- 13 August 1879
Commanded by Captain Edward White
12 August 1879
- 2 March 1881
Commanded by Captain Harry Woodfall Brent
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Ma 8 February 1858The steam sloop Encounter, 14, Captain O'Callaghan, arrived yesterday afternoon at Plymouth. She left Aden November 21, reached the Cape December 19, and sailed on the 23d, touched at St. Helena January 2, and at Ascension on the 7th. Including stoppages the passage from Aden to Plymouth was accomplished in 78 days. At the Cape she embarked 12 invalids from the Boscawen, five from the Himalaya, five from the Sappho, and two formerly belonging to the Shannon; at St. Helena two distressed merchant seamen, and at Ascension nine invalids from the West Coast squadron.
Ma 6 April 1863An Alleged Confederate “Ironclad”. - Some interest was created in Liverpool on Saturday by an allegation that a new "iron-clad" steamer had been trying her engines, and departed from the Mersey in course of the forenoon’s tide. From the outcry which has recently been made in relation to war steamers having been supplied to the Confederate Government, the allegation referred to excited considerable remark. Investigation, however, showed that the "suspicious craft” was perfectly legitimate in all respects. She proved to be the troopship Orontes recently built for our own Government by Messrs. Laird Brothers, at Birkenhead, which was launched in November last. This vessel, by dint of great exertion, has been completed in her external fittings, and was wanted to proceed at once to Devonport. Her engines, by Watt and Co., are of 500-horse power, and have been put on board, and the vessel is in all respects ready for the reception of troops, and for the conveyance of these she will no doubt be immediately put in commission. She has been inspected by Mr. Luke and several officers of Her Majesty’s navy, and gentlemen interested in such matters, and has been pronounced by them first class, and no doubt will prove that ships built by contract are not in any respect inferior to those built in the Royal dockyards. The Orontes is the first Government troopship and the largest vessel ever built upon the Mersey. She is 300ft. in length between perpendiculars; is 44ft. 7in. in extreme breadth; is 32ft. deep in the hold, and her register measurement is 2,811 tons. The lines of the vessel are exceedingly fine, and in general symmetry and aspect she bears a great resemblance to the superb screw steam troopship Himalaya, although not quite so large. She has a very handsome figure-head, designed and executed by Messrs. Allan and Clotworthy, of Liverpool. As has been already stated, the Orontes has been built as a troopship, the successful working of the Himalaya in the transport service having convinced the Government that troops can be carried much more satisfactorily in vessels built for the purpose than in casual transports. Under this conviction, besides the Orontes, another vessel of a similar class is now in course of being built in London. The capacious ship Orontes, which has been built under special Government superintendence and inspection, will carry from 1,100 to 1,200 troops with the greatest comfort, besides her own full complement of officers and crew. The ventilation of the ship and also her lighting are in all respects most perfect, as her ’tween decks are lighted and ventilated by a series of large side ports and skylights on deck. Her crew will have ample accommodation in a large forecastle, which extends aft to the foremast; and the health and comfort of all on board are secured by the great height between decks, that being from 8ft. to 9ft. clear.
Th 18 January 1877Our Hongkong Correspondent writes under date the 14th of December last:—
"Her Majesty's ships of war in harbour are the Audacious (flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Ryder), Fly, Growler, Nassau, Ringdove and Vigilant. The orders for the Ringdove to leave here on the 16th of December for England have been countermanded. She will now probably be paid off here, thoroughly repaired by the Naval-yard authorities and re-commissioned with the crew of the Lapwing, her present officers and crew returning to England in the troopship Himalaya. By last advances of the 30th of November, the Charybdis, Frolic, and Mosquito remained by the Lapwing at Chan-shan-tan Island. The weather continued fine, but the chances of getting her afloat were very much against her. The Curlew at Tien-tsin, remains there for the winter. The Growler, after a thorough repair to het boilers, has completed her stores, and proceeds to Amoy in the place of the Fly, ordered to remain in Hongkong.
Ma 24 May 1880The Himalaya will be put out of Keyham Dockyard today, and will leave for Bombay on Wednesday, She conveys Capt. C.E. Foot and 378 officers and men to re-commission the Ruby for another three years' service upon the East Indies stations. About 200 supernumeraries will also take passage by the Himalaya for disposal upon the stations. Time expired men, invalids, the relieved crew of the Ruby, as well as Lord Lytton, family, and suite, will return in her, arriving in England about the 25th of August.
Ma 9 August 1880The Himalaya, Captain Brent, which arrived at Portsmouth on Friday from India and the Mediterranean, disembarked on Saturday the troops which she brought from Malta and the old crew of the Ruby, which was paid off and re-commissioned at Bombay. The troops consisted of 110 invalids, time-expired men, and insane for Netley, four men for Woolwich, five Royal Engineers for Chatham and Aldershot, and three others, besides a number of women and children. There were no military officers passengers. The Himalaya was to have proceeded to Devonport on Saturday afternoon to have her defects made good and to be got ready for immediate transport service, but her departure, in consequence of the gale, was delayed until yesterday morning. The repairs to be made to her hull and machinery are very slight indeed, and she is ordered to return to Portsmouth on the evening of the 13th to embark reinforcements for India on the 17th — the day after the date fixed for the sailing of the Malabar. It is not known what troops she will embark, but Surgeons-Major Macbeth and Alexander, of the Army Medical Department, have been warned that they will have to take passage out in her.


Top↑
Valid HTML 5.0