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| Name | Blazer (1870) | Explanation | |
| Type | Flatiron gunboat | ||
| Launched | 7 December 1870 | ||
| Hull | Iron | ||
| Propulsion | Screw | ||
| Builders measure | |||
| Displacement | 254 tons | ||
| Guns | 1 | ||
| Fate | 1919 | ||
| Class | Ant | ||
| Ships book | ADM 135/49 | ||
| Note | 1904 tender. 1914 gunboat | ||
| Extracts from the Times newspaper | |||
| Date | Extract | ||
| Th 6 June 1878 | Yesterday afternoon Rear-Admiral Henry Boys, late Director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty, hoisted his flag on board the Warrior, at Spithead, as second in command of the Channel Squadron, in succession to Rear-Admiral W. Dowell, C.B., and exchanged the customary salutes with the flagship of the Port Admiral. … The Blazer and the Bustard, single gun, twin screw gun-boats, and the Tay, 4, one of the new iron river gunboats, were commissioned on Monday at Portsmouth, temporarily as tenders to the Duke of Wellington, the flagship of Admiral Fanshawe. The Glatton, 2, single turret-ship, which has had its under-water torpedo arrangement greatly improved. Was also commissioned on the same day by Capt. Morgan Singer. The whole of the vessels are expected to join the evolutionary fleet which will assemble at Portland. The Blazer and the Bustard had their guns placed on board at the gun wharf on Tuesday, and were afterwards coaled in the stream. | ||
| Th 13 June 1878 | The reserve squadron, under the command of Admirals Key and Boys, was prevented getting under way yesterday morning by the gale, and all boat communication with the ships was arrested by signals. Should the weather moderate in the meantime the squadron will proceed to Portland at daybreak this morning. The Glatton and the small craft, consisting of the Vesuvius, Lightning, Tay, Bustard and Blazer, are ordered to remain at Portsmouth until further orders. | ||
| Sa 15 June 1878 | The Glatton, single turret-ship, Capt. Morgan Singer, and the Bustard and Blazer, gunboats, sailed from Portsmouth yesterday morning, to join the reserve squadron at Portland. The Tay, gunboat, was unable to leave, as it has been found necessary to dock her in order that some leakage and other defects to her machinery may be rectified. The reserve squadron anchored at Portland at half-past 4 on Thursday afternoon, and as the Thunderer had shifted her berth on the previous day she was in her proper position when the squadron arrived. | ||
| Th 8 August 1878 | The following Information has been officially notified:— "The inspection of the Fleet by Her Majesty the Queen on Tuesday, the 13th inst., will take place about 4 p.m., at Spithead. There will be no general issue of tickets as only a very limited number of vessels can be set apart for the conveyance of official visitors. Naval officers on half-pay and military officers of the Portsmouth garrison will be accommodated on board Her Majesty's ships Valorous and Dasher respectively, and should apply at the Commander-in-Chief's office at Portsmouth Dockyard." The special service fleet of masted ironclad turret ships and gunboats, under the command of Admiral Sir Cooper Key and Rear-Admiral Boys, numbering 19 sail all told, arrived yesterday afternoon at Spithead, where they will be reviewed on Tuesday next by the Queen. After leaving Portland Admiral Boys hoisted his flag on board the Thunderer and took command of the turret ships. The fleet forming into columns of sub-divisions, line abreast, each column of masted ships having a column of monitors on its starboard beam. In this order the fleet proceeded up Channel at a speed of five knots. On rounding Culver Cliff previous to entering the Solent the formation was altered to columns of division line ahead, the weather line being headed by the Hercules, flagship of Admiral Key, followed by the Valiant, Hector, Lord Warden, Warrior, Penelope, Resistance, and Boadicea. The starboard line, consisting of the turret-ships, was formed as follows:— Thunderer (bearing the flagship of the Rear-Admiral), Belleisle, Gorgon, Hydra, Hecate, Glatton, Cyclops, and Prince Albert, the rear being composed of the gunboats Tay, Tees, and Blazer. In this order the ships steamed towards Gilkicker Point, when the helms of both lines were put hard over, the frigates turning outwards to the Isle of Wight and the monitors outwards to Portsmouth and Southsea, and steamed back to the Noman and anchored in the same relative positions in line in readiness for the review. The Valorous, paddle steamer. Has been appropriated for the accommodation of naval half-pay officers. | ||
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