HMS Boadicea (1875)
HMS Boadicea (1875)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameBoadicea (1875)Explanation
TypeCorvette   
Launched16 October 1875
HullIron
PropulsionScrew
Builders measure 
Displacement3913 tons
Guns16
Fate1905
ClassBacchante
Ships bookADM 135/55
Note 
Snippets concerning this vessels career
DateEvent
18 April 1878
- 22 October 1878
Commanded (from commissioning at Portsmouth) by Captain James Elphinstone Erskine
31 October 1878
- 30 March 1882
Commanded by Commodore Frederick William Richards, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa
24 April 1888
- 8 June 1891
Commanded by Captain Assheton Gore Curzon-Howe, flagship of Rear-Admiral Edmund Robert Fremantle, East Indies (including serving as Chief of Staff for Freemantle's punitive expedition against the Sultan of Vitu in October 1890)
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Tu 22 April 1873Five vessels for the Royal Navy have been completed during the past quarter, and there are 22 others in course of construction at the various Government dockyards and private firms. The vessels completed are the Encounter, screw corvette of 1,890 (1,405) tons, 2,149 (350) horse-power, which has been built at Sheerness; the iron-screw frigate Raleigh of 22 guns, of 4,653 (3,210) tons, 4,000 (800) horse-power, sheathed with wood, which has been completed at Chatham; the Seaflower, a brig for two guns of 454 (425) tons, built at Pembroke; and two four-guns composite gun-boats, the Ariel and Zephyr, of 408 (303) tons, 360 (60) horse-power, launched at Chatham. The new vessels ordered or under construction consist of the composite steam sloop Flying Fish, of four guns, 727 (879) tons, 120 (720) horse-power, building at Chatham; a 14-gun iron screw corvette of 3,451 tons, and 4,750-horse power, and to be named the Rover, building by the Thames Shipbuilding Company at Blackwall; the Superb, a double screw iron armour-plated ship, for 12 guns, of 9,400 tons, and 9,000-horse-power, under construction at Chatham; and four one-gun double screw iron gunboats, of 245 (254) tons, 28 (168) horse-power, to be named the Gadfly, Griper, Pincher, and Tickler, all building at Pembroke. The other vessels under construction are four composite screw sloops of four guns, 804 (727) tons, and 720 (120) horse-power engines — viz., the Albatross, building at Chatham; the Egeria and Fantome, building at Pembroke, and the Daring at Messrs. Money Wigram and Co.'s, Blackwall; two 14-gun screw corvettes, the Amethyst and Modeste, both building at Devonport; the Assistance, an iron steam troopship, of 2,038 tons, and 1,409-horse power, ordered of Messrs. Green, of Blackwall; two iron screw corvettes, of 14 guns each, cased with wood, 3,912 (2,679) tons, 5,250 (700) horse-power, both under construction at Portsmouth, and to he named the Bacchante and Boadicea; the Blonde, of 26 guns, an iron screw frigate, cased with wood, of 5,696 (4,039) tons, and 1,000-horse power, also building at Portsmouth; the armour-plated turret-ship Fury [renamed Dreadnought prior to launch], to carry four guns, 10,464 (5,030) tons, 7,000 (1,000) hone-power, being built at Pembroke; a composite steam sloop, of four guns, 894 (727) tons, 720 (120) horse-power, to be named the Sappho, building at Blackball by Messrs. Money Wigram and Co.; and three double screw iron gunboats, carrying one gun each, of 254 (245) tons, 168 (28) horse-power, named the Cuckoo, Hyæna, and Weasel, all being built by Messrs. Laird, of Birkenhead.
Th 28 August 1873In addition to the ships lately ordered to be constructed for Her Majesty's Navy, which appeared in The Times on Thursday last, the following are at present under construction at the various Government dockyards and by private firms:— Three composite screw sloops of 894 (727) tons and 720 (120)-horse power engines, to carry four guns each, to be named the Albatross, just launched at Chatham Dockyard; the Daring, building at Messrs. Money Wjgram and Sons', Blackwall; and the Egeria, under construction at Pembroke Dockyard. An iron steam troopship of two guns, 2,038 tons and 130-horse power engines, being built by Messrs. R. and H. Green, of Blackwall, to be named the Assistance. Two 14-gun iron screw corvettes, cased with wood, of 3,906 (2,679) tons, and 5,230 (700)-horse power engines, both being built in Portsmouth Dockyard, and to be called the Bacchante and the Boadicea; an iron screw frigate, cased with wood, of 5,696 (4,039) tons and 4,500 (l,000)-horse power engines, designed to carry 26 guns, to be named the Shah, and to be launched at Portsmouth early next month; the Flying Fish, a composite screw sloop, for four guns, of 727 (879) tons and 120 (720)-horse power engines, building at Chatham; an armour-plated turret ship, of 10,886 (5,030) tons and 7,000 (l,000)-horse power engines, to be named the Fury [renamed Dreadnought prior to launch], and designed to carry four "Woolwich Infants," 35-ton guns, being built at Pembroke Dockyard; a 14-gun iron screw corvette, of 3.451 tons and 4.750-horse power engines, to be named the Rover, and building by the Thames Shipbuilding Company, at Blackwall; a composite steam sloop for 4 guns, of 894 (727) tons, and 720 (120)-horse power engines, building by Messrs. Money Wigram and Sons, at Blackwall, to be named the Sappho; a double screw iron armour-plated ship for 12 guns, to be called the Superb, of 9,400 tuns, and 9,000-horse power engines, under construction at Chatham Dockyard; and eight double-screw iron gunboats, to carry one gun each, of 254 (245) tons, and 168 (23)-horse power engines, to be named the Ant, Cuckoo, Gadfly, Griper, Hyaena, Pincher, Tickler, and Weasel, four building at Pembroke Dockyard, and four by Messrs. Laird, of Birkenhead.
Tu 16 April 1878Several of the ships which had been pushed forward at Portsmouth with all possible despatch in readiness for a probable great emergency [the 1877 Anglo-Russian crisisExternal link] are being told off at the present time for unexpectedly tranquil destinations. The Boadicea, 14, unarmoured corvette, was brought alongside the jetty yesterday morning, and is to be commissioned for foreign service on the 18th inst. She is expected to relieve the Undaunted, the flagship of Rear-Admiral Corbett, on the East India station. The Hercules, 14, which had been named for the Mediterranean, and also as the new flag-ship in the West Indies, is ordered to relieve the Narcissus as ship of the First Reserve at Greenock. The Narcissus, which will turn over her crew on being relieved, will proceed at once to Portsmouth to have her defects made good. The Hercules tried her electric light apparatus last night in the dockyard. The Triumph, 14, which is to be commissioned by Captain Bradshaw on the 25th inst., is to supersede the Shah as the flagship of Rear-Admiral De Horsey in the Pacific. It is expected that the Inconstant will receive the crew of the Warrior, and will be ordered to do a spell of Coast-guard duty at Portland.
Fr 14 June 1878The Reserve Squadron commenced to weigh anchor and move into position at 5 o'clock yesterday morning, and eventually left Spithead for Portland about 8 o'clock, rounding the Warner in the following order of columns of division — the starboard division consisting of the Hercules, Captain Fisher, bearing the flag of Admiral Sir Astley Cooper Key; the Hector, Captain Simpson; the Resistance, Captain Thrupp; and the Lord Warden, Captain Fremantle: the port division consisting of the Warrior, Captain Douglas, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Boys; the Valiant, Captain Chapman; the Penelope, Captain Brown; and the Boadicea, unarmoured corvette, Captain Erskine. The despatch vessel Lively, Lieutenant-Commander Sir Baldwin Walker, occupied a position between the columns. The Glatton, turret-ship, Captain Singer, and the gunboats and torpedo vessels remain at Portsmouth until further orders.
Th 8 August 1878The 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.
Ma 15 November 1880The following information respecting the movements of Her Majesty's ships is supplied by the Admiralty: — From Malta letters have been received from the Rear-Admiral Superintendent up to the 8th inst.; the Téméraire will be ready for sea the 27th inst.; and the Cygnet on the 20th inst.; the Invincible and Hecla are in port. Her Majesty's troopship Orontes left Port Said for England on the 12th inst. From the West Coast of Africa letters hive been received from the Senior Officer in the Dido, at Fernando Po, up to the 2d of October; had arrived from Bonny on the 1st of October, with the Firebrand in company, and would proceed to Ambas Bay, Batanga, and Cape Lopez, returning to Quitta via St Thomas. The Firebrand would relieve the Firefly at St. Paul de Loando. From the Cape of Good Hope intelligence has been received that the Commodore, in the Boadicea, was at Simon's Bay on the 14th inst. From the East Indies, letters have been received from the Commander-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral Gore Jones, C.B., in the Euryalus, was at Trincomalee up to the 12th of October. Was about to sail for Rangoon, and would be met there by the Eclipse and the Dryad. The Beacon was at Bussorah, the Ready was at Muscat, the Woodlark was at Karachi on the 6th October. The Ruby, the Dragon, and the Wild Swan, were on East Coast of Africa. The Seagull was at Aden, and would visit Jeddah shortly. The Philomel, coming to Aden from Seychelles, arrived there on the 20th October. Her Majesty's Indian troopship Serapis left Bombay for England on Saturday, the 13th inst.
Ma 26 March 1888The Admiralty have issued instructions for the Boadicea, 14, second-class screw cruiser, 4,40 tons, 5,130-horse power, to be commissioned the first week in April by Captain the Hon. Assheton G. Curzon Howe, late of the Royal yacht Osborne, for the relief of the Bacchante, cruiser, as flagship of the Commmander-in-Chief of the East Indies station.
Th 26 April 1888The unarmoured corvette Boadicea, has been commissioned at Portsmouth by Captain Curzon Howe, with a crew of 426 officers and men, as flagship for the East India station. During her refit two of her armament of 14 7-inch muzzleloaders have been changed for the same number of 5-inch breechloaders, while the couple of 64 pounders which she formerly carried, have been superseded by four quick-firing guns. She is also provided with 11 machine-guns. It has not been deemed necessary to fit her with torpedo booms as she will take over those of the Bacchante on arriving at her station.
Ma 14 May 1888The Boadicea, which, as already stated, left Portsmouth on Thursday for the East India station, made a very successful six hours’ full-power run of her machinery on her way to Plymouth. As the stokeholds were worked by her ordinary complement of stokers, the mean power developed was less than at the three hours’ trial before starting. The average amounted to 3,500 horses, and the speed realized was 13∙8 knots. There was a little priming, but this would wear off as the boilers get used. She left on Friday for her station, and was expected to meet the Bacchante at the Mauritius.


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