HMS Grinder (1855)
HMS Grinder (1855)


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NameGrinder (1855)Explanation
TypeGunboat   
Launched7 March 1855
HullWooden
PropulsionScrew
Builders measure232 tons
Displacement 
Guns3
Fate1864
ClassDapper
Ships bookADM 135/211
Note 
Snippets concerning this vessels career
DateEvent
28 March 1855
- 7 March 1857
Commanded by Lieutenant Francis Trevor Hamilton, the Baltic (as tender to Pembroke then - 9 May 1955 - the Black Sea during the Russian War then the Mediterranean as tender to Royal Albert)
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Ma 26 February 1855As far as can be ascertained at present, the fleet about to be despatched to the Baltic will be thus composed:—
Commander-in-Chief.— Rear-Admiral of the Blue, the Hon. Richard Saundars Dundas, C.B.
Second in Command.— Rear-Admiralof the Blue, Michael Seymour.
Third in Command.— Rear-Admiral of the Blue, Robert Lambert Baynes, C.B.
Captain of the Fleet.— The Hon. F.T. Pelham.
 GunsHorse-power
Duke of Wellington (flag)131700
Royal George, Captain Codrington, C.B. 102400
Exmouth (flag)91400
James Watt, Captain Georce Elliot91600
Orion, Captain Erskine91600
Caesar, Captain Robb91400
Nile, Captain Mundy91500
Majestic, Captain J. Hope, C.B.81400
Cressy, Captain Warren81400
Colossus, Captain Robinson81400
Sanspareil, Captain Heath70350
Blenheim, Captain W.H. Hall60450
Hogue, Captain Ramsay60450
Ajax, Captain Warden60450
Edinburgh, Captain Hewlett60450
Russell, Captain Scott60200
Hawke, Captain Erasmus Ommanney60200
Cornwallis, Captain Wellesley60200
Pembroke, Captain G.H. Seymour60200
Hastings, Captain Caffin60200
Imperieuse, Captain Watson, C.B.51360
Euryalus, Captain Ramsay51400
Arrogant, Cantain Yelverton47360
Amphion, Captain A.C. Key34300
Horatio, Captain Cochrane24250
Cossack, Captain Fanshawe212ö0
Pylades, Captain D'Eyncourt21250
Esk, Captain T.F. Birch21250
Tartar, Captain Dunlop21250
Archer, Captain Heathcote17200
Retribution, Captain Fisher28400
Magicienne, Captain Tatham16400
Odin, Captain Willcox16560
Sampson, Captain Brock6467
Dragon, Captain Stewart6560
Bulldog, Captain W.K. Hall6500
Penelope, Captain Sir W. Wiseman18650
Lightning, Captain B.J. Sulivan3100
Vulture, Captain Glasse 6470
Desperate, Commander White8400
Conflict, Commander Cumming 8400
Cruizer Commander the Hon. G. Douglas1460
Harier, Commander Story14160
Ariel, Commander Luce960
Falcon, Commander Pullen17100
Basilisk, Commander the Hon. F. Egerton6400
Rosamond, Commander Crofton6286
Driver, Commander Rice6280
Janus, Lieutenaut Kane4220
Locust, Lieutenant -3180
Otter, Lientenant W.A.J. Heath3120
Porcupine, Lieutenant Jackson3132
Zephyr, Lieutenant Bond3100
Recruit, Lientenant J.F. Day4160
Weser, Lieatenant Commerell4160
Vulture, Captain Glasse 6470
Floating Batteries
Ætna16Thunder16
Glatton16Trusty16
Meteor16 
Mortar Vessels
Blazer1Manly1
Firm1Mastiff1
Hardy1Porcupine 1
Havock1Surly1
Steam Gunboats
Gleaner3Hind2
Pelter3Jackdaw2
Pincher3Jasper2
Ruby3Jack2
Teazer3Magpie2
Badger3Redwing2
Snapper3Skylark2
Biter2Snap2
Boxer2Starling2
Clinker2Stork2
Cracker2Swinger2
Dapper2Thistle2
Fancy2Weasel2
Grinder2Pigmy2
The Belleisle, 24, Commander Hosken, hospital ship.
The Æolus, 42, ammunition magazine.
The Perseverance, storeship.
The Volcano, floating engineers' factory, Master-Commander Dyer.
Rear-Admiral Michael Seymour has hoisted his flag (pro tem.) as second in command of the Baltic Fleet on board the Nile, 91, Captain Mundy, at Plymouth. Mr. Dyer, secretary at the Devonport dockyard, goes to sea with Admiral Seymour as secretary.
Fr 6 April 1855The ships left at Spithead after the departure of the main body of the Baltic expedition shifted berths yesterday under sail, and formed two lines, as ordered, thus:—
Falcon, 14 (screw)Neptune, 120
Ariel, 9 (screw)Calcutta, 84
Cruiser, 16 (screw)Orion, 91 (screw)
Centaur, 6 (paddle)St. George, 120
Pylades 21 (screw)Powerful, 84

The Geyser, 6, paddle, was ordered to take officers and men for the Baltic fleet in the Downs, and left last evening. The Driver, 6, paddle, will leave Spithead to-morrow, and will then also take supernumeraries to join the larger ships. The Falcon returned to Spithead on Wednesday night from the Channel. Rear-Admiral Baynes remains at Portsmouth to take out the third division; but his flagship, the Retribution, will not be out of the hands of the engineer department until the 10th, and then the shipwrights will not have done with her. She remains in the steam basin, with Admiral Baynes's flag at her mizen, and is being proceeded with as fast as possible. The Odin, 16, paddle frigate, is also in the steam basin, having new covers to her cylinders fitted, her old ones not being strong enough to contain the pressure of the additional power of steam generated by her new boilers; she will be refitted in this respect by the 10th. The Ruby, Pelter, and Grinder gunboats are all in the hands of the dockyard artificers; the latter, which came up from Cowes on Monday from the shipbuilding yard of Messrs. Robert White, is in dock, being fitted out for the fleet. The Pelter is having moveable iron plates of a quarter of an inch thickness fitted on to the gunwale, and projecting above the bulwarks about 18 inches, for, the protection of her crew from rifle bullets from without, when in close proximity with the enemy, and also the better to enable those onboard to shield themselves while at rifle firing themselves. This vessel needed some new tubes for her boilers, but those sent to replace the defective ones are said to be four inches too short for her! The Hastings, 60, new screw blockship, went out of harbour yesterday again to make a trial of her steaming properties at the measured mile. She went out with most of her weights on board, and drawing 22 feet. The mean of four runs showed an average speed realized of 6·7 knots — a result far beyond the most sanguine expectations of the scientific on board and ashore; revolution of engines, 78; and pressure of steam in the boilers, 55lb. The inexperience of the stokers alone prevented a better mean speed being realized, and there is little doubt that greater speed will be ultimately obtained. She victuals now 279 out of her intended complement of 600. The Ruby gunboat was undocked yesterday. The Bellerophon, 78, landed her invalids yesterday morning at the dockyard jetty, and they were conveyed to the invalid depôt by railway. The ship is now returning stores, preparatory to being put out of commission. Her officers will be paid off, but the crew will be paid down, and after a fortnight’s leave draughted for service in the Baltic. None of her bulkheads or internal fittings are to be removed.
We learn by electric telegraph from Deal that the Baltic fleet at anchor in the Downs yesterday comprised the following vessels:—The Duke of Wellington, 131, Royal George, 101, Nile, 91, James Watt, 91, Caesar, 91, Exmouth, 91, Majestic, 81, Cressy, 81, Colossus, 81, Hogue, 60, Blenheim, 60, Edinburgh. 60, Vulture, 6, Dragon, 6, Gorgon, 6, Basilisk, 6, Bulldog. 6. The Ajax, 60, was coming in. The weather being very fine visitors were flocking in to Deal by every train.


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