HMS Inconstant

HMS Inconstant (1836)

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Name	Inconstant (1836)	Explanation
Type	Fifth rate
Launched	10 June 1836
Hull	Wooden
Propulsion	Sail
Builders measure	1422 tons
Displacement
Guns	36
Fate	1862
Class
Ships book
Note
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
11 December 1836 - 16 September 1841	Commanded by Captain Daniel Pring, Lisbon, North America & West Indies, Irish and Mediterranean stations
12 October 1841 - 30 March 1843	Commanded by Captain Frederick Thomas Michell, Mediterranean
20 May 1843 - 2 March 1847	Commanded by Captain Charles Howe Fremantle, Mediterranean
28 February 1847 - 20 April 1847	Commanded by Captain Charles Wise, Mediterranean
4 December 1847 - 7 December 1850	Commanded by Captain John Shepherd, south-east coast of America
August 1854 - August 1854	Temporary hospital hulk for emigrants, Plymouth
January 1861	Hospital hulk for emigrants, Cork, Ireland
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Ma 19 June 1843	DUBLIN, June16. The Irish Naval Squadron. It appears from the Cork papers of last night, that the naval squadron at present assembling at Cove has been further reinforced by the arrival of the Orestes sloop, 18 guns, Commander the Hon. S.T. Carnegie, and the Racer brig, 16 guns, Commander A. Reed. A letter dated Cove, Thursday, June 15. says,— "At 10 o'clock this morning, the Lightning, Government steamer, with Rear Admiral Bowles, arrived, and soon afterwards his flag (blue at the mizzen) was hoisted on board Her Majesty’s ship Malabar, under a salute from the other vessels of war in the harbour. The Cyclops steamer has also arrived; and Her Majesty's ship Rose sailed last evening: her destination is said to be Halifax and West Indies." The Cork Reporter, in alluding to these arrivals, remarks:— The River Steamer Company will have reason to bless Lord De Grey, or the Government, or whoever it was that sent the Irish squadron to Cove, for their vessels, which we believe have departed from the quay at every hour since 3 o’clock this morning, have been crowded and crammed with passengers going down to see the sight which the harbour presents — a very novel one in these days and for years past, though in bygone times such a thing was not unusual. The ships now below are —The Malabar,72, Admiral Bowles, the Orestes, 18, Hon. S.T. Carnegie, the Racer, 16, Commander Reed; the Scylla, and the Tyne; and the Meteor and Lightning steamers. The Inconstant frigate is stated in some postings about the town to be also at Cove, bat this is not the fact. Dr. Yerling, the surgeon of that vessel, which has only lately returned from China, passed through this city a few days ago for Mallow, intending to make a stay there, but he has received orders to join at Plymouth with as little delay as may be, as she was about to be put in commission forthwith, and despatched to Cove to replace the Malabar, which is to leave in a day or two. A guardship is to be stationed in Cove, and an admiral also. The house in the town known as the 'Admiralty house' has been taken and fitted up for the accommodation of Admiral Bowles, who is to hoist his flag this day on board the Malabar." The whole of these arrangements appear to have thrown the excitable inhabitants of the "beautiful city" into a perfect delirium of delight.
Th 11 May 1848	We have intimation of the Firebrand steam-frigate, Captain Hope, being at Rio on the 1st of March, a letter of which date states— "The Inconstant, 36, Captain Shepphard [sic] and the Acheron steam-sloop, Captain Stokes, arrived yesterday. We go to-morrow to the River Plate with Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert, and expect to return here at the end of this month en route to England."
Fr 30 June 1848	Cape of Good Hope, April 21. The President, 50, Captain Stanley, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Dacres, the Commander-in-Chief, sailed from Simon's-bay on the 15th for the Mauritius, taking the Rosamond steam sloop, Commander Foote, with him part of the way. The Rosamond was to go to Mozambique with despatches, and then on to the Mauritius to meet the Admiral there. The Geyser steam sloop, Commander Brown, left this on the 18th, calling off Buffalo River to land Colonel Hare, and then goes on to the Mauritius to join the Admiral; and then they all go to Tamatave to make a treaty with the Queen of Madagascar. The Brilliant, 26, Captain Watson, left this about a month since for the Mauritius, and remains there until the Admiral's arrival, and then she would go to Tamatave with him. The Eurydice, 26, Captain Anson, is to come here to refit; and the Nimrod, Commander Belgrave, on the Eurydice's arrival, will take the Bishop of the Cape to St. Helena on a visit. The Admiral still feels the loss of his son most acutely. The Mariner, 12, Commander Mathison, arrived here on the 15th, the day the Admiral left; she was 17 days from Rio, and left at anchor there the Maeander, 44, Captain the Hon. H. Keppel; the Inconstant, 36, Captain Shepphard [sic]; the Acheron steam surveying ship, Captain J.L. Stokes; and the Hydra steam sloop, Commander Skipwith; — all from England. The Maeander and Acheron are expected here hourly, as they were to leave three days after the Mariner, which has been here nearly a week. The latter leaves this on the 25th for India. All is quiet and going on prosperously in the colony. They have had a severe hurricane at the Mauritius; the damage done is considerable. The Fox, 42, Commodore Sir Henry Blackwood, is expected here every day from India, homeward bound; also the Albatross, 14, Commander Farquhar, from the coast of Africa, en route to India. The Devastation steam sloop, Commander Michell, is also daily expected here from the coast for service on this station. The Seringapatam store ship, Master Commanding Russell, is in Simon's-bay.

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