HMS Myrtle

HMS Myrtle (launched as Malabar, 1818)

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Name	Myrtle (launched as Malabar, 1818)	Explanation
Type	Third rate
Launched	28 December 1818
Hull	Wooden
Propulsion	Sail
Builders measure	1715 tons
Displacement
Guns	74
Fate	1905
Class	Repulse
Ships book
Note	1848 c.h. 1883 = Myrtle
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
14 February 1838 - 31 January 1839	Commanded by Captain Edward Harvey, North America and West Indies
19 August 1841 - 5 June 1844	Commanded (from commissioning at Devonport until paying off at Portsmouth) by Captain George Rose Sartorius, Mediterranean
30 October 1883	Renamed Myrtle
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Ma 7 February 1842	The Revenge, 78, Hon. Captain Waldegrave, is expected home every day to be paid off. She was at Lisbon on the 24th ult. with the Indus and Lynx. On the 21st ult. the Malabar, Calcutta, Cambridge and Lizard steamer, were at Gibraltar; and on the 22d the Vernon frigate, with four French ships of war, was at Cadiz.
Fr 2 June 1843	Rear-Admiral Bowles, it is said, will hoist his flag in the Malabar, 72, and be stationed on the Irish coast.
Sa 3 June 1843	According to a very general report, it is believed that "Rear-Admiral Sir W. Bowles, C.B is ordered over to hoist his flag as Naval Commander-in-Chief on the coast of Ireland, and that a large fleet of war steamers and other vessels of war will be placed onder his orders."
Sa 10 June 1843	The Malabar, 72, Captain Sir G.R. Sartorius, has sailed from Plymouth for Cork, where she is to be stationed as the flag ship of Rear-Admiral W. BowIes.
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.
We 21 June 1843	The Note Of Preparation.— Two more war steamers have arrived at Cove from Portsmouth. The Meteor, 2 guns, Commander George Butler, and the Myrtle. Her Majesty’s ship Tyne, 26 guns, Captain W.N. Glasscock, is also added to the strength of the squadron in that harbour, which, if rumour is to be credited, is to be further increased by the addition of several vessels of war, first and second rates. Rear-Admiral Bowles is hourly expected in the Shannon river by the Lightning war-steamer, for the purpose of inspecting the several forts and batteries in the Lower Shannon, which are to be garrisoned by detachments of the Marine Artillery. Further note of preparation is thus announced by the Limerick Chronicle:— "Several loads of timber have been received into the yard of the new barracks for the purpose of erecting stockades and other defences inside the walls, and two pieces of heavy ordnance are to be planted in the old Castle of Limerick, as a matter of precaution before the county of Clare side of the river Shannon."
Ma 20 May 1844	WOOLWICH, Sunday, May 19. At a late hour on Friday last orders were received at Woolwich to hold the Lightning steam vessel in readiness to proceed to Ireland, and at 1 o'clock p.m. on Saturday Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Pigot, C.B. and K.C.H., appointed to succeed Rear-Admiral William Bowles, C.B., in command of the squadron of vessels and war steamers on the coast of Ireland, arrived by one of the river steam packets at Woolwich, and embarked in the Lightning and shortly after left for his destination. The gallant officer was made Rear Admiral of the White on the 10th of January, 1837, and will hoist his flag in the Volage, 26, at present stationed at the Cove, Cork, under the charge of Captain Sir William Dickson, Bart. The command of the squadron devolved on Captain Sir G.R. Sartorius, Knt., of the Malabar, 72, recently returned from the Mediterranean, on the departure of Rear Admiral William Bowles in the Meteor steam vessel to take his seat at the Board of Admiralty, to which he has been appointed in the room of Rear Admiral Sir George Seymour, Knt., G.C.H., appointed to the command in the Pacific, and will hoist his flag in the Collingwood, 80, fitting at Portsmouth for his immediate reception.
Sa 25 May 1844	The Malabar, 72, Captain Sir G.R. Sartorius, Knt, arrived last night from Lisbon, last from Cork, but not to be paid off, it being asserted that she also will join the squadron of exercise.
Ma 27 May 1844	PORTSMOUTH, May 26. The Malabar, 72, Captain Sir G.R. Sartorius, Knt., was towed into the harbour yesterday afternoon to be paid off.
Ma 3 June 1844	The Malabar, 72, Captain Sir G.R. Sartorius, is being dismantled in the harbour prior to being paid off. Should her timbers be found on overhauling sound and firm, she will be recommissioned to form one of the squadron of exercise. She has been upwards of 50 years in the service.
Th 6 June 1844	The Indus, 78, Captain Sir J. Stirling, arrived at Plymouth on Friday night from Lisbon, which she left on the 3d ult. Private letters from her complain bitterly of the length of the passage and the shortness of provisions; the latter consequent on having supplied a great portion of her own to the Albion, 90, Captain N. Lockyer. The Indus is ordered to be paid off forthwith, another grievance to the officers and crew, who for the most part belong to Portsmouth and its vicinity. The worst part of the business is the serious pecuniary loss inflicted on the crew, who being numerously connected by family ties with Portsmouth, have to travel hither at great expense and inconvenience. It is, however, reported, that Government steamers will be employed to convey the crew to this port, at least such as are connected. with it. We hope the report is correct. The Malabar, 72, Commander Macdonnell (Captain Sir G.R. Sartorius being on sick leave at Lisbon), will be paid off this day. The same complaint is made by the crew of this ship as with the Indus, most of her hands belonging to Devonport, where she was commissioned. The Collingwood, 80, Captain Henry Eden, flag-ship of Sir George Seymour, G.C.H., appointed to the chief command on the North American station, is out of dock and completing her fitting in the basin; she is short of her full complement of hands by about 150, but these will doubtless be made up from the Malabar, just paid off, the Collingwood having a first-rate character as a well known "crack” craft.
Fr 1 July 1859	The Impérieuse, 51, screw, Captain R.B. Maguire, has been brought down Portsmouth harbour and placed along-side the Malabar, coal depôt, for the purpose of coaling. The Neptune, 91, screw, Captain Sir W. Hoste, has crossed lower and topsail yards and placed battens on her rigging, in readiness for rattling down. She has hauled off from alongside the sheer jetty to alongside the Prince Regent hulk, in Portsmouth harbour. The Sidon, 22, paddle, Captain R.B. Crawford, is coaling alongside the north quay of the fitting basin. The Dauntless, 32, screw, Captain W. Edmonstone, in the steam basin at Portsmouth, has commenced crossing her lower and topsailyards. The Sphinx, 6, paddle, and the Beagle, 8, screw, have both been brought down Portsmouth harbour, and placed in the steam basin, to be advanced to the first-class steam reserve.

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