HMS Sirius

HMS Sirius (1868)

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Name	Sirius (1868)	Explanation
Type	Sloop (1876: Corvette)
Launched	24 April 1868
Hull	Wooden	Length	212 feet
Propulsion	Screw	Men	180
Builders measure
Displacement	1760 tons
Guns	6
Fate	1885	Last in commission	1880
Class	Eclipse
Ships book
Career
Date	Event
24 April 1868	Launched at Portsmouth Dockyard.
17 July 1869 - 5 December 1873	Commanded (from commissioning at Portsmouth until paying off at Portsmouth) by Captain David Miller, Cape of Good Hope and west coast of Africa, then Halifax and the West Indies
6 September 1875	Commanded (from commissioning at Plymouth) by Captain Charles Pringle, Cape of Good Hope and west coast of Africa
25 October 1876 - 26 February 1880	Commanded (until paying off) by Captain George Lydiard Sulivan, Cape of Good Hope and west coast of Africa, then (October 1877) Devonport for new engines, then North America and West Indies
1885	Sold to Castle for breaking up at Charlton.
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Sa 22 November 1873	The unarmoured screw sloop Sirius, Capt. David Miller, arrived at Spithead yesterday from Halifax and the West Indies, and after having been officially inspected and discharged her ammunition will go into Portsmouth Harbour to be dismantled and paid out of commission. The Sirius wat commissioned at Portsmouth by Capt. Miller in July, 1869.
Th 8 June 1876	The following is a brief account of the cruise of Her Majesty's ship Dido, 8, Capt, W.C Chapman, late Commodore of the Australian station. The Dido arrived at Spithead on the 6th instant after a prolonged absence of more than five years. Of this period, 12 months were spent on the West Coast of Africa station, the remainder in the Australian Colonies and among the South Sea Islands:-"The Dido was commissioned at Portsmouth on the 20th of April, 1871, for service on the West Coast of Africa. Leaving England on the 6th of May, having called at Madeira en route, she arrived at Sierra Leone on the 9th of June, and relieved Her Majesty's ship Sirius at Fernando Po on the 16th of July. Three months later, war having broken out afresh between the kingdoms of New Calabar, Bonny, and Ekrika, thereby bringing all European trade in the rivers to a standstill, Capt, Chapman, acting under instructions from the Admiralty, proceeded with the squadron under his orders up the Bonny river - one of the mouths of the Niger - to settle the native disputes, using force, if necessary, to open up the rivers for trade. This he accomplished most satisfactorily in conjunction with the British Consul, Capt. Hopkins, by prevailing on the contending parties to meet on board the Dido, where their mutual grievances were adjusted and peace re-established at a palaver which lasted four days. The result proved a lasting benefit to the European merchants as well as to the native Kings and Chiefs, the oil trade soon reaching the large proportions of nearly half a million per annum. In December the Dido arrived at Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, where Capt. Chapman was to act as Senior Officer during the absence of the Commodore on the West Coast. Five months later, on the 16th of May, 1872, the ship left the Cape for Sydney, having been ordered to join the Australian, squadron. On her way she touched at St. Paul's, where the remains of the ill-fated Megaera were still to be seen. Arriving at Sydney on the 3d of July, she remained there a month to refit, and was then, employed for nine months in New Zealand, after which the ship proceeded to Fiji in February, 1873, the islands being in a very disturbed state, and a collision between the Government and settlers daily expected. Shortly before her arrival at Levuka the massacre of the Burns family by the mountaineers of Viti Levu had occurred. This brought to a crisis the disturbances between the de facto Government of King Cakabau and the European settlers of the Ba district, who declared their independence of a Government which they thought unable to protect them from the attacks of these cannibals, and on the arrival of the Fijian troops to avenge the massacre, the planters armed, and with their foreign labourers prepared to resist them. Bloodshed would have ensued had not Capt. Chapman, at considerable risk, taken the Dido through an intricate passage for 80 miles among the coral reefs to the Ba river, and, having invited a large number of the disaffected settlers on board, prevailed upon them to lay down their arms, the Government granting a general amnesty to all concerned, with the exception of the two ringleaders, who were detained on board for a short time in order to prevent the authorities from taking any steps against them. After a stay of six months in the Fiji group, including a visit to the Friendly Islands, in August she left Levuka with 102 South Sea Islanders on board, who had been kidnapped by the notorious brig Carl. These natives were all successfully returned to their respective homes in the Now Hebrides, Solomon, New Ireland, and Caroline groups, although great difficulties were experienced both in finding their proper villages and in navigating among the islands and reefs, more especially on account of the breakage of a cylinder soon after leaving Fiji. In November the Dido arrived at Brisbane, and, after a short stay, proceeded to Sydney, having on board the Governor of Queensland, the Marquis of Normanby. After a stay of six months in Sydney, where a new cylinder was made, in July, 1874, the ship was again at anchor in the arbour of Levuko, having called at Norfolk Island on her way. On the 17th of that month, news arriving at Fiji of the wreck of the French war vessel L'Hermite at Wallace Island, the Dido at once went to her assistance, and was able to do a good deal for the comfort of the distressed Frenchmen. In September, Sir Hercules Robinson, the Governor of New South Wales, arrived in Her majesty's ship Pearl to reopen negotiations for the cession of the islands. The interview with Cakabau was held on board the Dido, where he offered the islands to Her Majesty; and afterwards, when the Governor visited the Windward Islands to see Maafu and other leading Chiefs, the Dido accompanied him, flying the Royal Standard of Fiji at the main, having on board the King, his suite, and one of his sons. The ship also took a prominent part in the ceremony which marked the final cession of Fiji to Great Britain on October 10, 1874, and the ex-King presented the Fijian flag to Capt. Chapman, when it was hauled down for the last time to make room for the Union Jack. Soon afterwards the 'Tito,' as Cakabau called her, at his express wish convoyed him and his suite to Sydney on the occasion of his visit to the Governor of New South Wales, returning with them to Fiji a month later. On the 7th of February, 1875, she again left Levuka to return 100 native labourers to their homes in the New Hebrides, and after calling at Noumea, New Caledonia, she proceeded to Auckland, where she remained four months, during which time some of the northern ports were visited. She then left for Wellington, encountering very heavy gales on the passage. After a month's stay the Dido returned to Sydney, where on her arrival the melancholy fate of the late Commodore Goodenough was first heard. The command of the station now devolved on Capt. Chapman, who received his appointment as Commodore by telegram from the Admiralty. At the end of October the Dido visited Tasmania, where she remained a fortnight, returning to Sydney, which port she finally left on December 2 for Melbourne, there to meet Capt. Hoskins, who arrived by the mail on the 15th to relieve Commodore Chapman in the command of the station; and after waiting a month for her relief - the Sapphire - the Dido at last started on her homeward voyage. A good passage was made to within 200 miles of Cape Pillar. Here, on February 20, was encountered one of the most furious gales over experienced by any one on board. Although the ship was put under storm canvas, consisting of a close-reefed maintopsail and storm forestaysail, both were blown away, and soon followed by the fall of the fore and main topmasts and jibboom; the barometer fell to 28.15, the wind increased to a hurricane, and rapidly raised a tremendous sea. Fortunately the gale did not remain at its height f or more .than four hours, and, soon abating, the ship was enabled, to proceed on her voyage, and entered the Straits of Magellan, where she refitted; but, being unable to obtain spars at Sandy Point, she called at Montevideo for that purpose, as well as for provisions. The Dido left the River Plate on the 1st of April, crossed the line on the 27th, touched at Fayal (Azores) on the 21st of May, experienced successive calms and light winds until the 2d of June, and arrived at Spithead on the 6th. During the commission she has run upwards of 60,000 miles in 616 sea days. It is seldom a ship, after so long an absence, returns with so many of the officers and men still on board who commissioned in her. The Captain, the three Lieutenants, paymaster, surgeon, warrant officers, and the majority of the ship's company left England in the vessel more than five years ago. The Dido brings home a portion of the crews of the schooners Renard, Sandfly, and Beagle. The ship will probably be paid off about the 16th instant, when the crew will be granted the well-earned two months to which they are entitled".

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