HMS Spartan

HMS Spartan (1868)

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Name	Spartan (1868)	Explanation
Type	Sloop (1876: Corvette)
Launched	14 November 1868
Hull	Wooden	Length	212 feet
Propulsion	Screw	Men	180
Builders measure	1269 tons
Displacement	1755 tons
Guns	6
Fate	1882	Last in commission	1880
Class	Eclipse
Ships book	ADM 135/442
Career
Date	Event
14 November 1868	Launched at Deptford Dockyard.
31 July 1871 - 19 October 1872	Commanded (from commissioning at Portsmouth) by Captain Charles Fenton Fletcher Boughey, West Indies (until Boughey superceded at his own request)
23 September 1872 - 17 March 1874	Commanded by Commander Joseph Samuel Hudson, West Indies
17 March 1874 - 3 July 1875	Commanded (until paying off at Sheerness) by Captain Richard Carter, West Indies
15 June 1876 - 17 July 1876	Commanded (from commissioning at Sheerness) by Captain Hawksworth Fawkes, en route for the East Indies (until Fawkes died off Vigo, wherupon the vessel returned to Portsmouth)
20 July 1876 - 18 August 1880	Commanded (until paying off at Sheerness) by Captain Richard Edward Tracey, East Indies
7 November 1882	Sold to Castle for breaking up at Charlton.
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Ma 20 January 1879	The Army and Navy Gazette states that reliefs for the following unarmourcd ships will be required during this year, namely — the Rover, commissioned December, 1875; Opal, commissioned January, 1876; Rifleman, commissioned April, 1876; Avon, Plover, Spartan, commissioned June, 1876; Wolverine, commissioned August, 1876; Danae, commissioned September, 1876; Boxer and Vulture, commissioned December, 1876. The Frolic and Kestrel, on the China station, which will have completed a three years' commission, may either be recommlssioned on the station or be relieved by the river gunboats. The Admiralty will also have to provide a relief for the Bellerophon, ironclad, and flagship on the North American station. Little difficulty will be experienced in these reliefs, as the reserves are full of ships.
Ma 12 July 1880	It is proposed to pay off and lay up, after repair, at Devonport, during the present year the Achilles and Agincourt, now with the Channel Squadron, the Condor and Flamingo, now in the Mediterranean, but commissioned for special service in the Black Sea, the Wild Swan, from the East Indies, and the Modeste, Swinger, Sylvia, Hornet, and Midge from the China station. The two latter will pay off at Hongkong and be navigated home by a supernumerary crew is consequence of the majority of their officers and men having volunteered for other service upon the station. The Wivern will also pay off at Hongkong, but will remain as reserve drill ship upon that station. The Devonport reserve contingent will also be strengthened by the return of the Forward from the south-east coast of America, the Griffon from North America and the West Indies, and the Pelican, Penguin, and Shannon from the Pacific. Portsmouth will receive the Minotaur from the Mediterranean, and will be intrusted with her alteration and repair, for which ?100,000 will be required, the Swallow and the Elk from the south-east coast of America, the Plover from North America, and the Hector, now Coastguard ship at Southampton. The Fawn, surveying vessel in the Sea of Marmora, having made a fairly accurate sketch of the bed of that sea during the three years she has been engaged on that duty, will return to Chatham to pay off and lay up, as also will the T?m?raire from the Mediterranean, and the Tourmaline from the North American coast. Sheerness will have the repairing and charge of the Helicon from the Mediterranean, the Blanche from North America and the West Indies, the Osprey from the Pacific, and the Ruby, Spartan, and Vulture from the East Indies. During the year the Enchantress, the Orontes, the Jackal, the Orwell, and the Foxhound are to be re-commissioned, the latter at Hongkong.

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