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| Name | Assistance (1874) | Explanation | |
| Type | Troopship | ||
| Launched | 26 September 1874 | ||
| Hull | Iron | ||
| Propulsion | Screw | ||
| Builders measure | |||
| Displacement | 2515 tons | ||
| Guns | 2 | ||
| Fate | 1897 | ||
| Class | |||
| Ships book | |||
| Note | |||
| Snippets concerning this vessels career | |||
| Date | Event | ||
| 1 December 1875 - 7 February 1879 | Commanded by Captain Francis Mowbray Prattent | ||
| 8 February 1879 - 8 February 1879 | Commanded by Captain John Frederick George Grant | ||
| 8 February 1879 - 7 February 1882 | Commanded by Captain Claude Edward Buckle | ||
| Extracts from the Times newspaper | |||
| Date | Extract | ||
| Tu 22 April 1873 | Five vessels for the Royal Navy have been completed during the past quarter, and there are 22 others in course of construction at the various Government dockyards and private firms. The vessels completed are the Encounter, screw corvette of 1,890 (1,405) tons, 2,149 (350) horse-power, which has been built at Sheerness; the iron-screw frigate Raleigh of 22 guns, of 4,653 (3,210) tons, 4,000 (800) horse-power, sheathed with wood, which has been completed at Chatham; the Seaflower, a brig for two guns of 454 (425) tons, built at Pembroke; and two four-guns composite gun-boats, the Ariel and Zephyr, of 408 (303) tons, 360 (60) horse-power, launched at Chatham. The new vessels ordered or under construction consist of the composite steam sloop Flying Fish, of four guns, 727 (879) tons, 120 (720) horse-power, building at Chatham; a 14-gun iron screw corvette of 3,451 tons, and 4,750-horse power, and to be named the Rover, building by the Thames Shipbuilding Company at Blackwall; the Superb, a double screw iron armour-plated ship, for 12 guns, of 9,400 tons, and 9,000-horse-power, under construction at Chatham; and four one-gun double screw iron gunboats, of 245 (254) tons, 28 (168) horse-power, to be named the Gadfly, Griper, Pincher, and Tickler, all building at Pembroke. The other vessels under construction are four composite screw sloops of four guns, 804 (727) tons, and 720 (120) horse-power engines — viz., the Albatross, building at Chatham; the Egeria and Fantome, building at Pembroke, and the Daring at Messrs. Money Wigram and Co.'s, Blackwall; two 14-gun screw corvettes, the Amethyst and Modeste, both building at Devonport; the Assistance, an iron steam troopship, of 2,038 tons, and 1,409-horse power, ordered of Messrs. Green, of Blackwall; two iron screw corvettes, of 14 guns each, cased with wood, 3,912 (2,679) tons, 5,250 (700) horse-power, both under construction at Portsmouth, and to he named the Bacchante and Boadicea; the Blonde, of 26 guns, an iron screw frigate, cased with wood, of 5,696 (4,039) tons, and 1,000-horse power, also building at Portsmouth; the armour-plated turret-ship Fury [renamed Dreadnought prior to launch], to carry four guns, 10,464 (5,030) tons, 7,000 (1,000) hone-power, being built at Pembroke; a composite steam sloop, of four guns, 894 (727) tons, 720 (120) horse-power, to be named the Sappho, building at Blackball by Messrs. Money Wigram and Co.; and three double screw iron gunboats, carrying one gun each, of 254 (245) tons, 168 (28) horse-power, named the Cuckoo, Hyæna, and Weasel, all being built by Messrs. Laird, of Birkenhead. | ||
| Th 28 August 1873 | In addition to the ships lately ordered to be constructed for Her Majesty's Navy, which appeared in The Times on Thursday last, the following are at present under construction at the various Government dockyards and by private firms:— Three composite screw sloops of 894 (727) tons and 720 (120)-horse power engines, to carry four guns each, to be named the Albatross, just launched at Chatham Dockyard; the Daring, building at Messrs. Money Wjgram and Sons', Blackwall; and the Egeria, under construction at Pembroke Dockyard. An iron steam troopship of two guns, 2,038 tons and 130-horse power engines, being built by Messrs. R. and H. Green, of Blackwall, to be named the Assistance. Two 14-gun iron screw corvettes, cased with wood, of 3,906 (2,679) tons, and 5,230 (700)-horse power engines, both being built in Portsmouth Dockyard, and to be called the Bacchante and the Boadicea; an iron screw frigate, cased with wood, of 5,696 (4,039) tons and 4,500 (l,000)-horse power engines, designed to carry 26 guns, to be named the Shah, and to be launched at Portsmouth early next month; the Flying Fish, a composite screw sloop, for four guns, of 727 (879) tons and 120 (720)-horse power engines, building at Chatham; an armour-plated turret ship, of 10,886 (5,030) tons and 7,000 (l,000)-horse power engines, to be named the Fury [renamed Dreadnought prior to launch], and designed to carry four "Woolwich Infants," 35-ton guns, being built at Pembroke Dockyard; a 14-gun iron screw corvette, of 3.451 tons and 4.750-horse power engines, to be named the Rover, and building by the Thames Shipbuilding Company, at Blackwall; a composite steam sloop for 4 guns, of 894 (727) tons, and 720 (120)-horse power engines, building by Messrs. Money Wigram and Sons, at Blackwall, to be named the Sappho; a double screw iron armour-plated ship for 12 guns, to be called the Superb, of 9,400 tuns, and 9,000-horse power engines, under construction at Chatham Dockyard; and eight double-screw iron gunboats, to carry one gun each, of 254 (245) tons, and 168 (23)-horse power engines, to be named the Ant, Cuckoo, Gadfly, Griper, Hyaena, Pincher, Tickler, and Weasel, four building at Pembroke Dockyard, and four by Messrs. Laird, of Birkenhead. | ||
| We 15 December 1875 | The Assistance, new troopship, Capt. Prattent, underwent a military inspection yesterday morning at Portsmouth, previous to commencing the transport service. The inspecting officers were Major W.R. Lascelles, District Quartermaster-General and Surgeon-Major P.W. Stafford. They made a careful examination of the accommodation, fittings, and sanitary arrangements of the ship, and expressed themselves thoroughly satisfied with all they saw, with the exception of the saloon, which they considered too cold for Channel service. It has been suggested that the saloon should be heated by steam-pipes, which might be readily introduced, as not only is there an after-capstan engine on board, but steam is actually fitted in connection with the pantry. The ship's pumps were subsequently tested in the presence of Capt. Prattent and Capt. Brownlow, of the Transport Department. On Friday some interesting experiments were made with the two collapsible lifeboats with which the ship has been supplied by the Rev. Mr. Berthon, of Romsey. Each boat is 32ft long and 11ft, broad, and can be compressed into 2ft. of breadth. They were expanded and lowered into the water, with their crews on board, with great rapidity in consequence of their extreme lightness, and the results of their great displacement were more than satisfactory. Eighty men were put into one of them, and, as there was even then a large surplus of buoyancy, 20 more were added, so that it was crowded in every part. It bore the crucial test remarkably well, and, notwithstanding the abnormal weight on board, it exhibited a freeboard of 1ft. 9in. above watermark. In this condition the crew used the ten oars with which each boat is fitted with perfect ease. Sails were afterwards hoisted, and the lifeboat was put through a sailing ordeal in the harbour with equally satisfactory results. The double skin is divided into watertight compartments, the purpose of which is to localize the effect of fracturs. This was tested during the course of the experiments in an entirely unexpected way, for, the outer skin getting accidentally pierced, the influx of water was so confined that there was no perceptible reduction of buoyancy. It is the intention of the Transport Department to supply each of the five Indian troopships with four of Berthon's collapsible boats of increased dimensions. The Department has also ordered the construction of two experimental boats on the same principle for the landing of cavalry, for it singularly enough happens that at the present time the Navy possesses no boat specially adapted for this purpose. The Assistance will proceed to Spithead to-day for the adjustment of her compasses, after which, if time permits, she will make a trial of her machinery, as it was found that during the four hours' trial under the officers of the Steam Reserve the metal ran out of some of the bearings. | ||
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