On This Day

1850-1899 > Colonial Navies & RN

February 26, 1890

HM Ships DART and PALUMA surveyed waters off Cape York, QLD.

September 10, 1889

RADM the Rt. Hon Lord Charles T. M. D. Scott, CB, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding the Australia Station. His flagship was HMS ORLANDO.

June 30, 1889

The fleet of the State of Victoria consisted of HMV Ships NELSON, (cut-down 1st rate); CERBERUS, (turret ship); BATMAN, and FAWKNER, (armed auxiliaries); CHILDERS, NEPEAN, and LONSDALE, (torpedo boats); VICTORIA, and ALBERT, (gunboats); GORDON, COMMISSIONER, and LION, (torpedo launches); GANNET, (armed tug); and LADY LOCH, (armed auxiliary).

May 25, 1889

The foundation stone of the Royal Naval House, Sydney, ‘Johnnie’s’, was laid by Lady Carrington.

April 4, 1889

HMS CALLIOPE, (corvette), returned to Sydney after surviving a hurricane at Apia, Samoa.

March 3, 1889

HMS CALLIOPE, (screw corvette), was despatched from Sydney to Samoa to forestall German and American plans to annex the island.

November 15, 1888

CAPT Henry Coey Kane, RN, (HMS CALLIOPE), gave evidence before a NSW Parliamentary Committee on the relative merits of various ports in Australasia as the location for a base for ships of the Australia Station.

October 26, 1888

Plans for a protected cruiser for the Victorian Navy were prepared by Sir William Armstrong & Co., England, and placed before the Victorian Government. The 1040 ton ship was designed to carry three 6-inch breech loaders, four 6lb guns, six 3lb guns, and six Gatling guns, in addition to two 18-inch torpedo tubes. The ship was never built.

July 13, 1888

The South Australian Government came under bitter criticism for not despatching their gunboat PROTECTOR to sea, to search for survivors of the sailing ship STAR OD GREECE. PROTECTOR stood by in Port Adelaide with steam up, but the order to sail was not received.

February 16, 1888

Calliope Dock opened at Auckland, New Zealand. The dock was used for ships of the Australia Station when facilities in Sydney were not available.