HMS Amphitrite

HMS Amphitrite (1816)

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Name	Amphitrite (1816)	Explanation
Type	Fifth rate
Launched	14 April 1816
Hull	Wooden
Propulsion	Sail
Builders measure	1064 tons
Displacement
Guns	46
Fate	1875
Class	Leda
Ships book
Note	1846 24 gun 6th rate. 1862 lent to contractors at Plymouth
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
29 April 1816 - February 1817	Commanded by Acting Captain James Hanway Plumridge
(January 1840)	Out of commission at Portsmouth
13 July 1847 - 11 January 1850	Commanded by Captain Thomas Rodney Eden, west coast of Africa, then Pacific (until he died at Mazatlan)
13 December 1850	Commanded by Captain Charles Frederick, Pacific (including 1854 Anglo-French squadron during the Russian War)
9 November 1854 - 19 March 1855	Commanded by Acting captain Matthew Connolly, Pacific
20 March 1856	Commanded by Captain Richard Burridge, Pacific
5 March 1857 - 31 January 1858	Commanded by Captain Edward Tatham, Coast Guard, Mlford Haven
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
(various)	this gets replaced
Th 15 July 1847	14 July 1847 The Amphitrite, 26, was commissioned at this port this morning by the appointment to her of Captain T.R. Eden (1844). She is to have a compliment of 240 men, which, we imagine, she will not be long in picking up, men having a strong feeling in favour of small vessels of this class, and Captain Eden being a highly esteemed and generally liked officer. The Amphitrite was a 42-gun frigate, built at Bombay in 1816, after the lines of the French Leda. She is of 1,064 tons, and will carry a very heavy armament. This is her first commission as a razee corvette.
Fr 17 September 1847	16 September 1847 The Amphitrite, 25, Captain T.R. Eden, and the Trincomalee, 25, Captain Warren, will be paid to-morrow or Saturday, and sail on Sunday on a trial cruize, The Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., had appointed today for the inspection of the Trincomalee, but, in consequence of the boisterous state of the weather, has deferred it till to-morrow.
Ma 20 September 1847	18 September 1847 Two months' wages in advance were paid yesterday to the crews of the Amphitrite, 25, Captain T.R. Eden; Trincomalee, 25, Captain R.L. Warren; and Fury, steam-sloop, Commander J. Wilcox, and these vessels will sail early in the ensuing week. The Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., inspected the Trincomalee, 25, Captain R.L. Warren, and the Fury, steam-sloop, Commander J. Wilcox yesterday.
We 22 September 1847	21 September 1847 The Amphitrite, 25, Captain T.R. Eden and the Trincomalee, 25, Captain R.L. Warren, got under weigh after dinner this day and proceeded to join Sir C. Napier's squadron [at Lisbon], in which they will be well tried before proceeding to their destinations - the formed to relieve the Actæon on the coast of Africa, and the latter for the West Indies. They call at Plymouth for letters.
Th 23 September 1847	22 September 1847 The Amphitrite, 25, Captain T.R. Eden and Trincomalee, 25, Captain R.S. Warren, put back last evening to St Helen's. in consequence of the weather coming in thick, and anchored for the night. They sailed this morning soon after daylight.
Ma 27 September 1847	26 September 1847 The Amphitrite and Trincomalee arrived in Plymouth and on Friday embarked the supernumeries for their respective stations, and put to sea the same evening for Sir Charles Napier's squadron.
We 6 December 1848	The Coast Of Africa The Siren, 16, Commander Chaloner, arrived this afternoon from the above station. She left St. Paul de Loando on the 1st of October, St. Helena the 19th, Ascension the 25th, and Sierra Leone Nov. 7. The squadron was distributed thus at the latest dates:- The Penelope and Philomel at St. Paul de Loando; the Amphitrite in the Bights; the Tortoise at Ascension; the Alert left Sierra Leone on the 5th of November for the Gambia; the Bittern off Loango and Mayumba; the Bonetta in search of the Commodore; the Britomart cruising between Cape Mayumba and the river Settee; the Contest off Benguela; the Cygnet in the Bights; the Dart cruising off Ambrize; the Dolphin in the Bights; the Favourite gone to Loango with provisions for the Bittern; the Pantaloon, from England, in search of the Commodore; the Ranger, recovered, and gone under sail in search of the Commodore, to report herself all safe; the Rapid left Congo on the 16th of October, to go northward; the Star in the Bights; the Wanderer off Cape Lopez; the Blazer en route to St. Paul de Loando; the Cyclops left Sierra Leone Nov. 6 for Ascension; the Firefly in the Bights; the Grappler in Elephant bay; the Pluto up the river Congo; the Snap tender en route to Ascension; the Sealark and Adelaide sailed from Sierra Leone on the 7th of November, the latter en route to Port Adelaide; the Waterwitch cruising off the Gallinas. Commander Rutherford has invalided from the Commodore's vessel and gone to St. Helena to recruit, and First Lieutenant Charles B. Bayley was made Acting Commander of her. The slave trade was very brisk. The Siren, since she has been on the coast (for the last 12 months cruising off the river Settee), has captured four prizes herself and shares for two others. The Penelope, Siren, and Bittern were lying at anchor in Mayumba-bay on the 5th of August, when a vessel was sighted becalmed; the Penelope got up her steam, went out, and presently made capture of the celebrated slaver "Polka," a fine brigantine fitted for the traffic, and having 24 slaves on board at the time. The Britomart has taken two — one empty, and one having 425 slaves on board. The Dart has taken one empty prize since the last mail. The Philomel, which lay outside of St. Paul de Loando on the 1st of October, reported the Grappler having taken another prize a day or two before, which she had destroyed in Elephant-bay. The Kingfisher had not arrived on the coast. The Siren has latterly been very healthy. She lost a man named Richard Sapper, a supernumerary from the Philomel, yesterday, in a heavy gale; he fell overboard, and although every means which could safely be adopted for his rescue were put in practice, he was lost. Another man, a sailmaker, from the Tortoise, died on the passage. The Island of Ascension was exceedingly healthy, and it was computed that there was a three years' ample supply of good water; all the turtle ponds were full, and vegetation and food for the flocks plentiful.
Th 25 January 1849	THE COAST OF AFRICA. St. Paul de Loando, Nov. 15; Since the departure of Commodore Sir Charles Hotham, this place has been the head-quarters of the senior officer, and has had occasional visits from his ship, the Favorite, 14, Commander Alexander Murray. The Philomel, 8, Commander Wood, arrived recently on this division from the North Coast, and has taken her station between this and Benguela. The other vessels on this division are the Contest, 12, Commander M'Murdo, cruising to the south of Benguela; the Blazer steamer, Lieutenant Smith, off the Congo; the Grappler steamer, Lieutenant Lysaught; and the Dart, 3, Lieutenant Glyn, off Ambrize; the Bittern, 12, Commander Hope off Kabenda; the Britomart, 8, Commander Chamberlaine, off Loango; the Waterwitch, 8, Commander Quin; and the Wanderer, 12, Commander Montresor, off Cape Lopez. The Dart has taken three, the Britomart two, and the Pluto one slaver off the Congo since the last mail. In the Bight of Benin are the Amphitrite, Captain Eden (ordered to the Pacific); the Cygnet, 8, Commander Kenyon; the Star, 8, Commander Riley; the Dolphin, 3, Lieutenant Boyle; and the Firefly steamer, Lieutenant Ponsonby (since Commander Tudor). On the Sierra Leone coast are the Alert, 6, Commander Dunlop; the Sealark, 8, Commander Monypenny; the Pantaloon, 8, Commander Prevost; and the Ranger, 8, Commander Newland. The Bonetta, 3, Lieutenant Forbes, arrived here from Sierra Leone on the 30th ult., with the mails brought out by the Pantaloon and Ranger. She reports both the Ranger and Alert as having been on shore and sustained considerable damage. The slave trade is greatly on the increase on the north coast, and the Pongas, Nunez, Gallinas, and Cape Mount rivers are swarming with slavers. The Bonetta has been exceedingly successful on that station, having taken five or six prizes. The Pluto sailed some weeks ago to reinforce that division. Lieutenant Joliffe has the command of her, and Mr. Christopher Albert, additional second master of the Penelope, has been given the command of the Adelaide prize tender, vice Joliffe. The Snap, recently a slaver steamer, but now converted into a bark, Mr. Raymond second master in charge, arrived here on the 5th inst., with a large quantity of stores and provisions from St. Helena for the use of the division of the squadron employed on this station. She sailed for Ascension on the 8th inst., all well. The Favorite, 14, Commander Murray, arrived on the 7th inst., and sailed the following evening on a cruise, all well. The Contest, 12, Commander M'Murdo, arrived on the 7th inst., and having caulked and refitted returned to her station off Benguela on the 14th, all well. The Favorite sails for England on the 1st of January. The new governor of the Portuguese possessions on the west coast has entered on his duties at this place, and the fleet of eight or ten cruisers under the orders of a new naval commander-in-chief are now actively employed in the suppression of the slave trade; their sphere of usefulness has, however, been recently crippled by a new treaty with Brazil, which limits the capture of slave vessels under that flag to within three miles of the shores of the Portuguese territories. The captain of the Mandonna brig of war has, however, been making amends for this restriction by burning to the ground all the barracoons belonging to the subjects of that empire, as well as those of his own countrymen along the coast. This and similar cases evidence a certain measure of vigilance on the part of the Portuguese officers to check the enormities of the slave trade, but, alas! they are mere isolated cases, and are, as well as the exertions of the British, next to futile in stemming the virulence of that disease which is drying up the vital energies of Africa.
Ma 6 May 1850	5 May 1850 The West India and Pacific mail has brought us letters from the latter station, and one from Mazatlan, dated March 8, of which the following is the substance: The Inconstant, 36 Captain Sheppard, is here. She arrived as St Blas on the 18th of February. On the 21st the Amphitrite, 24, Captain Walker (acting), made her appearance there from Mazatlan. The Inconstant left St Blas on the 22d, and arrived at Mazatlan on the 24th, where she found the Cockatrice schooner, and on the 27th dispatched her to Guyamas to look for freight. The Amphitrite was to take in about $1,000,000 at St Blas, and then call at Mazatlan (about 150 or 200 miles to the southward) where they expected about $250,000 more; if they embark this then will carry home about $ 1,500,000.
Ma 3 June 1850	2 June 1850 The Royal mail steamer Great Western, Captain H.J. Wolfe, arrived here at 2 p.m. this day with the usual British and foreign West India mails, in charge of Lieutenant Davies, R.N., Admiralty agent. ... The Great Western also brings mails of the following dates from the west coast of South America, received at Panama by the British Steam Navigation Company's ship Bolivia, which vessel had on board treasure, value $570,000, for transmission to England:- Valparaiso (Chili) ...... March 30 … At Valparaiso exchange on London was quoted 46; Hamburgh, 40; United States, 7 per cent, premium. Her Majesty's sloop Daedalus sailed on the 27th March for Callao and Panama. Captain Eden of her Majesty's ship Amphitrite, died at Mazatlan of fever, and Captain Mcdougal, late of Asia, succeeded him in the command of the Amphitrite, which ship was daily expected at Valparaiso from Mexico, with a freight [of specie, I assume] of upwards of $2,000,000 for England.
Ma 22 July 1850	21 July 1850 The Amphitrite, 25, Acting-Captain Macdougall, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning, from the Pacific, with $1,582,514 and 1,500 L worth of jewels, freight on merchant's account. She sailed from Valparaiso on 1st May, and Rio de Janeiro, on the 9th of June.... She came into harbour yesterday evening, and was hauled along side the dockyard, for the beter facility of landing her freight, which will be got out to-morrow and conveyed to London by Mr. Robertson, of the firm of Shaw, Maxwell and Co. the freight agents. The ship will be paid off.

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