HMS Flying Fish

HMS Flying Fish (1873)

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Name	Flying Fish (1873)	Explanation
Type	Sloop
Launched	8 November 1873
Hull	Composite
Propulsion	Screw
Builders measure
Displacement	940 tons
Guns	4
Fate	1888
Class	Fantome
Ships book
Note	Laid down as Daring. 1880 survey ship.
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
12 October 1883 - 18 June 1887	Commanded (from commissioning at Hong Kong until paying off at Sheerness) by Captain John Fiot Lee Pearse Maclear, surveying on the China station
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Ma 3 March 1873	The ships to be in hand at Chatham Dockyard during the year 1873-4 will be — the Rupert, 3, armour-plated ram, to complete; the Superb, 12, armour-plated broadside, to advance, 37-100ths; the Téméraire, armour-plated broadside, to advance 21-100ths; the Raleigh, 22, iron frigate sheathed with wood, to complete; the New Bacchante, 22, iron corvette, covered battery, wood sheathed, to commence; the Ariel and the Zephyr, composite gun-boats, each of 4 guns, to complete; the Albatross, 4, composite sloop, to complete; and the Flying Fish, 4, composite sloop, to advance 34-100ths. The number of men to be employed on these ships is 1,865; while for repairs, manufactures, and yards and harbour services, &c., 1,109 men will be employed.
Sa 12 April 1873	The new financial year opens with much work going on at Chatham Dockyard, there being no fewer than eight vessels now in hand, and more will be commenced during the year. The ships, of three classes, would form a good fleet by themselves; there are two powerful armour-plated vessels, a large iron unarmoured sloop, and several iron composite gun-vessels. Some have been just commenced, others are almost ready for service. The gun-vessel Ready is to be commissioned early next week, and the Ariel and the Zephyr, similar ships, will be shortly completed for sea; the Ariel has just tried her machinery, with satisfactory results. Messrs. Humphrey, Tennant, and Co., have supplied the engines for both these vessels. Two more gun-vessels, rather larger, have been commenced; one, the Albatross, is to be launched and completed for service this year; but the other, the Flying Fish, will only be advanced about a third. The great turret-ship Rupert is being completed in the river off the dockyard; there is mush to be done to her, but as there are many hands employed on her, it is expected that in a few months she will be ready for her trial trip. The new armoured broadside ship Superb has been recently commenced. The Raleigh, wood-sheathed iron ship, is completing in the repairing basin of the Dockyard Extension. In addition to all the work involved in building or completing these ships, a number of men are now engaged in repairing the damaged turret, and making alterations on board the armour-plated ship Glatton, and in bringing forward the Beacon, a composite gun-vessel, for commission.
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.
Ma 10 November 1873	The Flying Fish, 4, composite screw sloop, 727 (879) tons, 120 (720) horse power, was launched from the slip at Chatham Dockyard on Saturday afternoon. Built of iron and wood, the Flying Fish is sister ship to the Albatross, recently launched at Chatham, and now in dock to be brought forward for commission. These vessels were designed by the present Board of Construction at the Admiralty, of which Mr. N. Barnaby is the chief architect. Within a year or two a number of these ships have been built both at Government and private yards, but the dimensions of the Albatross and Flying Fish are larger than those of the other vessels. The dimensions of the two ships are:— Extreme length, 160 feet; extreme breadth, 31 feet 4 inches; depth in hold, 15 feet 5 inches; with a tonnage (o. m.) of 726 85-94ths. The armament of the Flying Fish will consist of four guns of heavy calibre. She will have compound engines of 720-horse power, which will be supplied by Messrs. Humphry ,Tennant and Co., of Deptford. The vessel has been rapidly built. She was not intended originally to be launched till the end of the financial year, but the Admiralty ordered that she should be completed with extra despatch. Many visitors were present at the launch. The vessel was "christened" by Miss Arbuthnott; the dog-shores were then knocked away, and the vessel left the blocks and slided into the Medway amid loud cheers. A number of the dockyard boats were in the river to keep the head of the slipway clear. A hawser was attached to the vessel to bring her up when she had gone a certain distance into the stream; when this hawser was pulled it was found that one of the small boats in attendance was immediately over it, and before it could be got clear one end of the boat was lifted up and two of its occupants were pitched into the river. The men were promptly rescued by other boats.
Th 22 January 1874	Three of the Admiralty officials — Mr. N. Barnaby, chief naval architect; Mr. F.K. Barnes, surveyor of dockyards; and Mr. J.B. Crossland, one of the constructors of the Navy — visited Chatham Dockyard yesterday. They first inspected the Albatross, 4 guns, composite iron sloop, which is nearly ready to hoist the pennant; the Rupert, which is having some alterations made in her machinery; the Raleigh, unarmoured frigate, fitting for sea; and other vessels in course of construction or fitting out at Chatham. The Admiralty being desirous that the Flying Fish, 4 guns, sister ship to the Albatross, shall be ready to hoist the pennant as soon as possible, every exertion is now being made at Chatham Dockyard to get her out of hand at an early date.

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