HMS Tortoise

HMS Tortoise (launched as Sir Edward Hughes, 1806)

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Name	Tortoise (launched as Sir Edward Hughes, 1806)	Explanation
Type	Fifth rate
Acquired	1806
Hull	Wooden
Propulsion	Sail
Builders measure	962 tons
Displacement
Guns	38
Fate	1863
Class
Ships book
Note	ex-East Indiaman, purchased 1804. 1807 = Tortoise, storeship 22. 1824 c.h. 1841 store hulk. Stated to be broken up in 1863, but apparently still present in 1869 (see court-martial of Arthur Wilmshurst).
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
1807	Renamed Tortoise
(January 1840)	Store ship at Chatham
6 December 1844 - November 1846	Commanded by Arthur Fleming Morrell, store ship, Ascension
12 November 1846	Commanded by Frederick Hutton, storeship, Ascension
25 July 1851	Commanded by William Hewgill Kitchen, storeship, Ascension
20 January 1858 - 1 November 1859	Commanded by William Farquharson Burnett, storeship, Ascension (Burnett was also Governor of Ascension)
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
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 21 June 1849	Wednesday The Pantaloon, 8, Commander Lewis de Teissier Prevost, arrived at Spithead this afternoon from the coast of Africa. She has not been 12 months in commission yet. She sailed from Ascension on the 1st of May, leaving the Centaur steam-frigate, bearing the Commodore, and the Tortoise store-ship the only men-of-war there. Sailed from Sierra Leone on the 13th of May. She has brought home the mail intended for the Contest, which would not sail homewards until the 1st of Jane, and the following officers Mr. Byford, Master of the Philomel, and Dr. Belcher, surgeon, of the Tortoise, invalided; also Mr. Buck and the prize crew of the Grappler, put on board the last capture made by that vessel on the passage home.

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