HMS Cyclops (1871)
HMS Cyclops (1871)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameCyclops (1871)Explanation
TypeCoast defence monitor   
Launched18 July 1871
HullIron
PropulsionScrew
Builders measure 
Displacement3480 tons
Guns4
Fate1903
ClassCyclops
Ships bookADM 135/115
Note 
Snippets concerning this vessels career
DateEvent
24 April 1878
- 30 August 1878
Commanded by Captain Edward Kelly, Particular Service fleet during the Russian war scare
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Sa 22 June 1878On Thursday the turret-ship squadron at Portland again got under way as early as half-past six in the morning. and did not anchor until 4 in the afternoon. They steamed away in columns and divisions in line ahead, the formation being as follows:— Port Division.—The Thunderer, bearing the flag of Admiral Sir Astley Cooper Key; the Gorgon, Hydra. Prince Albert, and the Tweed gunboat. Starboard Division.—The Glatton. Capt. Morgan Singer; the Hecate, Cyclops, and Tay gunboat, the whole making a formidable fleet of 32 guns, of which two are 38 ton, two 35 tons, two 23 tons, 16 18 tons, and four 12 ton guns. Steam tactics were practised in the morning, and at 10 o'clock the crews went to quarters and fired a couple of rounds from each gun with battering charges. The afternoon was wholly devoted to steam tactics. The Admiral was well pleased with the performances of the monitors, though the behaviour of the Prince Albert was such as to confirm the previous bad impression as to her steering capacity and to prove that she would be a dangerous neighbour in a fog. There is a rumour in the fleet that the ships will leave, Portland for a cruise to Bantry Bay on the 29th inst., and await orders at Berehaven.
Th 8 August 1878The following Information has been officially notified:—
"The inspection of the Fleet by Her Majesty the Queen on Tuesday, the 13th inst., will take place about 4 p.m., at Spithead. There will be no general issue of tickets as only a very limited number of vessels can be set apart for the conveyance of official visitors. Naval officers on half-pay and military officers of the Portsmouth garrison will be accommodated on board Her Majesty's ships Valorous and Dasher respectively, and should apply at the Commander-in-Chief's office at Portsmouth Dockyard."
The special service fleet of masted ironclad turret ships and gunboats, under the command of Admiral Sir Cooper Key and Rear-Admiral Boys, numbering 19 sail all told, arrived yesterday afternoon at Spithead, where they will be reviewed on Tuesday next by the Queen. After leaving Portland Admiral Boys hoisted his flag on board the Thunderer and took command of the turret ships. The fleet forming into columns of sub-divisions, line abreast, each column of masted ships having a column of monitors on its starboard beam. In this order the fleet proceeded up Channel at a speed of five knots. On rounding Culver Cliff previous to entering the Solent the formation was altered to columns of division line ahead, the weather line being headed by the Hercules, flagship of Admiral Key, followed by the Valiant, Hector, Lord Warden, Warrior, Penelope, Resistance, and Boadicea. The starboard line, consisting of the turret-ships, was formed as follows:— Thunderer (bearing the flagship of the Rear-Admiral), Belleisle, Gorgon, Hydra, Hecate, Glatton, Cyclops, and Prince Albert, the rear being composed of the gunboats Tay, Tees, and Blazer. In this order the ships steamed towards Gilkicker Point, when the helms of both lines were put hard over, the frigates turning outwards to the Isle of Wight and the monitors outwards to Portsmouth and Southsea, and steamed back to the Noman and anchored in the same relative positions in line in readiness for the review. The Valorous, paddle steamer. Has been appropriated for the accommodation of naval half-pay officers.
Fr 16 August 1878The Queen received the Admirals and Captains assembled at Spithead at Osborne yesterday afternoon.
Admiral Fanshawe, C.B., Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, who arrived with the officers in Her Majesty's ship Lively, presented Admiral Sir A. Cooper Key, K.C.B., to Her Majesty.
Sir A, Cooper Key then presented Rear-Admiral Boys and the following officers to Her Majesty:—
Captains.— E.H. Howard, Her Majesty’s chip Hecate (Aide-de-Camp to the Queen); J.C. Wilson, Her Majesty's ship Thunderer (Aide-de-Camp to the Queen); A.T. Thrupp, Her Majesty's ship Resistance; W.C. Chapman, Her Majesty's ship Valiant; R.G. Douglas, Her Majesty's ship Warrior; C.H. Simpson, Her Majesty's ship Hector; W.S. Brown, Her Majesty's ship Penelope; C.J. Rowley, Her Majesty's ship Belleisle; the Hon. E.R. Fremantle, C.B., C.M.G., Her Majesty's ship Lord Warden; M. Singer, Her Majesty's ship Glatton; J. D'Arcy, Her Majesty's ship Euryalus; L.F. Jones, Her Majesty's ship Prince Albert; E. Kelly, Her Majesty's ship Cyclops; W.H. Maxwell, Her Majesty's ship Emerald; Sir Lambton Loraine, Her Majesty's ship Gorgon; J.A. Fisher, Her Majesty's ship Hercules; and A.H. Markham, Her Majesty's ship Hydra.
The officers who were presented to Her Majesty in the Drawing-room, then retired.


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