HMS Firebrand

HMS Firebrand (1842)

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Name	Firebrand (1842)	Explanation
Type	2nd class frigate
Launched	6 September 1842
Hull	Wooden
Propulsion	Paddle
Builders measure	1190 tons
Displacement	1960 tons
Guns	4
Fate	1864
Class
Ships book	ADM 135/174
Note	Laid down as Belzebub
Snippets concerning this vessels career
Date	Event
7 September 1844 - 13 December 1844	Commanded by Captain Armar Lowry Corry, in charge of the 1844 experimental squadron of brigs
13 December 1844 - 17 June 1848	Commanded by Captain James Hope, south-east coast of America, including Anglo-French action in Uruguay
6 October 1849 - 30 April 1851	Commanded by Captain Thomas Owen Knox, Mediterranean (until he died at Malta)
18 December 1852 - 8 July 1854	Commanded by Captain Hyde Parker, Mediterranean (and, 1854, Black Sea during the Russian War, where he was killed)
9 July 1854 - October 1854	Commanded by Captain William Houston Stewart, Black Sea during the Russian War
29 July 1854 - 7 July 1855	Commanded by Captain William Moorsom, Black Sea, Moorsom serving ashore with the Naval Brigade, during the Russian War
14 July 1855 - 28 February 1856	Commanded by Captain Edward Augustus Inglefield, Black Sea during the Russian War
7 March 1856 - 6 August 1856	Commanded by Captain Hon. John Welbore Sunderland Spencer, Black Sea
27 April 1859 - 16 May 1859	Commanded by Commander James Minchin Bruce, Woolwich
13 May 1859 - 21 November 1859	Commanded (from commissioning at Woolwich) by Commander Joseph Dayman, taking soundings for the cable to Gibraltar
19 November 1859 - 20 June 1861	Commanded by Commander James Minchin Bruce, Portsmouth
27 April 1862 - 9 April 1863	Commanded (until paying off at Woolwich) by Commander Shute Barrington Piers, Mediterranean
*Extracts from the Times* newspaper**
Date	Extract
Fr 7 January 1842	PORTSMOUTH, Thursday. The Conway, 26, Captain C.R.D. Bethune, C.B., arrived yesterday afternoon from China, with $2,000,000, weighing 65 ton, part of the ransom of Canton, on board. She landed her despatches at Plymouth, having hove-to off that port for the purpose. Upon her arrival at Spithead she did not fire the usual salute, her captain, with proper consideration, declining to do so in consideration of having invalids on board. The Conway has had a very tedious passage, and was off Plymouth some days ago. Within a few hours of her arrival, Mr. Cooper, from the Treasury, arrived by a special train on the Gosport branch of the South Western Railway, bringing an order from the Lords of the Treasury for the specie to be transferred to the terminus at Gosport, and forwarded to Vauxhall. It will be landed early tomorrow morning. The Conway has been out five years and four months from this port, where she was fitted. The Formidable, 84, Captain Sir C. Sullivan, Bart., is ordered from Sheerness, to escort the King of Prussia to England. His Majesty will embark in the Firebrand steamer (and not in the Warspite, as erroneously stated). The Formidable is to sail for Ostend on the 14th instant.
Ma 14 February 1842	PORTSMOUTH, Sunday. The Warspite, 50, Captain Lord John Hay, which sailed on Thursday afternoon with the Right Hon. Lord Ashburton and suite, has been compelled to put back, and anchor in the Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) roads. When she got under weigh she had a moderate breeze from the S.S.W., which shifted to the westward during the night, and increased to a gale, in consequence of which she bore up, and came to an anchor off Yarmouth yesterday morning. The wind is now again favourable for her, being from the south-east, with a moderate breeze, but the atmosphere is very foggy. There is no intelligence yet of the Formidable, 84, and Alfred, 50, which left Sheerness early in the week. It is supposed they have been detained in the Downs by the unfavourable weather. A number of volunteers are waiting to join them as soon as they arrive. As the wind is now from the south-east, in all probability they will be here this evening or to-morrow morning. The Belzebub, steam-vessel, now building in this yard, is to be called the Firebrand instead of the present steamer so called, which is hereafter to be designated the "Black Eagle," in compliment to His Majesty the King of Prussia.
Ma 11 January 1847	The squadron in the River Plate was distributed as follows, on the 29th of October:- the Vernon, 50, Captain Fitzgerald, flag of Rear-Admiral Inglefield: the Raleigh, 50, Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert; the Eagle, 50, Captain G.B. Martin; the Melampus, 42, Captain Campbell, and the Comus, 16, Commander D?Eyncourt, were at Montevideo. The Cura?oa, 24, Captain Broughton, and the Dolphin 3, Lieutenant-Commander Miller, were at Rio on the 18th of November, the latter having arrived from Montevideo five days prior. The Grecian, 16, Commander Tindal, was at Busca. The Racer, 18, Commander Reed, was at Colonia. The Satellite, 18, Commander Rowley, was at Maldonado. The Firebrand steam frigate, Captain Hope, and the Harpy steam vessel, Lieutenant Tomlinson, was at Buenos Ayres. The Acorn, 18, Commander Bingham, was at Paraguay. The Alecto steam sloop, Commander Massingberd, had proceeded up the Urugay to relieve the iron steam vessel Lizard, Lieutenant-Commander Tylden. The Dido, 20, Captain Maxwell, sailed from Monte Video for the East Indies on the 29th of October. The Carysfort, 26, Captain G.H. Seymour, arrived at Valparaiso on the 19th of October, from Sydney and New Zealand (where sho had landed the new Governor and specie), and remained there on the 24th refitting. The Salamander steam sloop, Captain Hamond, left Valparaiso for Rio and England on the 1st of October. Tho Sampson steam frigate, Captain T. Henderson, left Valparaiso on the 25th of October for Talcahuano, and on an experimental sailing cruize. The Nereus store ship, Master Commander Bateman, was under orders, at the above date, to proceed from Valparaiso to Callao.
Th 11 May 1848	We have intimation of the Firebrand steam-frigate, Captain Hope, being at Rio on the 1st of March, a letter of which date states— "The Inconstant, 36, Captain Shepphard [sic] and the Acheron steam-sloop, Captain Stokes, arrived yesterday. We go to-morrow to the River Plate with Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert, and expect to return here at the end of this month en route to England."

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