HMS Fly (1831)
HMS Fly (1831)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameFly (1831)Explanation
TypeSloop   
Launched25 August 1831
HullWooden
PropulsionSail
Builders measure485 tons
Displacement 
Guns18
Fate1903
Class 
Ships book
Note1855 c.h.
18?? = C.2.
18?? = C.70
Snippets concerning this vessels career
DateEvent
17 September 1831
- 2 October 1835
Commanded by Commander Peter McQuhae, West Indies
12 July 1838
- July 1840
Commanded by Commander Granville Gower Loch, South America
17 November 1841
- 4 July 1846
Commanded (until paying off at Plymouth) by Captain Francis Price Blackwood, East Indies (surveying Torres Straits and northern coast of Australia)
14 October 1847Commanded by Commander Richard Aldworth Oliver, East Indies (surveying in New Zealand and the Pacific)
1 July 1859
- April 1861
Commanded by Lieutenant John Smith Keats, the Humber, tender to Cornwallis
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
We 24 January 1849

Portsmouth, Jan. 23.

The Dido, 18, Captain J.B. Maxwell, arrived at Spithead this morning, as noticed else where, and is ordered to Sheerness to be paid off. This ship has made an astonishingly quick passage home — the quickest, we believe, yet known. She has run over 13,438 miles in 77 days, and has averaged 174 miles per day since she left New Zealand, from which station she ran to Cape Horn (5,017 miles) in 25 days.
The Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine, was at Auckland when the Dido sailed.
The Rattlesnake surveying ship, Captain Owen Stanley, and her tender the Bramble, were surveying in Torres Straits.
The Fly, 18, Captain Oliver, was at Wellington.
The Acheron surveying steam sloop. Captain Stokes, was at Newcastle, a small place near Sydney, coaling, on her way to New Zealand.
All who went out in the Dido have come home in her — a rare occurrence.
Th 21 June 1849The merchantman Cornelia, Captain Meckleburg, passed the Wight to-day with 30 passengers from New Zealand. Her dates are — Wellington, Dec. 12; and Auckland, March 3, She sent in passengers and mails. Her Majesty's ships Fly, 18, Captain Oliver; and the Acheron steam surveying-vessel, Captain Stokes, were at Auckland at the above date.
Fr 23 November 1849

Portsmouth, Thursday Night.

The Louisa, Captain Wycherley, passed this port for London this evening, and landed passengers in a pilot-boat at the Quebec Hotel, and mails from the above colony, which she left — Auckland on the 14th of July, and Pernambuco on the 29th of September; Lieutenant Gray, 39th Regiment; Mr. Cormack, a Newfoundland traveller; Mr. and Mrs. James Boyd, and the Rev. Charles Dudley, came home passengers.
New Zealand throughout was in a most pacific state. The Governor was not in good odour with the population: he made a grand mistake in going down to see HekiExternal link about 12 months since, the impression made by which impolitic act had not been erased; it had a most unfortunate effect on the colonists and natives, the latter especially, who had before ceased to think of Heki as a leading chief; but the Governor's visit to him caused a re-action in their estimation, and re-established him in all his former power in their minds.
Her Majesty’s ship Fly, 18, Captain Oliver, was at Auckland when the Louisa sailed.
Her Majesty's ship Havannah, 22, Captain Erskine had sailed for the Feejees, with the probability of being in Sydney in December.
Her Majesty’s ship Acheron, surveying steam-sloop, Captain Stokes, was down to the southward pursuing her scientific avocations.
The Louisa is loaded with spars for the Royal dockyard at Chatham; has 14,000l. in specie from the New Zealand Bank on Government account, and 20 tons of Cowrie gum.
Ma 17 November 1851By letters from New Zealand we learn that the Calliope, 26, Captain Sir J.E. Home, C.B., arrived at Sydney on the 20th of July, and, the Fantome, 12, Commander Gennys, on the 25th of the same month, from Hobart Town and England. The Pandora, 6, Commander Drury, arrived at Sydney on the 21st of July from the Cape of Good Hope. All remained quiet at Sidney on the 14th of August. The Acheron steam sloop, Captain John Lort Stokes, has been paid off on station, and Captain Stokes and Commander Richards ae coming home passengers in the Havannah; the Acheron having served four years on the station. The engineers have been left in her until further orders from the Admiralty, until the receipt of which by the Commodore she would act as a tender to the Governor of New Zealand. The Fly, 14, Commander Oliver, was daily expected from the New Zealand station at Rio, on her way to England, on the 15th ult. The Havannah, 26, Captain Erskine, is bringing home a freight of about 4,000l. in gold from the Bathurst diggings on Government account, and a very rare bird, called the "kiwi," for Professor Owen,[presumably Richard OwenExternal link] intended, we believe, for the Zoological Society. This bird will be the first of its species ever brought to England alive, should success attend its transmigration; and it is probable Captain Stokes may bring home in the Havannah some very extraordinary specimens of parrots, which he has obtained in New Zealand, called the "kakapo." The Bishop of Lyttelton tried this summer to bring one of this species to England alive for the Zoological Society but failed. Should Captain Stokes succeed, it is hoped he will present one to the Society.


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