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| Name | Sappho (1873) | Explanation | |
| Type | Sloop | ||
| Launched | 20 November 1873 | ||
| Hull | Composite | ||
| Propulsion | Screw | ||
| Builders measure | 727 tons | ||
| Displacement | 940 tons | ||
| Guns | 4 | ||
| Fate | 1887 | ||
| Class | Fantome | ||
| Ships book | |||
| Note | Launched 1873.10.20 | ||
| Snippets concerning this vessels career | |||
| Date | Event | ||
| 26 August 1874 - 1 May 1879 | Commanded by Commander Noel Stephen Fox Digby, Australia | ||
| 16 August 1881 - 13 November 1884 | Commanded (from commissioning at Sheerness) by Commander Bouverie Francis Clark, Pacific | ||
| 18 September 1884 - 18 May 1886 | Commanded by Commander William McCoy FitzGerald Castle, Pacific | ||
| Extracts from the Times newspaper | |||
| Date | Extract | ||
| 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. | ||
| Th 9 April 1874 | The ships to be in hand this year at Chatham Dockyard will be the Superb and the Téméraire, ironclads; the Euryalus, iron corvette, covered battery, wood sheathed; the new Magicienne,[cancelled?] composite corvette, and a composite sloop, the first four to be advanced, and the last to be laid off and materials provided. An iron corvette, the Rover, and two composite sloops, the Sappho and the Daring, to be built by contractors, will be surveyed and completed after delivery. These will employ 1,865 men, while repairs, manufacture, and harbour and yard services, &c., will employ 1,309 men. | ||
| Tu 11 April 1876 | Australia.— Letters from Commodore Hoskins, in the Pearl at Sydney, up to the 16th of February. The Nymphe was at Levuka, Fiji, on the 14th of January. The Barracouta daily expected to rejoin the broad pendant at Sydney. The Sapphire arrived at Sydney on the 12th of February. The Sappho expected at Sydney about the 20th of February. The Alacrity would leave Sydney about the 10th of March for Fiji to re-commence surveying. The Sandfly left Sydney on the 26th of January for Noumea, New Caledonia, and Tucopia in the New Hebrides, to visit the Santa Cruz group and cruise among the Solomon islands. The Beagle left Sydney on the 26th of January for Norfolk Island, New Hebrides, and Santa Cruz group. The Renard cruising between Auckland and Wellington in place of the Sappho, temporarily withdrawn. The Conflict left Port Darwin on the 29th of January for Nichol Bay. The St. Osyth would leave Sydney on the 26th of February for England, with such of the crews of the Beagle and the Sandfly as were not taken on board Her Majesty's ship Dido. | ||
| Sa 18 August 1877 | Cruise of the Sappho.—Her Majesty's ship Sappho arrived at Auckland on the 26th of May. She was caught in a violent squall a few days before, which blew away all her sails and hove her on her beam ends. She lay in a very dangerous position for a few minutes, but afterwards righted. The Sappho, after leaving Samoa, went through Hapu and Tonga groups, searching for the schooner May Queen, supposed to have disappeared when the earth-quake wave was felt at Tonga, but without success. The Sappho took the new British Consul for Samoa, Mr. Liardet, round the Samoan group. The schooner Canterbury, which set out on an expedition supposed to be conducted with Suwarrow, left Samoa for the Savage Islands on the 6th. She was very much knocked about by the hurricane, and the cargo had to be sold to raise money to refit her. Her intention of going to the Savage Islands was reported to be to get a cargo of pigs. The earthquake wave was experienced very strongly at Vavao and Tonga. There were 10 or 12 rises and falls at Vavao on the 11th of May, the greatest rise being about 10 feet. The reef was left quite exposed at times, and as the water receded it left millions of fish behind it on the reefs. The effect was very extraordinary. The natives do not recollect anything like it, and, in a great rage, accused the Sappho of bringing the wave. At Tonga the wave lifted the stranded ketch Pearl right off the reef and left her in deep water, saving a lot of trouble and expense. The Sappho reports that Maki, Governor of Vavao, met with his death in an extraordinary manner early in May. He was amusing himself by killing fish with dynamite, and happening to keep hold of a charge too long after lighting the fuse it exploded, blowing his hand and part of his arm away. A day or two afterwards lockjaw set in and he died. Her Majesty's ships Wolverene, Nymph, and Sappho rendezvous at Auckland shortly for a Court-martial.— Otago Daily Times. | ||
| Tu 15 April 1879 | Tbc following vessels are under orders to return home to be paid off:- Active, 10, iron screw corvette, cased with iron, Capt. Henry J.F. Campbell, from the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa, ordered to Spithead. This vessel was commissioned at Portsmouth, April 13, 1877. The Daphne, 4, screw sloop, Commander [William] H.C. Selby, from the East Indies, ordered to Devonport. This vessel was re-commissioned at Zanzibar, January 1, 1879. The Daring, 4, composite screw sloop, Commander John G.J. Hanmer from the Pacific, ordered to Spithead; commissioned at Chatham, September 29, 1874. The Lynx, 4, double screw composite gun vessel, Commander Francis M. Ommanney, from the East Indies, ordered to Devonport, at which port she was commissioned on the 9th of June, 1875. The Nassau, 4, screw surveying vessel, Commander William M. Lang, from China, ordered to Devonport. This vessel was re-commissioned at Hongkong on the 1st of November, 1878. The Nymphe, 9, steam sloop, Capt. Samuel P. Townsend, from Australia, ordered to Spithead. This vessel was commissioned at Sheerness on the 5th of January, 1875. The Pert, 4, double screw composite gun vessel, Commander Henry C. Aitchison, from North America and West Indies, ordered to Devonport, where she was commissioned on the 1st of July, 1875. The Rover, 18, iron screw corvette, cased with wood, Capt. Thomas Barnardiston, from North America and the West Indies, ordered to Devonport. This vessel was commissioned at Chatham on the 14th of December, 1875. The Sapphire, 14, screw corvette, Capt. E.H. Murray, from Australia, ordered to Devonport, at which port this vessel was commissioned on the 9th of August, 1875. The Sappho, 4, composite screw sloop, Commander Noel S.F. Digby, from the Australian station, ordered to Spithead. This vessel was commissioned at Chatham on the 26th of August, 1874. The Volage, 18, iron corvette, cased with wood, Capt. Richard Carter, from the south-east coast of America, ordered to Portsmouth, at which port she was commissioned on the 6th of July, 1874. | ||
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