HMS Repulse (1855)
HMS Repulse (1855)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameRepulse (1855)Explanation
TypeSecond rate TypeTwo-decker
Launched27 September 1855   
HullWooden Length230 feet
PropulsionScrew Men860
Builders measure3087 tons   
Displacement4814 tons   
Guns91   
Fate1899 Last in commission1874
ClassAgamemnon   
Ships bookADM 135/493   
Career
DateEvent
27 February 1855Launched as Repulse at Pembroke Dockyard.
4 December 1855= Victor Emanuel (upon his visiting the ship).
11 November 1859
- 6 May 1862
Commanded (until paying off at Portsmouth) by Captain William John Cavendish Clifford, Mediterranean
18 November 1873
- 26 January 1875
Commanded (from commissioning at Portsmouth) by Captain George Henry Parkin, hospital ship at Cape Coast Castile during the Ashanti campaign, then receiving ship, Hong Kong (arriving 11 December 1874 and replacing Princess Charlotte).
July 1875
- 1 March 1876
Commanded by Commodore John Edward Parish, senior naval officer, Hong Kong
1 March 1876Commanded by Commodore George Willes Watson, senior officer, Hong Kong
14 February 1884
- 1887
Commanded by Commodore George Digby Morant, Commodore-in-Charge of dockyard and naval establishments, Hong Kong
30 September 1897Paid off.
1899Sold.
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Sa 8 December 1855The Repulse, 91, screw two-decker, in the steam basin at Portsmouth, had her name changed yesterday officially to the Victor Emmanuel II., in accordance with Her Majesty's wish, expressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty by Prince Albert while with the King on board on Monday.
We 12 March 1856The following ships and vessels are fitting out and refitting at Portsmouth:- The Victor Emmanuel, screw, 91, will be ready for trial of her machinery at moorings on the 15th instant., and ready for the pendant by the 15th of April. The Rodney, 92, depôtship, will be ready for service on the 29th inst. The Shannon, 51, new screw frigate, will he fitted with her machinery, and ready for trial at moorings on the 15th inst., and ready for commission by about the 31st. The Perseverance steam troopship will be ready for service again by this day or to-morrow. The Vulcan steam troopship will be refitted by the 20th inst. The Centaur paddle-frigate is refitted in the shipwright department, and will be out of the hands of the chief engineer about the 28th inst. The Basilisk paddlewheel sloop will be refitted and ready for sea again by the end of the present month. The Transit steam troopship has repaired what defects she had, and is ready to embark. The Algiers, 91, will be refitted and ready for sea again by about the 25th inst. The Resistance sailing storeship will be refitted by the 22d inst. The Urgent screw troopship will be refitted in her machinery and ready for service by about the middle of next month. The new screw sloop Flying Fish, 6, will be out of hand of the artificers by the end of this week. The Pioneer, 6, will be out of hand by about the 20th inst. The Fury, 6, paddlesloop, has refitted, and is out of the shipwrights' hands.
Ma 26 May 1856The following ships were in harbour at Portsmouth, and at Spithead on Saturday:- … In the steam basin:- Victor Emmanuel, 91; Shannon, 51; Fox, 42; Urgent, 6; Dasher, 2: Alban, Rhadamanthus, and two gunboats.
We 28 April 1858The Ordnance Department at Portsmouth are issuing munitions of war to the line-of-battle ships Victor Emmanuel, 91, Algiers, 91, and Caesar, 91, in readiness for commission. The Caesar, being fully rigged, is expected to be the first commissioned to form one of the Channel fleet.
Fr 3 September 1858The Victor Emmanuel, 91, screw, Captain James Willcox, C.B., was inspected at Spithead yesterday forenoon by Admiral Sir George F. Seymour, and is expected to sail about Sunday to join the Channel squadron.
Ma 6 September 1858In consequence of the dirty weather from the southward and westward, Admiral Fremantle's squadron, consisting of the Orion, Caesar, Brunswick, Renown, and Racoon, did not sail from Plymouth Sound for Ireland on Saturday Preparations are made for their departure to-day (Monday).
The Diadem, 32, screw frigate, Captain W. Moorsom, C.B., sailed from Spithead yesterday forenoon for Plymouth to join the Channel squadron. She is expected to be away about a month, and on her return is to come into harbour to be fitted with her proper masts. Those she has at present are only jury masts.
The Victor Emmanuel, 91, screw, Captain James Willcox, is expected to sail from Spithead to-morrow to join the Channel squadron.
Ma 3 January 1859The annual return of the names, number of guns, and tonnage of the whole of the vessels in the navy was published on Saturday, from which it appeals that the British navy at the commencement of the present year, consists of 523 vessels, including screw steamers of every description, exclusive of which there are 167 gunboats. Of the number of vessels composing the navy no less than 176 are in commission, and doing duty in every part of the globe. The vessels in commission are distributed as follow:- 32 line-of-battle ships, frigates, and smaller vessels are attached to the East Indies and China station; 25 on the coast of Africa; 16 in the Mediterranean; 15 on the Pacific and on the Australia station; 15 on the North America and West India station; 7 on the south-east coast of America, and 5 at the Cape of Good Hope. The remaining 61 vessels, are employed on particular service, or attached as guardships to the principal ports in Great Britain and Ireland, including the Channel squadron, which is composed of the following screw steamers:- The Royal Albert, 121, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir C.H. Fremantle, K.C.B.; the Orion, 91, Captain E.C.T. D'Eyncourt; the Renown,. 91, Captain, A. Forbes; the Victor Emmanuel, 91, Captain J. Willcox; the Brunswick, 80, Captain E. Ommanney; and the Racoon, 22, Captain J.A. Paynter.
Fr 29 April 1859THE CHANNEL FLEET.- BEREHAVEN, April 23.-The ships of the Channel fleet that had been staying here for some months left to-day. They comprised the Royal Albert, the Renown, the Brunswick, the St. Jean d'Acre, and the Racoon. The Victor Emanuel and the Orion came in here with them, but early in March they were ordered to Tangier. It is said that these two vessels are to join the Channel fleet again, as also the Algiers and the James Watt, line-of-battle ships, and the Liffey, the Mersey, and the Doris, frigates. The Caesar and the Diadem are also returning from the West Indies to join, and the Euryalus from the Mediterranean. During their stay here the Marines and Naval Brigades were exercised on shore every week, as also in the boats. The Admiral, Sir Charles Freemantle, is most deservedly popular with all classes.- Cork Reporter.
Th 19 May 1859Her Majesty's screw line-of-battle ships Renown, 91 guns, Captain Arthur Forbes; the St. Jean d'Acre, 101, Captain Thomas P. Thompson; the Brunswick, 80, Capt. Erasmus Ommanney, and the screw corvette Racoon, 22, Captain James A. Paynter, arrived at Gibraltar on the 3d inst. from the coast of England on their way to the Mediterranean. These ships of war lately formed put of the Channel fleet, and were escorted to the Bay by the Royal Albert, 120, Rear-Admiral Sir Charles H. Fremantle. The Renown, the St. Jean d'Acre, the Brunswick, and the Racoon, having taken in some fresh supplies, left the Bay between 3 and 4 o'clock on the afternoon of the 4th, under steam for the eastward. The Victor Emmanuel, 91 guns, Captain Willcox, C.B., which has been lying at Gibraltar for some time past, proceeded eastward at 9 a.m. on the 4th. Admiral Fremantle returned to England in the Royal Albert, which left on the afternoon of the 6th.


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