HMS Shannon (1855)
HMS Shannon (1855)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameShannon (1855)Explanation
TypeFrigate   
Launched24 November 1855   
HullWooden Length235 feet
PropulsionScrew Men560
Builders measure2667 tons   
Displacement3636 tons   
Guns51   
Fate1871 Last in commission1865
Class  Class (as screw)Liffey
Ships book   
Career
DateEvent
24 November 1855Launched at Portsmouth Dockyard.
13 September 1856
- 27 April 1858
Commanded (from commissioning) by Captain William Peel, East Indies (including command of the naval brigade during the India Mutiny), until Peel died at Cawnpore
17 May 1858
- 15 January 1859
Commanded (until paying off at Portsmouth) by Acting Captain Francis Marten, East Indies (including command of the naval brigade during the India Mutiny), after the death of Captain William Peel in Cawnpore
17 January 1862
- 16 June 1862
Commanded (from commissioning at Portsmouth) by Captain James Francis Ballard Wainwright, Channel squadron
18 June 1862
- 11 April 1865
Commanded (until paying off at Portsmouth) by Captain Oliver John Jones, Mediterranean, then (1864) North America and West Indies
31 May 1871Sold to Castle for breaking up at Charlton.
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Fr 8 January 1847There are no orders down yet as to what ship shall be but it upon the new slip in this dockyard [Portsmouth], now vacant by the launch of the Dauntless screw steam frigate, but it is expected that a splendid frigate of 50 guns, to be called the Shannon, in commemoration of the ever memorable action between the Shannon and the Chesapeake, and to perpetuate the name and fame of the good ship which was the victor in that celebrated national struggle (now the St. Lawrence receiving ship at Sheerness) will be shortly laid down upon the above slip.
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.
Ma 8 February 1858The steam sloop Encounter, 14, Captain O'Callaghan, arrived yesterday afternoon at Plymouth. She left Aden November 21, reached the Cape December 19, and sailed on the 23d, touched at St. Helena January 2, and at Ascension on the 7th. Including stoppages the passage from Aden to Plymouth was accomplished in 78 days. At the Cape she embarked 12 invalids from the Boscawen, five from the Himalaya, five from the Sappho, and two formerly belonging to the Shannon; at St. Helena two distressed merchant seamen, and at Ascension nine invalids from the West Coast squadron.
Tu 11 September 1860The following vessels comprise the four classes of the steam reserve at Portsmouth, the list corrected to this date :-
First Class.- Duke of Wellington, 131 guns, 700 horsepower; Princess Royal, 91 guns, 400 horse-power; Shannon, 51 guns, 600 horse-power ; Immortalité, 51 guns, 600 horse-power; Volcano, 6 guns, 140 horse-power; Philomel, 6 guns, 80 horse-power; and gunboats Brazen, Beaver, Snapper, Traveller, Grinder, and Blazer, of two guns each, and 60 horse-power.
Second Class.- Royal Sovereign, 131 guns, 800 horse-power; Victoria, 121 guns, 1,000 horse-power; Prince of Wales, 131 guns, 800 horse-power ; Duncan, 101 guns, 800 horse-power; Nelson, 91 guns, 500 horse-power; the Sutlej, 51 guns, 500 horse-power ; the Harrier, 17 guns, 100 horse-power; the Rinaldo, 17 guns, 200 horse-power; the Medea, 6 guns, 350 horse-power; the Stromboli, 6 guns, 280 horse-power; the Coquette, 6 guns, 200 horse-power; and the gunboats Cracker, Fancy, Swinger, Pincher, and Badger, of 60 horse-power each, and 2 guns.
Third Class.- The Tribune, 31 guns, 300 horse-power; the Rosamond, 6 guns, 280-horse power; the Vigilant, 4 guns, 200 horse-power; the Vulture, 6 guns, 470 horse-power; the Cygnet, 5 guns, 80 horse-power; and the gunboats Cheerful, Rambler, Pet, Daisy, Angler, Chub, Ant, Pert, and Decoy, of two guns each and 21 horse-power.
4th Class.- The screw transport Fox, 200 horse-power; the Erebus, 16 guns, 200 horse-power; the Meteor, 14 guns, 150 horse-power; and the Glatton, 14 guns, 150 horse-power.

The foregoing - not including the gunboats and mortar vessels in Haslar-yard - consist of seven line-of-battle ships, four frigates, two corvettes, nine sloops, three floating batteries, 20 gunboats, and one troop steamer. They give a total force of 1,150 guns, propelled by 11,420 horse-power (nominal). The Fox steam troopship is given in this return as not carrying any guns, but in the official Navy List she still carried "42" attached to her name.

Sa 15 September 1860The Lords of the Admiralty resumed their inspection of the naval establishments at Portsmouth yesterday. Their lordship left the Osborne In their barge early In the fore-noon, and, crossing the harbour, landed at Haslar, inspecting first the gunboat yard and ship way there. The stay there was but short; some of the skeletons of the decayed gunboats, however, attracting a passing notice from their lordships, With the general state and condition of the yard they appeared well pleased, and gave the necessary orders for laying down the six new boats In No. 6 shed. On leaving this yard their lordships next visited the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar, together with the new cemetery attached. In the afternoon, their lordships landed at the Royal Clarence yard, and, entering some carriages that were in waiting, proceeded to Forton-barracks, the head quarters of the Royal Marine Light Infantry. On alighting at the gate of the barrack parade, they were received by Second-Commandant Lieut.-Col. Mitchell, who accompanied their lordships on the parade ground, where the division was drawn up in line, under the command of Col.-Commandant Andersen, with the band and colours in the centre. After a general salute along the line, the men marched past in slow and quick time, and then wheeled into line. After passing along the line, and inspecting the artillery attached to the division, the men were dismissed. A detachment was immediately afterwards formed, and went through a course of drill at the ship gun-battery, in the rear of the barracks. The result of the inspection reflected the highest credit on the officers and men of the division. The Royal Clarence yard, together with the Duke of Wellington, 131, screw, and the Shannon, 51, screw, was shortly inspected by their lordships on Thursday evening. In the visit to the Sirius target ship the same evening the examination of the various targets appeared to excite much interest among their lordships. Last evening the Admiralty gave their customary official dinner at Dent's George Hotel, Portsmouth, to which 40 guests were invited. Their lordships afterwards patronized the ball at Hollingsworth's rooms, in aid of the funds for the Seamen's and Marines' Orphans' Schools.
Sa 24 August 1861The Shannon, 51, screw, in the first-class reserve at Portsmouth, officially tested her machinery yesterday outside the harbour, under the superintendence of Capt. H. Broadhead, commanding Her Majesty's ship Asia, and the reserve at the port. The Pandora, 5, screw, tried under the suprintendence of the same officer the previous day realized a speed of 8.794 knots, the mean of six runs, at a draught of water of -forward, 9 feet 7 inches; aft, 11 feet 7 inches. On one of her former trials, drawing 11 feet 2 inches aft and 7 feet 10 inches forward, she realized 10.500 knots.
Th 3 October 1861Mr. W.H. Ward, the inventor and patentee of the system of Ocean Marine Telegraph, now in use on board the ships of the Channel Fleet, exhibited with the authority of the Admiralty, at Portsmouth on Wednesday evening the mode of working the night signals portion of his system. The four lanterns, or rather signal lamps, which are used for the purpose were hung from the crossjackyard of the Shannon frigate, lying off the dockyard at her harbour moorings, and were read and answered from the platform of the King's Stairs, where Rear-Admiral the Hon. George Grey, superintendent of the dockyard, and other officers were assembled. Mr. Ward, having seen his lamps fixed in a perpendicular position on board the Shannon, explained the manner of their working to some seamen signalmen that had been sent on board for the purpose from Her Majesty's ships Warrior and Asia, So simple is the working of the signals that, on Mr. Ward being sent for onshore to explain his method to Rear-Admiral Grey, the men on board the Shannon, who had never before seen the lamps or their mode of working, signalled with them "Reef topsails," spelling each word through from the alphabetical code, as thus - showing one red and three white lights for "R," the change in the disposition of the lights each time representing a letter. The operator stands with four small lines in each hand, by pulling which he exhibits "White," "Red," or "Black," as required to give the letter. Numerals are given with three lamps. The whole of the lamps "flashed" by raising or lowering the screens quickly three times denote the end of a number, word, or sentence. This is simply according to the inventor's code, which simply spells each sentence transmitted, but the same alphabetical letters and numerals applied to the present Admiralty vocabulary would not, perhaps, have a greater range, for that would be impossible, but it would convey professional sentences in an incredibly short time.
Yesterday Mr. Ward submitted to Admiral Grey and Capt. Cochrane one of his portable signal steering lamps, which, by exhibiting a red, green, or white light, conveys from forward to the quartermaster at the helm the order to "steady", "port," or "starboard," as may be required, and which he acknowledges receiving by repeating the signal from a similar lamp in his possession at the wheel.
Fr 13 December 1861The Euryalus and Shannon frigates, at Portsmouth, have as yet no officers named to commission them. Both, vessels, however, are complete in every respect, and can proceed to sea within 12 hours, if necessary. The Vigilant and Pandora screw sloops are held in equal readiness, but, as in the case of the frigates, no one has yet been named to their command. The Chanticleer, 17, screw, is flying the transferred pennant of the Wasp, with her officers .and crew on a week's leave. On their rejoining, she can proceed to sea at a day's notice, if required. The case is very different with the Geyser, 6 paddle, which vessel, on being ordered to the Pacific, has been discovered to have serious defects, and has, in consequence, turned her crew over to one of the hulks in the harbour. She will be taken into the steam basin to-day to undergo the necessary repairs, the extent of which and the time occupied will depend, as a matter of course, upon the extent of defects discovered.
Tu 11 February 1862With reference to the order alluded to in The Times of yesterday for reducing the number of guns and men on board ships of war, instructions are given for the reduction of the armament, the character of which may he illustrated by a few examples:- The Tribune, screw frigate, now fitting for commission at Portsmouth, is ordered to carry, in lieu of 32 guns, as heretofore, only 23, as follows:- Main deck, 16 65 cwt. 8-inch; upper deck, 4 40-pounders, Armstrongs; 1 100-pounder, Armstrong (pivot); 2 33-pounders, of 45 cwt. The Shannon and Euryalus are each to land 16 guns, and, like the Tribune, will carry only 8-inch guns on their main decks. The Duncan, 93, lands 10 of her guns, reducing her to a 89. The substitution of one calibre of gun on the main deck of our frigates and on the main and lower deck of our line-of-battle ships will tend to considerably simplify the "projectile" question. The reduction of the number of guns on board ship in peaceable times must be for the ship's benefit in rendering her easy in a seaway, and, besides, the guns can be easily replaced on board whenever they might be required. The reduction of the number of men on board, however, does not admit of such reasoning. In the case of the Warrior, for instance, we believe that during her recent stay at Portsmouth her crew was inspected at quarters by one of the Board of Admiralty, upon the complaint of the captain that the crew allowed her was insufficient in number. Our frigates now exceed the size of our three-deckers of a few years back, and this reduction of their crews will be looked upon by the profession generally with grave suspicion.
Fr 21 February 1862The Emerald and Shannon, screw frigates, at Spithead, have discharged their extra 32-poundera (16 each), and have each received four l00-pounder Armstrong guns, thus rendering them now, in fact, 40-gun frigates. The Emerald has also landed her 8-inch guns, which are being replaced by others of the same calibre that have been re-vented.
Tu 25 February 1862The men discharged from the Emerald and Shannon at Spithead, under recent regulations, have been placed on board the Blonde hulk in Portsmouth harbour, under command of Lieutenant J.B. Mitchell, of Her Majesty's ship Victory, and are to be employed for the present in the dockyard, receiving check money.
Ma 10 March 1862The Shannon, 35, screw, Capt. J.B. Wainwright; the Emerald, 35, screw, Capt. A. Cumming; the Chanticleer, 17, screw, Commander Stirling; and the Vigilant, 5, screw, Commander Pike, all at anchor at Spithead, are under orders to proceed on a cruise in the Channel, at the close of which they will rendezvous at Queenstown.
We 12 March 1862The Shannon, 40, Capt. J.B. Wainwright, and Emerald, 40, screw, Capt. H. Cumming, have sailed from Spithead in search of the Victoria screw troopship, which vessel, as announced in The Times of yesterday, is expected by this time to be making the best of her way towards England with disabled machinery.
Sa 20 December 1862The Emerald, screw frigate, Capt. Arthur Cumming, arrived at Spithead yesterday from Plymouth Sound. She will be docked and otherwise prepared for entering upon the experimental series of screw trials which were left unfinished by the Shannon, screw frigate, Capt. O. Jones.
Th 29 January 1863The Duke of Somerset has conferred upon Capt. H. Broadhead, commanding Her Majesty's ship Asia and the steam reserve at Portsmouth, the good service pension which has lapsed to the Board in consequence of the appointment of Capt. Aldham C.B., to Greenwich Hospital. In addition to his sea service Captain Broadhead has rendered very important services as captain of the steam reserve at Portsmouth, among which maybe noticed the trials of the iron fleet - the Warrior, Black Prince, Defence, and Resistance - at the measured mile, the trials of the Warrior and Black Prince off the Wight, and the elaborate series of screw experimental trials made in the Shannon and ordered to be repeated in the Emerald.
Fr 13 February 1863The Emerald, 34, screw frigate, Capt, A. Cumming, has returned to Spithead from her anchorage off Osborne. On the 17th inst. she will go into Portsmouth harbour, and be placed in dock to prepare for a series of experimental trials with various forms of screw propellers at the measured mile in Stokes Bay. Eight distinct trials of the screws were carried out with the Shannon frigate, but the closing trials with the Griffiths propeller were not commenced, owing to the Shannon's departure for the Mediterranean. The employment of another ship on the trials will, of course, render it necessary to repeat with the Emerald those carried out with the Shannon.
Sa 12 November 1864The following is the list of the vessels of the Royal navy which will be armed, and are now being armed, with the new description of 300-pounder and other guns in course of issue. The figures after each vessel specify the number of guns of the description mentioned she will carry. To mount the 12-ton 300-pounders:- Bellerophon, 10; Royal Sovereign, 5; Minotaur, 4; Scorpion, 4; Wiveren, 4; Prince Albert, 4; Agincourt, 4; and Northumberland, 4. To be armed with the 6½-ton guns:- The Achilles, 20; Black Prince, 20; Warrior, 20; Lord Warden, 20; Lord Clyde, 20; Royal Oak, 20; Prince Consort, 20; Royal Alfred, 20; Caledonia, 20; Ocean, 20; Minotaur, 18 ; Agincourt, 18; Valiant, 16; Zealous, 16; Hector, 16; Defence, 10; Resistance, 10; Endymion, 6; Mersey, 4; Orlando, 4, Pallas, 4; Favourite, 4; Research, 4; Enterprise, 4; Amazon, 2; Viper, 2; and Vixen, 2. To mount the 64-pounder muzzle-loader:- The Bristol, 12; Melpomene, 12; Liverpool, 12; Severn, 12; Arethusa, 12; Phoebe, 12;. Shannon, 12; Octavia, 12; Constance, 12; Sutlej, 12; Undaunted, 12; Impérieuse, 12; Aurora, 12; Leander, 12; Bacchante, 12; Emerald, 12; Phaeton, 12: Narcissus, 12; Forte, 12; Euryalus, 12; Topaz, 12; Newcastle, 12; Liffey, 12; Immortalité, 12; Glasgow, 12; Clio, 8, North Star, 8 [laid down 1860, cancelled 1865]; Racoon, 8; Challenge[r], 8; and Menai, 8 [laid down 1860, cancelled 1864]. The following will be supplied with the 64-pounder breech-loaders:- The Scout, 8; Rattlesnake, 8; Cadmus, 8; Scylla, 8; Barossa, 8; Jason, 8; Charybdis, 8; Wolverine, 8; Pylades, 8; Orestes, 8; Pearl, 8; Pelorus, 8; Satellite, 8; Acheron, 4 [laid down 1861, cancelled 1863]; Shearwater, 4; Valorous, 4; Furious, 4; Bittern, 4 [laid down 1861, cancelled 1863]; Magicienne, 4; and Columbine, 4. A supply of the 6½-ton smooth-bore 100-pounder wrought iron guns has already been received at Chatham, and it is understood that the first supply of the 300-pounder rifled 12-ton Armstrong gun may shortly be expected at the Ordnance wharf.


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