HMS Egeria (1873)

HMS "Egeria" was a 4-gun screw sloop of the "Fantome" class launched at Pembroke on 1 November 1873 [cite web|url=http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/naval_sloops_.htm|title=Naval Sloops at battleships-cruisers.co.uk|accessdate=2008-08-30] . She was named after Egeria, a water nymph of Roman mythology, and was the second ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name.

Construction

"Egeria" was constructed of an iron frame sheathed with teak and copper (hence 'composite'), and powered by both sails and a single-screw steam engine developing 1,011 horsepower.

The Perak War

In 1875 "Egeria", commanded by Commander Ralph Lancelot Turton, proceeded to Perak (in modern Malaysia), as one of a squadron of six ships under Captain Alexander Buller with his senior officer’s pennant in HMS "Modeste", to take part in an expedition against the murderers of Mr James W. W. Birch, the British Resident in Perak. While the troops and a naval brigade advanced on the upper reaches of the Perak River simultaneously from two points, "Egeria" blockaded the Perak Littoral, and sent her boats up the Kurow River. These boats destroyed or carried off some guns, arms, and ammunition which might have been useful to the enemy. Severe punishment was inflicted on the natives, but the murderers were not brought to account for some time afterwards. [cite web|url=http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/name_histories_e.htm#HMS%20Egeria|title=HMS "Egeria" at Battleships-cruisers.co.uk website|accessdate=2008-08-30]

urvey of Australia

From 1886, under the command of Captain Pelham Aldrich, "Egeria" was engaged in survey around Australia. [cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowShip.php?id=1385|title=HMS "Egeria" at William Looney website|accessdate=2008-08-30]

In 1890 Hansard records that cquote|One petty officer and one seaman of the "Egeria" were tried for attempting to make a mutinous assembly and for wilful disobedience to orders, and were sentenced respectively to five years' penal servitude and two years' imprisonment. Five other seamen were tried for disobedience, and sentenced to punishments varying from one year to six months' imprisonment. [cite web|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1890/jun/24/hms-egeria|title=Hansard 24 June 1890|accessdate=2008-08-30]

Decommissioning and sale

"Egeria" acted for many years in the Surveying Service, and in November 1911 she was put up to public auction at Esquimalt, and sold to the Vancouver branch of the Navy League for £1,416.

References