HMS Comus (1878)
Encyclopedia
HMS Comus was a corvette
(reclassified in 1888 as a third-class cruiser) of the Royal Navy
. She was the name ship of her class. Launched in April 1878, the vessel was built by Messrs. J. Elder & Co
of Glasgow
at a cost of ₤123,000.
Comus and her classmates were built during a period of naval transition. Sail was giving way to steam, wooden hulls to metal, and smooth-bore muzzleloading guns to naval rifles. Comus shows this transition; she was driven by both sails and a reciprocating steam engine; her hull was iron and steel but sheathed with wood and copper; and some of her muzzeloading guns were replaced by rifled breechloaders.
Comus was active for about two decades, but in that time went to the ends of empire, from the British Isles to the Caribbean and Nova Scotia to southwest Africa in the western hemisphere, and in the eastern, from the southern Indian Ocean to the northwest Pacific, and from the China station to the Strait of Magellan
.
Comus had a ship rig, with sqaresails on all three masts. She and her class were among the last of the saiing corvettes. The vessel was also equipped with a steam engine driving a single screw with 2,590 indicated horsepower; to reduce resistance, this propeller could be hoisted into a slot cut in the keel when the vessel was under sail.
The ship initially carried two 7-inch muzzle-loading rifles
, four breechloading 6-inch 80-pounder gun
s and eight 64-pdr muzzle-loading rifles
, but the breech loaders proved unsatisfactory and were replaced in the rest of the class with more 64-pounders.
and commissioned on 23 October 1879 for service on the China Station
, under Captain James East and First Lieutenant (later Rear Admiral) George Neville. In November of that year she was still completing her trials. The ship then sailed for China, but was first assigned a "particular service", a search for the Knowlsey Hall, an iron sailing vessel which had not been heard from since her departure from Liverpool in May 1879. Comus searched the Crozet Islands
, and other islands in the southern Indian Ocean. In 1880 Comus returned to the Crozets in order to deposit a cache of provisions at Possession Island for the use of shipwrecked mariners. The 1881 census, which included British ships at sea, listed Chinese amongst her crew. In 1881–82 the ship was at the Pellew Islands
off the north coast of Australia.
Later in 1882 Comus crossed the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco, and refit to prepare to take the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada, and his spouse the Princess Louise
, daughter of Queen Victoria, to British Columbia
. An anonymous note threatened the ship was with destruction when the couple boarded, but a search yielded nothing, and revenue cutter Richard Rush
escorted the corvette out of the harbour. Comus delivered the couple to Esquimalt Harbour
at Victoria, British Columbia
in September. The next month Comus rendered assistance to two American vessels distress off Vancouver's Island, actions for which Captain East was awarded a gold medal by the President of the United States. Comus returned the governor-general and the princess to San Francisco in December.
In 1884 the ship sailed for home. Upon her arrival in 1885, the ship was partially rebuilt and rearmed. The 7" guns and the 64-pounders at the corners were removed; the latter were replaced by 6" breechloaders on new sponson
s. A single conning tower replaced the old pair.
off western Africa, and noted astronomer Stephen Joseph Perry
died aboard the vessel from dysentery contracted ashore.
. She saluted Alcatraz upon arrival in San Francisco October 5, 1896 while under the command of Captain H. H. Dyke. She visited Pitcairn Island in the south Pacific in 1897, and Hawaii. Comus returned home in 1898 to be placed in reserve.
in 1899. In February 1900 she was in the West Indies near Trinidad
.
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
(reclassified in 1888 as a third-class cruiser) of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was the name ship of her class. Launched in April 1878, the vessel was built by Messrs. J. Elder & Co
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the...
of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
at a cost of ₤123,000.
Comus and her classmates were built during a period of naval transition. Sail was giving way to steam, wooden hulls to metal, and smooth-bore muzzleloading guns to naval rifles. Comus shows this transition; she was driven by both sails and a reciprocating steam engine; her hull was iron and steel but sheathed with wood and copper; and some of her muzzeloading guns were replaced by rifled breechloaders.
Comus was active for about two decades, but in that time went to the ends of empire, from the British Isles to the Caribbean and Nova Scotia to southwest Africa in the western hemisphere, and in the eastern, from the southern Indian Ocean to the northwest Pacific, and from the China station to the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
.
Design
Comus was a single-screw corvette (later classified as a third-class cruiser) designed for distant cruising service for the British Empire. Built with iron frames and steel plating, she was sheathed with wood and coppered. The hull was unprotected except for a 1.5 in (38 mm) of armour over the machinery spaces. with some additional protection offered by the coal bunkers flanking the engine spaces and magazines.Comus had a ship rig, with sqaresails on all three masts. She and her class were among the last of the saiing corvettes. The vessel was also equipped with a steam engine driving a single screw with 2,590 indicated horsepower; to reduce resistance, this propeller could be hoisted into a slot cut in the keel when the vessel was under sail.
The ship initially carried two 7-inch muzzle-loading rifles
RML 7 inch gun
The RML 7 inch guns were various designs of medium-sized rifled muzzle-loading guns used to arm small-medium sized British warships in the late 19th century, and some were used ashore for coast defence.-Design and history:...
, four breechloading 6-inch 80-pounder gun
BL 6 inch 80 pounder gun
The BL 6 inch 80 pounder gun Mk I was the first generation of British 6-inch breechloading naval gun after it switched from muzzle-loaders in 1880. They were originally designed to use the old gunpowder propellants.-Mk I 80-pounder:...
s and eight 64-pdr muzzle-loading rifles
RML 64 pounder gun
RML 64-pounder gun denotes one of several British rifled muzzle-loading artillery pieces which fired a 64-pound projectile.Guns of this type differ by their weight, expressed in hundredweight , and whether they were built from scratch or converted from existing smoothbore guns...
, but the breech loaders proved unsatisfactory and were replaced in the rest of the class with more 64-pounders.
1879–1884 Indian and Pacific Oceans
Comus was fitted for sea at SheernessSheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
and commissioned on 23 October 1879 for service on the China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
, under Captain James East and First Lieutenant (later Rear Admiral) George Neville. In November of that year she was still completing her trials. The ship then sailed for China, but was first assigned a "particular service", a search for the Knowlsey Hall, an iron sailing vessel which had not been heard from since her departure from Liverpool in May 1879. Comus searched the Crozet Islands
Crozet Islands
The Crozet Islands are a sub-antarctic archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean. They form one of the five administrative districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.-Geography:...
, and other islands in the southern Indian Ocean. In 1880 Comus returned to the Crozets in order to deposit a cache of provisions at Possession Island for the use of shipwrecked mariners. The 1881 census, which included British ships at sea, listed Chinese amongst her crew. In 1881–82 the ship was at the Pellew Islands
Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands
The Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands is situated in the south-west corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the northern coast of Australia.-History:They were named in 1802 by Matthew Flinders in honour of Sir Edward Pellew, a fellow naval officer...
off the north coast of Australia.
Later in 1882 Comus crossed the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco, and refit to prepare to take the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada, and his spouse the Princess Louise
Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll
The Princess Louise was a member of the British Royal Family, the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and her husband, Albert, Prince Consort.Louise's early life was spent moving between the various royal residences in the...
, daughter of Queen Victoria, to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. An anonymous note threatened the ship was with destruction when the couple boarded, but a search yielded nothing, and revenue cutter Richard Rush
USRC Richard Rush (1874)
USRC Richard Rush was a of the United States Revenue Cutter Service which served in the coastal waters of the western United States and the Department of Alaska. With a displacement of 179 tons, the vessel was 140 feet long, 23 feet in beam, and drew 8' 10". Propulsion was provided by both a 400...
escorted the corvette out of the harbour. Comus delivered the couple to Esquimalt Harbour
Esquimalt Harbour
Esquimalt Harbour is a sheltered body of water in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca by a narrow channel known as Royal Roads. Its entrance is marked by Fisgard Lighthouse....
at Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
in September. The next month Comus rendered assistance to two American vessels distress off Vancouver's Island, actions for which Captain East was awarded a gold medal by the President of the United States. Comus returned the governor-general and the princess to San Francisco in December.
In 1884 the ship sailed for home. Upon her arrival in 1885, the ship was partially rebuilt and rearmed. The 7" guns and the 64-pounders at the corners were removed; the latter were replaced by 6" breechloaders on new sponson
Sponson
Sponsons are projections from the sides of a watercraft, for protection, stability, or the mounting of equipment such as armaments or lifeboats, etc...
s. A single conning tower replaced the old pair.
1886–1891 North American and West Indies Station
After the refit Comus recommissioned 6 April 1886 for service on the North American and West Indies Station. In 1889 the ship transported scientists to observe the total eclipse of the sunSolar eclipse of December 22, 1889
A total solar eclipse occurred on December 22, 1889. It was visible from Cuba, to the coast of Brazil, and across southern Africa.- References :* ** ** * * Lick Observatory Plate Archive, Mt. Hamilton....
off western Africa, and noted astronomer Stephen Joseph Perry
Stephen Joseph Perry
Stephen Joseph Perry was an English Jesuit, known as a participant in scientific expeditions.-Life:...
died aboard the vessel from dysentery contracted ashore.
1895–1898 Return to the Pacific
In 1891 she returned to Britain and was again refitted and rearmed. On 1 October 1895 she recommissioned for service in the Pacific, and at the end of the year was reporting on lighthouses being erected by Chile in the Strait of MagellanStrait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
. She saluted Alcatraz upon arrival in San Francisco October 5, 1896 while under the command of Captain H. H. Dyke. She visited Pitcairn Island in the south Pacific in 1897, and Hawaii. Comus returned home in 1898 to be placed in reserve.
1898–1900 Return to North American and West Indies Station
Later the same year the ship was reassigned to the North American and West Indies station. Comus engaged in fisheries protection, and was in Halifax, Nova ScotiaCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in 1899. In February 1900 she was in the West Indies near Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
.