HMS Curacoa (1878)

Last updated

HMS Curacoa in drydock in Sydney Flickr 3112019037 7b8b4f556a o.jpg
HMS Curacoa drydocked in Sydney Harbour c.1890.
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameCuracoa
Builder John Elder & Co., Govan
Yard number210
Launched18 April 1878
FateSold 1904 for breaking up.
General characteristics
Class and type Comus-class corvette
Displacement2,380  LT (2,420  t; 2,670  ST)
Length225 ft (69 m)
Beam44 ft (13 m)
Draught19 ft (6 m)
PropulsionSingle screw driven by compound engines of 2,590 ihp (1.93 MW)
Sail planBarque or ship rig
Speed13.75  kt (25.5 km/h) powered; 14.75  kt (27.3 km/h)
Armament
Armour Deck: 1.5 in (38 mm) over engines

HMS Curacoa was a Comus-class corvette of the Royal Navy, built by John Elder & Co., Govan, launched in 1878, and sold in 1904 to be broken up. [2] She served on the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station, the Australia Station and as a training cruiser in the Atlantic.

Contents

Service history

HMS Curacoa was built by John Elder & Co., Govan, and launched on 18 April 1878.

Deck plan, elevation, and hull cross-section of Comus-class vessels. Comus class corvette diagrams Brasseys 1888.jpg
Deck plan, elevation, and hull cross-section of Comus-class vessels.

The corvette commenced service on the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station before being transferred to the Australia Station arriving on 5 August 1890. She left the Australia Station in December 1894. [2]

Curacoa was sent to the Ellice Islands and between 9 and 16 October 1892 Captain Herbert Gibson visited each of the islands to make a formal declaration that the islands were to be a British Protectorate. [3] In June 1893 Captain Gibson visited the southern Solomon Islands and made the formal declaration of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate. [4]

Her later years were spent as a training cruiser. In February–April 1900 she visited Madeira, Las Palmas, São Vicente, Cape Verde, Gibraltar and Arosa Bay. [5] [6] [7]

She was sold in May 1904 to King of Garston for breaking up. [2]


References

  1. Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. p. 272. ISBN   978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC   52620555.
  2. 1 2 3 Bastock, J. (1988). Ships on the Australia Station. Frenchs Forest: Child & Associates Publishing. p. 107. ISBN   978-0-86777-348-4.
  3. Teo, N. P. (1983). "Chapter 17: Colonial Rule". In Laracy, Hugh (ed.). Tuvalu: A History. Suva: University of the South Pacific and the Government of Tuvalu. pp. 127–139. OCLC   20637433.
  4. Roberts-Wray, K. (1966). Commonwealth and Colonial Law. London: Stevens. p. 897. OCLC   510310.
  5. "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. No. 36056. London. 3 February 1900. p. 14.
  6. "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. No. 36083. London. 7 March 1900. p. 10.
  7. "Naval & Military itelligence". The Times. No. 36106. London. 3 April 1900. p. 11.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to HMS Curacoa (ship, 1878) at Wikimedia Commons