HMS Champion

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Champion, 1824
Type: Sloop ; Armament 18
Launched : 31 May 1824 ; Disposal date or year : 1867
BM: 456 tons
Complement :71 officers and men ; 24 boys ; 20 marines
Notes:

1824 - 1826 Burmese War - medal awarded to surviving officers, seamen, and marines - "India, No. 1" that decoration, with clasp for "Ava"). See p. 250 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

3 Jan 1825 arrived Falmouth from an experimental cruise.

10 Jan 1825 departed Falmouth on a cruise.

14 Nov 1825 arrived at Rangoon.

8 Mar 1826 end of the Burma war.

6 Jan 1827 employed in the East Indies.

15 Jun 1828 departed Pula Penang for England via Isle de France.

13 Nov 1828 arrived Portsmouth from the East India station.

10 Jul 1829 is reported to have arrived from Fernando Po. Mr. Rytheroes, the surgeon, Mr. Brickwood, midshipmen and 2 marines are reported to have died.

11 Aug 1829 arrived Halifax from Fernando Po.

7 Sep 1829 departed Halifax for Quebec.

19 Oct 1829 departed Halifax to Bermuda for the winter months.

30 Oct 1829 refitting at Bermuda.

12 Dec 1829 Is reported to be wintering at Bermuda.

circa 12 Nov 1829 Rendered assistance to the William transport which had got ashore at Bermuda ? and bilged.

3 Apr 1830 departed Bermuda for Halifax to relieve the Rose.

3 Dec 1830 arrived at St. Kitt's.

21 Jan 1831 the Winchester, Champion, and Hyacinth, arrived at Barbadoes from Martinique.

14 Jun 1831 arrived Jamaica from Carthagena.

11 Jul 1831 arrived at Port-au Prince from Jamaica and departed on her return on the 14th.

21 Jul 1831 departed St. Jago de Cuba for Bermuda.

15 Oct 1831 arrived at Barbadoes from Bermuda.

25 Dec 1831 departed Jamaica for St. Jago de Cuba.

4 Jan 1832 the ship's boats take men of the 77th Regiment from Port Antonio to Marchioneal. 5 Jan the Captain of the Blanche writes from Montego-Bay, Jamaica, that when he arrived the Racehorse and Sparrowhawk were here and that the Blossom was at Savannah la Mar ; the Firefly at Black River, and Champion at Port Antonio, and that the insurrection is now coming under control. See London Gazette of 22 Feb 1832, P 18, for more detail @ www.gazettes-online.co.uk/.

11 Feb 1832 arrived Aux Cayes from Port Royal.

8 Apr 1832 departed from Barbadoes to Antigua.

10 May 1832 departed Port Royal, Jamaica, for England via Bermuda to pick up 22 convicts who have been recommended for liberation as good characters, having served the greatest part of their time.

10 Jun 1832 arrived Plymouth Sound with invalids from the Squadron, and convicts recommended for liberation at Bermuda (22d).

13 Jun 1832 went into Hamoaze to be paid off and recommissioned.

15 Sep 1832 the Ceylon is fitting at Plymouth to bear the pendant of the Rear Admiral Superintendent at Malta, where she is to be stationed as the harbour and receiving ship, with a complement of a master, medical officer, 10 marines and 20 seamen, and it is planned that she will be accompanied by the Champion on her passage out. It is understood that Lord Nugent and suite, newly apptd. Gov. of the Ionian Isles will go out to Malta as passengers in the Ceylon.

6 Oct 1832 both vessels went out into Plymouth Sound and will depart when the wind permits.

13 Oct 1832 departed Plymouth for the Mediterranean in company with the Ceylon, and her diplomatic passenger.

2 Nov 1832 arrived Gibraltar with the Ceylon.

8 Jun 1833 awaiting Malta for the arrival of the Flag Officer.

23 Nov 1833 refitting at Vourla Bay.

4 Dec 1833 refitting at Vourla Bay.

6 Jan 1834 Is reported to have been at Alexandria, where she is expected to winter.

18 Feb 1834 In harbour at Valletta.

23 Mar 1834 at Barcelona.

18 Jul 1834 departed Malta for Gibraltar and England.

2 Oct 1834 in Plymouth Sound and ready for sea.

29 Nov 1834 arrived Plymouth from Newfoundland.

16 Jul 1835 arrived Port Royal from England with the Fountain tank-vessel, after a 35 day passage.

19 Jul 1835 departed Port Royal for Halifax.

8 Aug 1835 arrived Halifax from Port Royal.

Extract from the Log of H. M. S. off Barbadoes, kept by W. Parker, Master.

Thursday, Sept. 3, 1835.
Hour. Courses. Winds. Remarks.
A.M.      
1 E J S NNE A.M. Fresh breezes and cloudy; braced up on starboard tack, head offshore; extremes of the island of Barbados, N by W � W
2.30     2.30. Furled the mainsail.
4     4. Squally, with rain.
5.40     6.40. Bore up, set the foresail, jib, and driver.
6.15     6.15. Squally, with thick heavy rain ; up foresail and driver, down jib ; wore ship's head off shore; lowered topsails, and close reefed them.
7 j   7. Wore and set the courses.
      7.45. Made our number to the signal station, Barbados.
8     8. Up courses and hove-to � found lying here H. M. steam-veseel Spitfire ; the commander of ditto came on board ; bore-up: out fourth and third reef; set the top-gallant-sails. Needham's Point, E S E, half a mile; set courses.
9 W by N   9. Squally ; in top-gallant sails, up mainsail, down top-gallant yards, and struck the masts.
10 W by N � N N E 10.50. In three reefs of the topsail ; furled the mizen ditto ; reefed the foresail, and set it.
Noon     Noon. Strong gales, with thick rain.

_     Lat. d. r. 13� 15� 24" N., long. d. r. 60� 14� 40".
      Point Moliciqua, St. Lucia, N 66� W, 50 miles.
P.M.      
1 W by N , N N E byN P.M. Strong gales, with thick rain ; close reefed the fore and main-topsails ; bent the storm-staysails : sent top-gallant-masts and stud-sail booms on deck, and made all snug aloft.
1.20     1.20. Heavy squalls; furled fore-top-sail, up foresail, in main-topsail, and furled them.
2     2. Set the main-trysail and fore and main-staysails.

2.20. Brailed up the trysail, down main-staysail ; wore ship's head to the eastward; down fore-staysail

2.30

  NNE 2.30. A tremendous heavy hurricane ; brought to the wind under bare poles.
3.40   SSW 3.40.The wind moderated and shifted suddenly round, with heavy rain, to the opposite, and blew most violently; a sea over the stern.
5.40     5.40. Washed the dingy and life buoy from the stern.
6   SSW 6. The wind moderated; set the main-staysail and main-trysail.
6.30     6.30. Strong gales; down main-staysail
7 & 8 S W off W S W   8. Strong gales and squally, with rain ; set the fore-staysail.
11 S W by S    
Midn.     Midnight. Strong gales and squally, with rain; wore ship.

Friday, 4 Sep 1836.
A.M.     A.M. Moderate and cloudy.
1 head from N to NE ESE 4. Wore ship; down main-staysail.
6   Easterly Day-light. Saw the high land of St. Lucia, NW by W, 15 or 16 miles ; mode rate and cloudy ; made sail to single-reefed topsail and fore-sail.
7 W by N
8     8. Point Moliciqua, N E, 4 miles; moderate, with rain.
9 W by N � N    
10     10. Sent the top-gallant-mast up, and fidded ditto; crossed top-gallant-yards, and set top-gallant-sails; sent the studsail-boom and small sails up, and loosed them to dry; carpenter employed repairing hammock-nettings, and other defects.
11   ESE 11. Out first reefs of the topsail.
Noon WNW   Noon. Moderate and cloudy ; Sugar-loaf Hill, St. Lucia, E 13 miles.
Observations 13� 48� 8" N Altofela, N by W 125 miles.
PM      
1 WNW SE by E PM. Moderate and fair.
8   ENE Ditto weather.
11   E by S Ditto.

Source: An Attempt to Develop the Law of Storms by Means of Facts by Lt Col W. Reid.

12 Sep 1835 arrived Rio de Janeiro from Halifax and Barbadoes.

28 Oct 1835 arrived at Jamaica.

7 Dec 1835 detained whilst attempting to escape the Champion by running ashore near the Point de Mulos, Cuba, the Spanish slave schooner Diligencia, with 210 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Havana.

2 Mar 1836 detained, when the brig attempted to run ashore near Cayo Moa, Cuba, the Spanish slave brig Ricomar, with 188 slaves on board.

17 May 1836 has been furnished with instructions under the Treaty with Spain for the suppression of the Slave Trade by the Flag Officer, North America and West Indies Station.

21 Aug 1836 is reported to be in the Gulf of St Lawrence.

1 Dec 1836 detained in lat. 19� 43' 0" N. long. 78� 37' 0" W., off Cuba, bound with slaves from Whydah to Havana, the Portuguese slave schooner Carlota, Miguel Paulo, master, with 204 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, and on 16 Jun 1837 sentenced to be condemned. The slaves were landed at Honduras, where the schooner, having been surveyed was considered to be unfit for sea, and was also left, with a view to being sold. I presume that this note and the following one are related, being from different sources.

8 Dec 1836 arrived Belize with a Portuguese schooner in company with 208 slaves on board, taken off Cape Santa Cruz, Cuba.

27 Feb 1837 departed Jamaica for Carthagena ; ships on the station are reported to be generally healthy.

13 Jun 1840 is about to be commissioned at Plymouth.

12 Jun 1841 Commander Richard Byron, appointed to the Champion.

16 Jun 1841 commissioned at Plymouth.

17 Jun 1841 in Hamoaze.

19 Jun 1841 Lieutenant H. G. Morris ; Surgeon Alfred Cutfield ; Master R. Knox ; Purser W. H. Freeman ; Boatswain J. Body ; and Carpenter J. Widger, appointed to the Champion:

26 Jul 1841 Gunner J Napleton, appointed to the Champion.

31 Jul 1841 Lieutenant James Dalyell appointed to the Champion

7 Aug 1841 Plymouth, fitting out, for service in the West Indies, it is said.

12 Aug 1841 Plymouth, is ordered to the coast of Africa.

23 Aug 1841 moved out from Hamoaze to the Sound.

2 Sep 1841 Plymouth, departed for South America ;

1 Oct 1841 departed Sierra Leone for Ascension, and Rio.

13 Oct 1841 arrived at Rio de Janeiro from Plymouth, via Sierra Leone.

15 Nov 1841 departed Rio with the Southampton, for the Cape of Good Hope.

30 Jan 1842 when the President departed Valparaiso was reported to be returning from Callao, calling at intermediate ports en route.

27 Jun 1842 reported by the Dublin, at Callao, to be at Valparaiso.

6 Aug 1842 at Valparaiso was reported to be at Callao when the Curacoa departed for England.

Jan 1848 Portsmouth, in Ordinary (reserve).

20 Dec 1848 Pacific.

Feb 1850 Pacific Coast of Central America.

30 Aug 1851 Pacific.

1860 police vessel, Portsmouth.

1861-62 late harbour police vessel, Portsmouth per Parliamentary estimates etc.