HMS Echo

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Echo, 1827
Type: Tug ; late Gun-vessel ; Armament 2
Launched : 28 May 1827 ; Disposal date or year : 1885
BM: 295 tons ; Displacement: 407 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Machinery notes: 140 hp
Notes:

11 July 1828 departed Lisbon for Portsmouth.

17 July 1828 arrived Portsmouth from Lisbon with despatches regarding the state of affairs in Portugal.

21 Oct 1829, Plymouth, Lieut Bullock promoted to commander, and Lieut Bassett of the Lightning is appointed in his place.

7 Dec 1829 departed Portsmouth with volunteers for the Druid, from Leith, to Plymouth.

10 Dec 1829 arrived Portsmouth from Plymouth.

20 Dec 1829 arrived Portsmouth from Plymouth.

18 Feb 1830 departed Plymouth for Portsmouth.

29 Mar 1830 departed Plymouth for Falmouth.

29 Mar 1830 departed Falmouth for Plymouth.

24 Nov 1830, arrived Portsmouth, Lieut. Otway, in command.

27 Feb 1831 arrived Portsmouth.

28 Feb 1831 departed Portsmouth for Plymouth.

3 Mar 1831 departed Plymouth, for Falmouth.

17 Mar 1831 arrived at Gibraltar from Falmouth and Cadiz, and departed on the 18th for Malta.

28 Apr 1831 arrived Falmouth from Corfu.

11 May 1831 in Hamoaze.

21 Jul 1831 in Hamoaze.

29 Sep 1831 whilst at Portsmouth towed the Imogene out to Spithead.

26 Oct 1831 got on shore in last night's gale, under the Hoe, but was floated off.

20 Nov 1831 in Hamoaze.

6 May 1832 arrived Portsmouth, from Plymouth, Lt Otway in command.

11 May 1832 the tugs Echo and Confiance towed the Atholl round to the River [Thames], in order that it may be ascertained how the wood of which she was built ie Larch, might answer for future ship building.

8 Jun 1832 departed Woolwich for Falmouth. Is reported to have been earmarked, along with the Columbia to carry the Lisbon mails every other week.

10 Jun 1832 arrived Plymouth.

11 Jun 1832 departed Plymouth for Falmouth, in readiness to take the Lisbon mail.

9 Jul 1832 arrived Falmouth, from Lisbon, in 7 days, Lt. Strong in command.

7 Sep 1832 departed Plymouth for Falmouth, in order to take the next Lisbon mail.

18 Sep 1832 departed Falmouth for Oporto with the Marquis Palmella, Sr. Barbaza, and others in the service of Donna Maria.

28 Sep 1832 in the R. Douro. Whilst no reports had been received from the Echo the Childers reported to the Flag Ship Asia state that the Miguelites had been firing into that ship, and the Orestes, and that the Captain's steward of the Childers had been seriously wounded.

9 Dec 1832 at Oporto.

27 Sep 1833 Fitting out at Woolwich.

30 Nov 1836, departed Falmouth, for Lisbon, to coal, and the West Indies, having departed Portsmouth earlier in the month with Capt. Edward Belcher on board, to join the survey vessel Sulphur at San Blas or Panama.

27 Dec 1836, departed Lisbon.

14 Jan 1837, arrived Barbadoes, and departed the same day for Jamaica, having embarked a Mr. Sturge of the Society of Friends, who was looking at slave affairs.

22 Jan 1837, arrived Port Royal, and chased after the Forte, bound for Carthagena, and transferred Capt. Belcher to her, and from thence continued packet duties.

Jamaica 1 Mar 1837 at St Thomas's ; ships on the station are reported to be generally healthy

29 Mar 1840 Woolwich, is to be fitted out.

Portsmouth The Echo steam-vessel is to be based here in lieu of the Messenger.

29 May 1840 Master R. Read (additional), appointed to the Victory, for the Echo.

6 Jun 1840 Third Engineer Andrew Witham appointed to the Victory, for Echo, vice Bain, appointed to Hecla.

6 Jun 1840 Portsmouth has had her wheel placed before the mainmast, and under the control of the officer carrying on the duty on the paddle boxes.

7 Aug 1840 has been found deficient in power to act as a steam tug.

18 Sep 1840 towed the Donegal into harbour from Spithead, assisted by the steamer Monarch, from Southampton.

26 Dec 1840 Portsmouth In Harbour.

3 Apr 1841 Second Master Mr. F. J. Kent, appointed to command the Echo steam-tug.

12 Jul 1841 in Portsmouth harbour.

30 Oct 1841 sent to the Isle of Wight to recruit men for the Fleet.

10 Nov 1841 Woolwich, new boilers have been made for her.

26 Jan 1842 the Vindictive had suffered some damage to her hull in bad weather when attempting to sail up Spithead from St Helens, and had to anchor close to the Deansand, where she tailed on the bank at low tide, and cut away her mizen mast, but on the wind backing she was able to drop back down to the more sheltered anchorage at St Helens. Her difficulties had been observed from shore and the tug Echo made ready with cable and anchors to go to her assistance, under the command of the Master Attendant, Mr Pardo. They kept the Vindictive company until she was safely back at anchor at St Helens, when the Echo returned to Portsmouth. On the Thursday the Echo went back out to St Helens, and, after being joined by a steam vessel from the Peninsular Steam Co., from Southampton, they managed to tow the Vindictive into Portsmouth harbour, where she was docked late on the Thursday, with a view to taking stock of the damage she sustained when she went aground.
The whole episode added fuel to the fire, for the calls for the Admiralty to fit out or build purpose built tugs, one at each of the home ports, and on call, which are not taken away for other purposes, such as moving stores and personnel etc., between the Home ports etc., as is often the case at the present time, or in this instance the Echo was not immediately available, having some minor repairs carried out, which meant she wasn't available until after dark.

19 Feb 1842, has been employed this week in bringing the Vindictive's mizen mast into Portsmouth harbour from off Selsea. A fishing vessel had also dragged up the main and false keels.

19 May 1842 embarked at Portsmouth the 23rd Regt., from Chichester, and disembarked them at Cowes, for Parkhurst Barracks.

9 Dec 1842 remained in the Downs when the Fearless and Lightning departed for Woolwich.

Mar 1847 involved, as a tug, in recovery of sloop Sphynx. Portsmouth, 12 March 1847.- The Sphynx steam sloop was towed into this harbour at ten o'clock this morning by the Echo tug, and was followed by the African and Monkey tugs, each laden with the gear used in this memorable operation. The vessel was not finally extricated from her stranded position until ten o'clock yesterday morning. The following is a description of the means which have proved successful in saving this fine vessel:-
The plan devised for this object was by means of "camels" - the project of Commander Caffin, of the Scourge steam-sloop, and Mr. Watts, the senior assistant master shipwright of this dockyard - the buoyant power of which amounted to above 130 tons, brought under a strong frame-work constructed under her paddle-boxes ; to this was added by Mr. Watts, subsequently to Commander Caffin's leaving, another camel, which was brought under the head of the vessel, on which, at the extreme foremost end was erected a high framework for supporting the chain cabins, hawsers, &c., used in heaving the vessel off, and to obviate or counteract this downward pressure, at the end of the camel, next the stem, was fixed a fork, formed by means of two stout pieces of fir timber placed a little more than the breadth of the stem asunder (sic), and bolted firmly to the deck of the camel. This fork came underneath two stout cleats fastened to the stem of the vessel, so that the downward pressure of the cables when hove upon constituted a power, at one end, of a lever to lift the bow of the ship at the other end. This was found to render most important aid in getting the vessel over the bank or reef of rocks, up to which she had been brought on the two former occasions, but could not then be got over. This ledge has not more than six feet of water on it at high tide, whereas the Sphynx, when lightened of everything except her engines, drew ten feet of water. The feat, therefore, of getting her over the reef is one of the most remarkable incidents ever recorded in naval science .- London Paper. 20 Dec 1848 Portsmouth.

20 Apr 1851 Portsmouth. Took out boats and flats to the Belle Alliance yesterday for conveying the troops onshore at Cowes, from whence they will march to Parkhurst.

21 Apr 1851 Portsmouth. Towed two visiting Turkish ships, which had wintered at Portsmouth, out to Spithead, where they are expected to remain for some days.

1860 Portsmouth

1870 Portsmouth

1879 Portsmouth

1890 Gibraltar