Espoir, 1860
Type: Gunvessel ; Armament 5
Launched : 7 Jan 1860 ; Disposal date or year : 1881
BM: 428 tons
Propulsion: Screw
Notes:

21 Aug 1860 Devonport. Commissioned.

27 Sep 1860 departed England for anti-slavery duties on the West Coast of Africa.

19 Nov 1860 detained off Shebar River a slave brig, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to Sierra Leone and on 29 Nov 1860 sentenced to be condemned.

14 Dec 1860 detained in Lat. 4� 44' S., long. 14� 21' W., the slave vessel Clara Windsor which was sent for adjudication to to Sierra Leone, and on 15 Jan 1861 sentenced to be condemned.

1861 West Coast of Africa. At some time during this year ascended the River Niger.

22 Jul 1862 detained in Lat. 6� 45' S., long. 12� 25' E., a slave barque, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at St. Helena and sentenced to be condemned.

20 Sep 1862 detained at Cabenda the slave schooner Britannia.

15 Oct 1862 detained in River Congo the Dutch slave barque Jane, which was sent for adjudication to Sierra Leone and sentenced to be condemned.

2 Nov 1862 detained at Mangue Grande a Portuguese slave launch, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to the Commission Court at Luanda and sentenced to be condemned.

12 Aug 1863 detained in Lat. 7� 34' S., long. 12� 30' E., a slave brig, Name Unknown, supposed Haidee, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at St. Helena and sentenced to be condemned.

1 Jan to 25 Apr 1864 Irregular or particular service. Medical report : scarlatina onboard : number of Cases of Disease and Injury.

25 Apr 1864 Paid off.

7 Nov. 1864 Devonport. Commissioned for Irregular or particular service.

17 Nov to 31 Dec 1864 Irregular or particular service. Medical report : number of Cases of Disease and Injury.

3 Mar 1866 detained off Aghwey the Portuguese slave barque Dahomey, 276 tons, J.A. Poncica, master, --- Pereira of Aghwey, owner, which was subsequently restored to her owner by the Mixed Commission Court at St. Paul's de Loanda.

17 Sep 1866 detained a slave brigantine, Name Unknown, 153 tons, 40 miles N.W. of Point Padron, apparently with no flag or papers, which was sent to the Vice Admiralty Court at St. Helena for adjudication, and was sold at public auction once it had been broken up.

30 Oct 1866 informed that an attempt had been made by the natives to burn a factory owned by Messrs Hatton and Cookson, and a Portuguese factory owned by Senor Corriera in St. Antonio Creek in the River Congo.

2-4 Nov 1866 Cdr. Peile proceeded in the steam launch of the Bristol up the River Congo as far as Embomma where normal commercial trade appeared to be doing well.

6 Nov 1866 returned to Banana.

9 Nov 1866 informed that the natives had stolen all the goods and much of the planking from the factory owned by Messrs Hatton and Cookson, and burnt the Portuguese factory owned by Senor Corriera, and killed a white man, thought to be the Spaniard Calderon, who was stated to have been a part of the cause of the trouble. In addition the Portuguese schooner of war Napier suffered 13 casualties, which included 5 dead and a steward and a boat's gun captured. Being unable to help returned to Banana.

12 Nov 1866 Banana, River Congo, Cdr. Peile wrote a letter to Commodore G. Phipps Hornby regarding the problems being experienced by Messrs Hatton and Cookson, the Portuguese factory, and the Napier.

Dec 1866 - Jan 1867 having been south, as far as Mossamedes, reports an improvement in legal trade and decline in the slave trade.

21 Mar 1867 at Ambrizette.

28 Jul 1867 accompanied the Investigator as far as the entrance to the River Nun, when she started her expedition for 1867 up the River Niger.

18 Sep 1867 the Commanding Officer of the Espoir has reported to the Commodore that disturbances had taken place at Accra amongst the inhabitants, and that the troops had been employed to quell the unrest.

1869 Converted for use as a dredger.