Myrmidon, 1845
Type: Steam vessel ; Armament 3
Launched : 1 Feb 1845 ; Disposal date or year : 1858
BM: 374 tons ; Displacement: 505 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Machinery notes: 150
Notes:

14 Jul 1846 with the Squadron of Evolutions.

20 Dec 1848 Woolwich.

30 Aug 1851 Coast of Africa.

May 1853 on arrival at Loango it was reported that the King had instructed the population under his control not to supply ships of war with victuals, which suggests that the King wasn't best pleased with the Navy's interference with a re-emerging profitable slave trade now that so many RN vessels appear to have been withdrawn by the Admiralty in the light of a growing pressure on the Admiralty to reduce the size and growing cost of the force used against the slave trade the war against the Russians.

31 May 1853 at 9.15 a.m., Banda port bearing ENE 7 miles, sighted a schooner who, at about 11 o'clock eventually saw the Myrmidon lying under the land in the haze, and stood away free, albeit the wind being light. Having previously raised steam went in chase and by about 3.30 p.m. was in a position to fire a blank charge to bring the vessel to, for inspection. On being boarded it was found that the vessel was without colours and papers, had her slave deck laid and was ready to embark a cargo of slaves, and detained the vessel in Lat. 4� 12' S., long. 10� 19' E., off Banda Point. She was understood to be the slave schooner Maria, Juan Diaz, master, a Spaniard, recently completed at Baltimore, and 74 days from Cuba, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at St. Helena, and on 19 Jul 1853 sentenced to be condemned and ordered to be broken up.

3 Jun 1853 off Killoo.

19 - 22 Nov 1853 visited the River Benin with Mr. Consul Beecroft, making an official tour, and took details of trade and its importance in the region, along with topographical notes, and whether the slave trade continues etc.

26 - 28 Nov 1853 continued the tour by Mr. Beecroft to the River Bento, aka St. John.

30 Nov - 3 Dec 1853 continued the tour by Mr. Beecroft to the Rivers Bonny and New Calabar.

10-12 Dec 1853 continued the tour by Mr. Beecroft to the Old Calabar River.

14-20 Dec 1853 continued the tour by Mr. Beecroft to the Cameroons River.

27 Dec 1853 at Fernando Po where the commanding officer, Lieutenant W. Kynaston Jolliffe has produced a report for Rear Admiral Bruce following the official tour by Mr. Consul Beecroft.

19 May 1856 detained at Tintimah, Rio Pongas, a slave schooner, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone, and on 3 Feb 1857 sentenced to be forfeited, per 2 & 3 Vict., cap. 37.

14 Jul 1857 Boarded in lat. 2� 16' S. long. 7� 46' E., the schooner Onward, of Boston, Seymour, Master, under American colours, bound from Corisco to Congo. Was, according to the boarding officer, in every way equipped for the slave trade.

5 Aug 1857 detained in lat. 5� 32' S. Long. 10� 16' E. a slave schooner, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone, and on 2 Sep 1857 sentenced to be forfeited.

24 Sep 1857 started cruizing off Snake's Head and in the River Congo.

3 Oct 1857 to the SE of Snake's Head sighted a vessel under the land and chased and boarded her. She eventually hoisted American colours and turned out to be the Braman, from New York, bound for Juma Bay. The Commanding Officer of the Myrmidon noted in his Report of Proceedings that the Braman was most suspicious, but since she was flying the American flag could not, without very good cause, be inspected without causing a major diplomatic incident.

4 Oct 1857 detained a slave brig, Name Unknown, in Lat. 6� 50' 8. 12� 5' E., off Cabeca de Cobra, with the slave deck laid, no colours flying and no papers, and her master declined to state his name : the brig was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone, and on 2 Nov 1857 was sentenced to be forfeited.

6 Oct 1857 was in communication at Lat. 7� 6' S., with the Vesuvius, the Commodore's ship, who instructed the Myrmidon to sail to Loanda to replenish her non-existent coal stocks, and to rejoin the commodore's ship as soon as possible between Lat. 6� 40' and 7� S., where he was going to cruize about 6 miles off-shore. The prize taken on the 4th was sent to Sierra Leone under a prize crew.

Circa Feb 1858 has boarded the American Anne Mary, of Salem ; the American barque John Gilpin, of Boston ; the Portuguese schooners Isabel, and Boa Vista, both of Loanda, all apparently honest traders. The Merchant on the South Coast is noted as being the only undoubted slaver on this coast.

4 Jul 1858 Fernando Po, vessel found to be unfit and was sold, and crew sent home by first opportunity.

July 1846 At daybreak on Thursday, morning the Raleigh, 50 guns, commanded by Sir Thomas Herbert, entered the harbour [Cork, S Ireland], and fired, with beautiful precision, a salvo of eleven guns, to salute the flag of Admiral Sir Hugh Pigott, which was hoisted on board the Myrmidon, steamer, a craft by no means entitled to such a distinction ; but obtaining it, to use an Irish phrase, " for want of a better." The arrival of this beautiful frigate, built from the design of Mr. Fincham, master shipwright at Devonport and generally admitted to be, next the Vernon, the handsomest and fastest in the British navy, was considered the harbinger of all the others ; and so it proved, for at half-past three a large ship, with all canvass set, was seen at the harbour's mouth, and nearing the anchorage. She was signalled to be the St. Vincent, 120 guns, bearing the flag of Commodore Sir Francis Collier, in command of the fleet. Within the next two hours the other ships of the squadron had arrived, presenting such a beautiful and attractive sight as was scarcely ever witnessed in Cove before - the light winds which prevailed requiring every inch of their snowy canvass to be set, as they glided gracefully over the tranquil waters, and took up a position in line along what is called the Man-of-War Roads - the steamers lying closer in shore, and in the channel between Haulbowline and the Columbine Quay. The following is a correct enumeration of the vessels now in the harbour forming the " Squadron of Evolution" : Cork Southern Reporter See St. Vincent for the full extract from the Cork Southern Reporter.