Scourge, 1844
Type: 1st class sloop ; Armament 6
Launched : 9 Nov 1844 ; Disposal date or year : 1865
BM: 1124 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Machinery notes: 420
Notes:

Mar 1841 has been ordered to be built at Portsmouth.

4 Dec 1841 Portsmouth, her frames are in the course of preparation.

Jan, 1846, Scourge, first-class steam sloop, fitting for sea, at Millwall.

18 Apr 1846 Portsmouth. Gunnery trials. See article below.

1846 The Experimental Squadron Portsmouth, Thursday. April 23 Scourge, steamer, Commander Caffin, - Sir W. Symonds constructor, 2 guns, 1124 tons, 320 horse power.

July 1846 The Squadron of Evolution at Cove. Summer Cruise. See below.

14 July, 1846.Evolutions for the Squadron of Evolutions See St. Vincent for the full extract from the Cork Cork Examiner

Mar 1847 Involved in recovery of steam sloop Sphynx. See below.

20 Dec 1848 North America & West Indies.

30 Aug 1851 Mediterranean

6 Mar 1852 It is reported in Sydney that the Scourge, Captain Kerr, had re-discovered the "Isolo Giulina," a volcanic island which appeared in 1831 between Pantellaria and Sicily and grew to a height of 120 feet, and then disappeared. It would now appear to be about 10 feet below the surface and has been buoyed. Journal des Debats.

27 Jul 1854 at Ascension.

8 Nov 1854 Accra Roads.

27 Nov 1854 departed Lagos for Palma, arriving the same evening.

4 Dec 1854 at Fernando Po. It is reported to the Secretary of the Admiralty that ex-King Pepple, of the Bonny, continues to be a problem and it is suggested that he might be sent to Ascension in the Pluto until somewhere more suitable can be found. This is said in the light of the fact that his last escapade, albeit a minor one, stopped trade on the River Bonny for 96 days.

3 Feb 1855 at Fernando Po.

26 Mar 1856 Plymouth. Notified by the Postmaster-General to leave early next month for the West Coast of Africa with a mail.

17 Feb 1857 off Lagos, reporting on the improved state of the slave trade on the coast, but advising that the African Chiefs need to be reminded of the obligations they agreed to when they signed treaties with the British. However, slavery ashore often being considered acceptable amongst the ruling classes, it will be difficult to change minds in the short term.

16 Mar 1857 at the island of St. Thomas.

1 Apr 1857 off Lagos.

18 Apr 1857 off Loanda.

1 May 1857 off Cabinda.

14 May 1857 off Loanda.

15 Oct 1857 the Scourge, with the Alecto in company, detained off Kilongo, a short distance to the north of the River Congo, the slave schooner Lewis McLane, W. H. Hinckley, master, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone, and on 26 Nov 1857 sentenced to be forfeited.

1860 Mediterranean

13 Feb 1861 salvage services rendered to the W. Cory.

18 April 1846 The Scourge steam sloop. (From the Naval and Military Gazette, November 16 [1845]) The Scourge, steamer sloop, was taken out on Tuesday morning to the back of the Isle of Wight, by Commodore Chads, of the Excellent, for the purpose of trying the effects of firing the mortar and long pivot gun with which she has been fitted. Some idea may be formed of the dead weight on board this vessel from the following facts:- The mortar (a 13 inch) weighs 100 cwt. 3 qrs. 2 lbs. ; its bed 81 cwt The supporters of the mortar from the keel consist of eighteen perpendicular "uprights," and four diagonal, of African oak, weighing together five tons. The pivot gun is a 56-pounder, ten feet long, weighing 86 cwt. She went out with 100 tons of coals on board; she appeared to swim considerably by the stern as she went out of harbour, but her full speed was ascertained to be 12� miles per hour.

Two rounds were fired from the mortar with a charge of 5 lbs. of powder, two rounds following the first with 8 lbs. powder, two rounds with 10 lbs. of powder, one round with 15 lbs. of powder, and seven with 20 lbs. of powder. On examining the machinery after each discharge, it was found to have sustained no damage whatever ; indeed, scarcely any concussion was felt until the 20 lb. charges were fired. The funnels were a little shaken, which was the only perceptible effect produced on the vessel. The day was very unfavourable for ascertaining the result of such an experiment, being very foggy, wet, and thick, consequently the range of the shells could not be ascertained. The "keel" of the vessel at the last two rounds, when firing abeam, was two feet; and when firing right astern, the vessel came down by the stern eight inches. Her shell room will contain 390 shells of 200 lbs. each of thirteen inches diameter. She is of 1124 tons burthen, and 420 horse-power. The long 56 was not fired. The experiments were superintended by Captain Chads, of the Excellent ; Captain Stevens, Royal Marine Artillery ; and Commodore Coffin, late of the Excellent. The opinion of the above officers was unanimous with regard to the entire success of the experiment.

Second Trial.- On Thursday, the Scourge again proceeded to the eastward of the Wight, under the able superintendence of Captain Chads, accompanied by nearly the same officers and seamen gunners from the Excellent, gunnery ship, as on the previous occasion. Mr. Taplin, the principal engineer and mechanist of the Portsmouth dockyard, was also on board, and was in the engine room of the Scourge to observe the effect of the concussion on the machinery ; he was also on board her during the practice of Tuesday last. The practice of Thursday has been even more satisfactory and conclusive than that of Tuesday, inasmuch that no less than twelve consecutive 13-inch shells, with the 20-pound charge of powder, were fired in the short space of twenty-three minutes, whereby the mortar must have attained a high degree of heat, at which time the concussion and the shock accompanying the discharge would be at its greater power. The Scourge was also under full steam during this time; the shocks were considerable, but none of the machinery was in the smallest degree misplaced ; the paddle-wheels did not even stop an instant nor was the hydrometer of the engine, which is a most sensative (sic) instrument, affected: the vessel received no damage, nor was anything disarranged, except the shaking of two or three thin bulkheads, and the stopping of a watch in one of the officer's pockets. Captain Chads then proceeded to try the 16 feet 56-pounder pivot gun of 87 cwt. Two boats were moored in a line, some distance apart, and the Scourge taking up a position about two miles from them, proceeded to fire at the nearest; the greatest charge for long range was used, being 14 lb. of powder ; forty shots were fired, and the gun was found to answer admirably The recoil was so slight that the breeching was scarcely on the stretch. No shot struck the boats, but the direction and pitch of the shot were admirable. The Scourge returned to Portsmouth harbour about six o'clock in the evening, and was taken alongside the yard yesterday morning to be cleared out and thoroughly examined.

July 1846 The Squadron of Evolution at Cove. Summer Cruise. With respect to the movements of the squadron we are informed, that they are under orders to proceed again to sea after a delay of three days to water - that they will cruise towards Bantry, and anchor for some time in that splendid bay, where, as we are informed, it is intended that the crews and marines shall be landed and exercised in warlike tactics, landing at night, and such like evolutions, the object of the present trials being to exercise the crews and manoeuvre them in naval operations. See St. Vincent for the full extract from the Cork Southern Reporter.

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.