The Liffey was built at Devonport in 1855, shortly before the termination of the Crimea War, and we believe is the first of Her Majesty's ships built for a steamer.

She carries 30 guns, of which there are six 64 pounders on the upper deck, all rifled and muzzle loading. Those on the main deck consisting of four 7-inch 6 � ton guns, muzzle loading and rifled, and twenty 8 inch smooth bore breech loaders. She has also two 12-pounder and one 9-pounder boat guns, and one 12-pounder field-piece, all Armstrongs. There is also an old fashioned brass gun, for practice at short ranges; bearing the date 1796, which doubtless has been in many a hard-fought battle; it appears a pet of the blue jackets, probably from its very great antiquity.

The engines of the Liffey are of 600 horse power, working up to 1500, and were manufactured by Messrs. J. Penn and Son, and are known as Penn's trunk engines, and are reputed to be of a superior quality, and to have fittings not usually applied, one of which is a valve by which in case of damage by shot, the steam can be cut off from either side in a moment. This vessel is also fitted with a Griffiths' propellor, two bladed, 18 feet diameter and 26 foot 6 inches pitch.

The following are the names of the officers: Captain Robert W. Gibson; commander; George W. Carter; acting commander R. H. C. Lawson; lieutenants, Robert B. Moutray, Francis Hayter, the Hon. Walter A Jolliffe, George S. Parker and Alexander Cook; navigating lieutenant, Charles Prickett; captain marines, Samuel T. Collins; lieutenant marines, George A. E. Gore; chaplain and naval instructor, Rev. Richard Croker, M.A.; surgeon, William G. Hill; paymaster, Herbert H. Gain; chief engineer, Charles Cotton; sub lieutenants, Charles W. Herbert, Henry A. Baring, and William H. May (supernumerary); navigating sub lieutenant, William H. Turner; assistant surgeon, George H. Madeley and William H. Goode (acting); assistant paymasters, Edgecumbe R. Rimell, John P. Pierce; engineers, W.H. Lowman, Thomas Kitto, Alexander Wilson; midshipmen, Messrs. Hotham, McCausland, Winsloe, Oldham, Bennett, May, Laing, Sparkes, Jackson, Hood, Smith, Protheroe, Bampton, Egerton, Kempe, Freeman, Price, Bray, Thorold, Newland, Railt, Edridge; clerk, Mr W. B. Clark. The crew consists of 472 seamen and marines.

The Liffey has been commissioned thrice - the first she went to the Mediterranean; second, on the Mediterranean and West Indies stations; third on the home station. Her first service under it was to spend six months on the coast of Ireland. That over, she returned to England, and was fitted for a special expedition to the Baltic, to carry Sir Charles Wyke, K.C.B., her majesty's plenipotentiary at the court of Denmark to Copenhagen. From Copenhagen she went on to Cronstadt. After the Liffey returned to England she was employed as guard of honour to the Queen at Cowes. On September 30, 1868 she left England under orders for Colon, Panama, with 170 supernumeraries for the Pacific station. She went on to Jamaica and thence to Bermuda, where she found her orders to return to England. In January, 1869, she arrived at Plymouth and was sent with supernumeraries to the Channel Fleet, in the Tagus. On her return she joined the Flying Squadron.