The Phoebe is somewhat larger in point of tonnage than the other ships forming the Squadron. She is a most sightly-looking vessel, built originally to carry 50 guns, but her armament has been modernised, and she is now supplied with 64-pounders, muzzle-loading, and in the Service designated rifle shunt-guns; these are carried on the upper deck. On the main deck are place four 6 � tons rifled guns, muzzle-loading, and twenty 8-inch 65 cwt. guns, 9 feet long.

She has Napier and Co�s air pump trunk engines of 500 horse-power nominal, working up to 1700 horse power. Her screw is Griffiths' patent two-bladed and her bunkers will carry 340 tons of coal. The Phoebe, built at Devonport, in 1854, was designated for a sailing vessel, but subsequently converted into a steamer.

She has had two commissions; the first in 1862 on the Mediterranean station, from whence Captain Rolland brought her home, and paid her off in April, 1866. She was again placed under commission in May, 1867, remaining in the Channel till September of that year. In that interval she took her part in the grand review at Spithead in honour of the visits to England of the Sultan of Turkey and the Viceroy of Egypt. After that, she started to the North American and West Indian stations. She visited the Windward Islands, remaining there till April, 1869, when she sailed for Bermuda, and thence to Halifax, where she found orders to proceed to Bahia and await the arrival of the Flying Squadron.

Her gallant commander, Captain John Bythesea, wears the Victoria Cross, presented for peculiar service performed by him when Lieutenant in the Arrogant man-of-war, in the Baltic squadron, and engaged in operations at Bomarsund during the Russian war in 1854. Bomarsund is one the Aland Islands in the Baltic and mails used to come from Russia and be carried from island to island with a guard. Captain, then Lieutenant Bythesea picked up a fisherman who told him that communication was kept up between a Russian fortress and the enemy at head-quarters, mails passing between them once or twice a week. On hearing this, the officer went to his commander, Captain (now Admiral) Yelverton, and asked permission to land and stop the communication. It was granted, and Lieutenant Bythesea, taking two men with him, placed himself under the guidance of the fisherman, and succeeded in his gallant achievement of capturing important despatches as to receive his present decoration.

The following is a correct list of her officers:- Captain John Bythesea: commander, William G. Annersley; lieutenants, Francis S. Clayton, Lawrence G. A. Roberts, John H. E. Parker, Robert W. Foster, Reginald F. H. Henderson; navigating lieutenant, John A. R. Petch; lieutenant of marines, James H. Price; chaplain, Rev. Andrew C. Risk; staff surgeon, John Ward; paymaster, Charles A. Shapcote; naval instructor, William W. Lane, B.A.; chief engineer, Robert J. Wilson; sub-lieutenants, James O. Burgess (acting), and Charles J. Reddie (acting); navigating sub-lieutenants, Arthur Martin; assistant surgeons, Duncan McN Johnston, M.D., and Frederick McClement, M.D.; assistant paymasters, Hugh B. Edwards, John D. Taylor, Harry W. Winty; engineers, J. Hindley, George A. Paterson, William F. Cole; assistant engineers, Edward Norrington, Henry Laughrin, George Swinney; midshipmen, Messrs Richmond, Grey, Cresswell, Napier, Dobrec, Broughton, Lindesay, Marx, Elliot, Henderson, Tyacke, Galloway, Beresford, Walker, Crozier, Scott, Brett, Boscawen, Wingfield, Belan, Dicken, Grove, Court, Bennett, and 524 seamen and marines.