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Royal Navy, "Pax Britannica", 1815-1914

 

QUEEN VICTORIA'S FLEET ON HER ACCESSION: THE STRENGTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE ROYAL NAVY 1837


by Dr Graham Watson, retired from History Dept, Cardiff University

Queen Victoria, painted by George Hayter (believed in Public Domain), and below, HMS Victoria at Portsmouth (Photo Ships, click to enlarge) return to "Pax Britannica", 1815-1914


A Note on Sources



This compilation is based on the Navy List of 20th December 1837 with some additional material from Rif Winfield's 'British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817-1863'.


My thanks to Graham for making this work available. Only representative images have been included.

Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net.






1. INTRODUCTION

The accession of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837 was the last occasion on which a new British monarch inherited a fleet made up almost entirely of ships built of wood and propelled by sails.

The most striking feature of the fleet was not so much its size but how few ships were actually in commission and actively employed.  Only 17 of the 78 ships of the line were in full commission, and only 15 of the 86 frigates were active. Amongst the smaller vessels - corvettes, sloops and brigs there was a majority of ships employed actively - 77 out of 91.  The 24 steam-powered vessels were a small proportion of the total and were best described as minor war vessels at this stage.  The disproportion would have been  greater if these figures included the many ships and frigates relegated to harbour service - these ships are NOT included in the following lists. They were employed as hulks on such duties as depots, barracks, hospitals etc., and had no further wartime role.

Equally striking is the absence of a battle fleet in home waters.  Normally the most obvious and significant indicator of naval power, there was no 'Channel Fleet or Channel Squadron'. Nor was there any grouping of partially-manned ships at the home ports which could provide the means for a speedy mobilisation of the fleet.  Instead, ships were laid up 'In Ordinary' for many years with no masts and rigging, no guns, and no maintenance crews.   A considerable number of these ships had been launched and placed straight into Ordinary with ever being commissioned. The naval bases in the Medway, at Portsmouth, and at Plymouth were full of such vessels.  Only a few large ships were kept in harbour service commissions in each port to provide dignified flagships for the port admirals.

Those ships which were in active service were employed in a variety of overseas stations where their main purpose was to protect British foreign policy and commercial interests.  The principal station was the Mediterranean where the threat of political instability in the area combined with suspicions of French and Russian intentions to provide the need for a substantial fleet at Malta.

A temporary concern was the political turbulence in Spain generated by the Carlist wars which resulted in the stationing of a force at Lisbon, and the distribution of smaller warships around the coast of Spain.

The other stations were the North America and West Indies - described in the 1837 Navy List as 'West Indies, Halifax and Newfoundland'; East Indies [which included China]; South America which included the Pacific; and The Cape of Good Hope and Coast of Africa'.  A small force was based in Australian waters.     

The Admiralty operated a large number of brigs on government mail services - the Packets - these vessels are not included in the following lists as they were not ships of war.

The confidence that the Admiralty and nation placed in the Royal Navy by this distribution can be assessed  by reference to the only two navies which could challenge Britain - France and Russia.


Summary of International Naval Strength 1837

Country Ships of the Line Frigates Steam Vessels
Great Britain

France

Russia

Baltic
Black Sea
78

22


25
12
86

36


16
19
22

24


?
?


Summary of Royal Navy Strength 1837

Type of ship
Active 
Harbour service  In Ordinary Totals
First Rate

Second Rate

Third Rate

Fourth Rate

Fifth Rate

Sixth Rate

Ship-Sloops

Brig-Sloops

Steam Vessels
1

4

12

6

9

18

19

40

15
5

0

0

0

1

0

0

2

3
12

10

34

19

51

6

1

8

6
18

14

46

25

61

24

20

50

22
 
Two tables follow:

List of ships of each type in alphabetical order

Distribution of active ships by station/command




 

2. LIST OF ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS 1837.
    Arranged by Type in Alphabetical Order within each Type


FIRST RATES


HMS Britannia
painted by George Hyde Chambers (Wikipedia)

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
First Rates/120 guns
Britannia
Caledonia
Howe
Nelson
Neptune
Prince Regent
Princess Charlotte
Royal George
St Vincent

First Rates/110
Camperdown
Excellent
Hibernia
Impregnable
San Josef

First Rates/100-104
Ocean
Queen Charlotte
Royal Adelaide
Temeraire
Victory
Windsor Castle

1823
1808
1815
1814
1833
1823
1825
1827
1815


1820
1811
1805
1812
Prize 1801


1805
1810
1828
1799
1765
1790

Portsmouth Flagship
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness Flagship
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Mediterranean Flagship
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary


Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-gunnery training
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-


Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth Flagship
Sheerness
Portsmouth
Plymouth-depot
                                                             


SECOND RATES/90


HMS Ganges at Falmouth
in 1886 (Navy Photos)

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Asia
Bellerophon
Calcutta
Cambridge
Clarence
Formidable
Ganges
Malta
Monarch
Powerful
Rodney
Thunderer
Vanguard
Vengeance
1827
1818
1831
1823
1827
1825
1823
Prize 1800
1823
1826
1835
1834
1836
1824
Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-depot
Sheerness-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Mediterranean
Plymouth-Ordinary
Mediterranean
Plymouth-Ordinary



THIRD RATES/74-80
WI - West Indies


HMS Blenheim in 1825 (Wikipedia)

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Agincourt
Ajax
Armada
Belleisle
Bellona
Benbow
Black Prince
Blenheim
Bombay
Canopus
Carnatic
Cornwallis
Defence
Devonshire
Donegal
Edinburgh
Egmont
Foudroyant
Hastings
Hawke
Hercules
Hogue
Illustrious
Imaum
Implacable
Invincible
Kent
Malabar
Malta
Medway
Melville
Minden
Minotaur
Pembroke
Pitt
Poictiers
Redoubtable
Revenge
Russell
Spartiate
Stirling Castle
Sultan
Talavera
Tremendous
Warspite
Wellesley
Wellington
1817
1809
1810
1819
1812
1813
1822
1813
1808
Prize 1798
1823
1814
1815
1812
Prize 1798
1811
1811
1798
1819
1820
1815
1811
1803
1836
Prize 1805
1808
1798
1819
Prize 1800
1813
1817
1811
1816
1812
1816
1810
1815
1805
1822
Prize 1798
1812
1807
1829
1820
1807
1815
1816
Plymouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
North America& WI Flagship
Sheerness-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Lisbon
Lisbon
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness
Sheerness-Ordinary
Particular Service
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth
Plymouth-depot
Plymouth-Ordinary
Cape of Good Hope
Particular Service
Chatham-Ordinary
Mediterranean
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Mediterranean
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Particular Service
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
East Indies Flagship
Sheerness-Ordinary



FOURTH RATE/50-58
conv - converted

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Alfred
America
Barham
Conquestador
Cornwall
Dublin
Eagle
Endymion
Gloucester
Isis
Java
Jupiter
Lancaster
Portland
President
Southampton
Vernon
Vindictive
Winchester
ex-74 conv 1831
ex-74 conv 1835
ex-74 conv 1826
ex-74 conv 1831
ex-74 conv 1830
ex-74-conv 1831
ex-74 conv 1831
1797
ex-74 conv 1832
1823
1820
1915
1827
1834
1834
1829
1832
ex-74 conv 1833
1829
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Mediterranean
Sheerness -Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
South America-Flagship
Chatham-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Troopship
Plymouth-Ordinary
Mediterranean
South America
Chatham-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary   
East Indies Flagship to UK



FIFTH RATES/FRIGATES


Listed as Amazon, but uncertain -
a reminder of heavy weather sailing (Photo Ships)

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Fifth Rates/46
Aeolus
Africaine
Amazon
Andromeda
Apollo
Blonde
Boadicea
Briton
Brune
Cerberus
Circe
Clyde
Crescent
Daedalus
Diana
Druid
Eurotas
Forth
Fox
Hamadryad
Hebe
Horatio
Hotspur
Latona
Laurel
Leda
Leonidas
Madagascar
Melampus
Mercury
Mermaid
Minerva
Naiad
Nemesis
Nereus
Penelope
Proserpine
Resistance
Seahorse
Seringapatam
Sirius
Stag
Tenedos
Thalia
Thames
Thisbe
Undaunted
Unicorn
Venus

Fifth Rates/42
Amphitrite
Astraea
Belvidera
Blanche
Brilliant
Fisgard
Forte
Havannah
Owen Glendower
Semiramus
Trincomalee

Fifth Rates/36
Castor   
Inconstant
Pique

1825
1828
1821
1829
1805
1824
1797
1812
Prize?
1827
1827
1829
1811
1827
1822
1825
1829
1833
1829
1823
1827
1807
1829
1821
1813
1828
1817
1829
1820
1826
1825
1820
1795
1826
1821
1830
1830
1815
1830
1819
1812
1831
1812
1830
1823
1824
1807
1824
1821


1816
1810
1810
1824
1815
1810
1820
1811
1809
1808
1817


1832
1836
1835

Sheerness-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Troopship
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Troopship
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordianry
Chatham-depot
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
North America & WI
Plymouth-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
North America & WI
Portsmouth-Ordinary
South America
Sheerness-Ordinary
Cape of Good Hope Flagship
Sheerness-tender
Plymouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary


Portsmouth-Ordinary
Falmouth
Portsmouth- Ordinary
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Chatham-Ordinary
Plymouth-depot
Portsmouth-Ordinary


Mediterranean
Plymouth
Portsmouth



SIXTH RATES/FRIGATES/28-26

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Actaeon
Aigle
Alligator
Andromache
Atholl
Carysfort
Cleopatra
Conway
Crocodile
Curacoa
Imogene
Magicienne
North Star
Rainbow
Rattlesnake
Samarang
Sapphire
Semiramis
Talbot
Tribune
Tyne
Vestal
Volage 
1831
ex-5 Rate 1831
1822
1832
1821
1836
1835
1832
1828
ex-5 Rate 1831
1831
ex-5 Rate 1831
1826
1824
1822
ex-5 Rate/42
1824
1825
1824
1823
1837
1825
1826
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Sheerness-Ordinary
Australia
Sheerness
Troopship
Mediterranean
South America
East Indies
North America & WI
Chatham-Ordinary
South America
Lisbon
Particular Service
North America & WI
East Indies
South America
Mediterranean   
Plymouth-depot
Plymouth
Chatham-Ordinary
Mediterranean
North America & WI
East Indies



SHIP SLOOPS/26-18


HMS Wolf (Photo Ships)

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Champion
Childers
Dido
Electra
Favourite
Fly
Harrier
Hazard
Hyacinth
Nimrod
Orestes
Pearl
Pylades
Racehorse
Rose
Rover
Satellite
Scout
Tweed
Wolf
1824
1827
1837
1837
1829
1831
1832
1837
1830
1828
1826
1828
1824
1830
1821
1832
1827
1832
1823
1827
North America & WI
Cape of Good Hope
Mediterranean
South America   
East Indies
South America
South America
Mediterranean
East Indies
North America & WI
Mediterranean
North America & WI
Cape of Good Hope
North America & WI
Sheerness-Ordinary
South America
North America & WI
Cape of Good Hope
Particular Service
East Indies



BRIG SLOOPS
[excluding Packets] 


HMS Beagle, the famous ship that carried Darwin around the world.
1841 watercolour by Capt Owen Stanley of HMS Britomart (Photo Ships)

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Algerine
Beagle
Bonetta
Briseis
Brisk
Britomart
Buzzard
Cameleon
Charybdis
Clio
Columbine
Cruiser
Curlew
Dolphin
Fairy
Falcon
Forester
Gannet
Griffon
Harlequin
Harpy
Icarus
Jaseur
Lynx
Musquito
Nautilus
Pandora
Pantaloon
Partridge
Pelican
Pelorus
Racer
Raleigh
Rapid
Ringdove
Rolla
Sappho
Saracen
Savage
Scylla
Serpent
Snake
Sparrowhawk
Termagent
Trinculo
Victor
Wanderer
Wasp
Waterwitch
Weazle
Wizard
Wolverine
Zebra
1828
1818
1836
1828
1819
1824
1834
1816
1831
1807
1826
1828
1830
1836
1826
1823
1832
1815
1832
1836
1825
1815
1813
1833
1827
1830
1833
1832
1836
1812
1808
1833
1807
1828
1833
1829
1837
1834
1831
1809
1832
1832
1807
1824
1809
1814
1835
1812
1834
1824
1837
1830
1816
East Indies
Australia-survey
Cape of Good Hope
Falmouth
Cape of Good Hope
Australia
Cape of Good Hope
Lisbon
Chatham
Mediterranean
Chatham   
Chatham   
Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good hope
Woolwich-survey
Sheerness-Ordinary
Cape of Good Hope
Sheerness-Ordinary
North America & WI
Mediterranean
North America & WI
Plymouth-Ordinary
Plymouth-Ordinary
Cape of Good Hope
Plymouth-Ordinary
Portsmouth
Falmouth
Tender to Royal Yacht
Portsmouth
Cape of Good Hope
East Indies
North America & WI
East Indies
Mediterranean
North America & WI
Plymouth-Ordinary
North America & WI
Cape of Good Hope
Particular Service
Lisbon
North America & West Indies
North America & West Indies
South America
Portsmouth-Ordinary
Lisbon
East Indies
North America & West Indies
Mediterranean
Cape of Good hope
Plymouth-Ordinary
South America
Mediterranean
East Indies



PADDLE STEAMERS

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
African
Alban
Carron
Columbia
Comet
Confiance
Echo
Lightning
Meteor
1826
1827
1827
1830
1822
1827
1827
1823
1824
Irish Coast-survey
West Indies
West Indies
Woolwich-Ordinary
Particular Service
Mediterranean
North America & West Indies
Woolwich
Falmouth



PADDLE GUNBOATS

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Blazer
Firebrand
Firefly
Flamer
Pluto
Spitfire
Tartarus
1835
1831
1833
1832
1831
1831
1834
Mediterranean
Woolwich
Mediterranean
North America & WI
Weymouth-Ordinary
Mediterranean
Woolwich



PADDLE SLOOPS

Type & name Date of completion  
Location
Dee
Hermes
Medea
Messenger
Phoenix
Rhadamanthus
Salamander
Volcano
1832
1835
1834
1830
1834
1832
1833
1837
Woolwich
Woolwich-Ordinary
Woolwich
Woolwich-Transport
Particular Service
Mediterranean
Lisbon
Mediterranean







3. DISTRIBUTION OF COMMISSIONED  WARSHIPS BY COMMAND/STATION

Note:  There are some differences between the Navy List and Rif Winfield. The former uses the term 'Particular Service' and the latter identifies that service. I have used Rif Winfield as my guide when such differences occur. Sometimes the Navy List identifies ships at home ports, and Winfield indicates that they are preparing for service on a particular station. Again, I have been guided by Rif Winfield.


MEDITERRANEAN
[F] - flagship

Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs Steam Vessels
Princess Charlotte [F]
Asia
Bellerophon
Rodney
Vanguard
Pembroke
Russell
Barham
Portland
Castor
Carysfort
Sappho
Talbot [in  UK]
Tyne
Dido
Hazard
Orestes
Clio
Harlequin
Rapid
Wasp
Wolverine
Confiance
Blazer
Firefly
Spitfire
Rhadamanthus
Volcano


LISBON STATION & COAST OF SPAIN

Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
Donegal
Edinburgh
Hastings [in UK]
Malabar [to UK]
Minden
Talavera
Inconstant
Magicienne

Tweed
Cameleon
Scylla
Trinculo
Savage [Spain]
Salamander
Comet [Spain]
Phoenix [Spain]


NORTH AMERICA & WEST INDIES

Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
Cornwallis [F] Madagascar
Seringaptam
Pique
Crocodile
Rainbow
Vestal
Champion
Nimrod
Pearl
Racehorse
Satellite
Cruiser
Griffon
Harpy
Racer
Ringdove
Sappho
Serpent
Snake
Wanderer
Echo
Flamer
Alban [West Indies]
Carron [West Indies]



SOUTH AMERICA
[listed as Pacific in Navy List]

Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
- Dublin [F]
President
Stag
Cleopatra
Imogene
North Star
Samarang
Electra
Fly
Harrier
Rover
Sparrowhawk
Wizard
-


CAPE OF GOOD HOPE AND COAST OF AFRICA

Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
Melville Thalia [F] Childers
Pylades
Scout
Bonetta
Brisk
Buzzard
Charybdis [in UK
Columbine [West Africa]
Curlew
Dolphin
Forester
Lynx
Partridge [for W Africa]
Pelican
Saracen
Waterwitch
-


EAST INDIES [including China]

Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
Wellesley [F] Winchester [F. to UK]
Andromeda [to UK]
Conway
Rattlesnake
Volage
Favorite
Hyacinth
Wolf
Algerine
Pelorus
Raleigh
Victor
Zebra
-


AUSTRALIA


Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
- Alligator Beagle
Britomart
-


TROOPING DUTIES


Ships of the Line Frigates Sloops and Brigs
Steam Vessels
Hercules Jupiter
Apollo
Brune
Atholl
- -


HARBOUR SERVICE AS FLAGSHIPS AND TRAINING SHIPS
[tg] - training

Nore/Sheerness Portsmouth Plymouth
Howe [F] Britannia [F]
Excellent [gunnery tg]
Royal Adelaide [F]
San Josef [gunnery tg]
 

 

revised 19/9/15