HMS Hecate (1839)

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Hecate aground in Neah Bay east of Cape Flattery between 15 and 21 August 1861
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Hecate
Ordered12 March 1838[1]
BuilderChatham Dockyard
Cost£27,742[1]
Laid downJune 1838
Launched30 March 1839
Commissioned7 December 1839
FateSold for breaking in 1865
General characteristics [1]
TypeScrew sloop
Tons burthen817 bm
Length165 ft (50.3 m)
Beam32 ft 10 in (10.0 m)
Draught13 ft (4.0 m) (aft)
Depth of hold20 ft (6.1 m)
Installed power240
nhp
Propulsion
  • Iron tubular boilers
  • 2-cylinder side lever steam engine
  • Paddles
Sail planBrig rig
Speed9 knots (17 km/h) (under steam)
Complement135
Armament
  • 2 ×
    8-inch (65cwt) guns
    on pivots fore and aft
  • 2 × 32-pounder (50cwt) guns

HMS Hecate was a 4-gun

sloop launched on 30 March 1839 from the Chatham Dockyard.[2]

Service

She was assigned to the

Mediterranean Station between 1840 and 1843, she participated during the Syrian War of 1840. After a period of being laid in reserve she served as part of the West Africa Squadron off Africa from 1845 until 1858.[2] On 1 January 1856, Hecate sank the American brigantine Chatsworth, which was engaged in the slave trade. Her crew survived.[3][4] Later that month, she ran aground at Lagos. The steamship Puffin was subsequently wrecked during operations to salvage her guns.[5] After being fitted out for survey operations, she was assigned to the Pacific Station in 1860, undertaking surveys along the British Columbia coast. The Hecate Strait, between the British Columbia mainland and the islands of Haida Gwaii, is named for her.[6] Arriving at the Australia Station in 1863, she undertook survey work in Botany Bay, Moreton Bay, the Brisbane River and Torres Strait before leaving the Australia Station in 1864.[7]

Fate

She was paid off and sold to Castle of Charlton for breaking in 1865.[1]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Winfield (2004), p.159.
  2. ^ a b Bastock, p.44.
  3. ^ "Hecate, 1839". P. Benyon. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Liverpool Mercury etc. No. 2785. Liverpool. 11 February 1856.
  5. ^ "The African Mail". The Morning Post. No. 25650. London. 19 March 1856. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Hecate Strait". BC Geographical Names.
  7. ^ "HMS Hecate". Retrieved 6 April 2010.

References