HMS Endymion (1865)
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HMS ''Endymion'' was a 21-gun ''Ister''-class wooden
screw frigate Steam frigates (including screw frigates) and the smaller steam corvettes, steam sloops, steam gunboats and steam schooners, were steam-powered warships that were not meant to stand in the line of battle. The first such ships were paddle stea ...
, the third of four ships of this name to serve in the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
. She was the last wooden frigate built at
Deptford Dockyard Deptford Dockyard was an important Royal Navy Dockyard, naval dockyard and base at Deptford on the River Thames, operated by the Royal Navy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It built and maintained warships for 350 years, and man ...
. She was commissioned in 1866 and spent much of her service based at
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. In 1869–70 she sailed around the world as part of a Flying Squadron. She remained in front-line service until 1874. ''Endymion'' then served as a guard ship at
Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * The hull of an armored fighting vehicle, housing the chassis * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a sea-going craft * Submarine hull Ma ...
,
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until 1879, latterly with her boilers condemned as unfit for service. A plan to use her as a
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
at
Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-o ...
,
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
from 1875 was abandoned due to the loss of . During her time at Hull, crew from ''Endymion'' assisted the local police in fighting a number of fires in buildings and timber yards. ''Emdymion'' was lent to the Metropolitan Asylums Board in 1881 for use as an administration and
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating healthcare, medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navy, navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or ...
, initially at
Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...
,
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
and later at
Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...
. She was sold out of service in 1885, and served as an administration ship until 1904. ''Endymion'' was sold in December 1904 and broken up in 1905.


Description

''Endymion'' was long, with a beam of , and a draught of . She was designed with a beam of and a burthen of 2,478 tons BOM and displaced 3,197 tons. She was to be fitted with 36 guns and had a complement of 450. Propulsion was by a
steam engine A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...
of 500
nominal horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are th ...
, which was built by
Napier & Son D. Napier & Son Limited was a British engineering company best known for its luxury motor cars in the Edwardian era and for its aero engines throughout the early to mid-20th century. Napier was founded as a precision engineering company in 1 ...
s,
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
. The engine drove a single screw propeller of diameter and pitch. The propeller was long, and the tips of the blades were beneath the surface of the water. She was also rigged as a
full-rigged ship A full-rigged ship or fully rigged ship is a sailing ship, sailing vessel with a sail plan of three or more mast (sailing), masts, all of them square rig, square-rigged. Such a vessel is said to have a ship rig or be ship-rigged, with each mas ...
.


Construction

''Endymion'' was the last wooden frigate built at
Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century ...
. Her keel was laid down on 20 October 1860. She was built on the same slip that had been vacated by the launch of . On 1 February 1862, construction of ''Endymion'' was suspended on the orders of the
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Tra ...
, although the Admiralty later decided that she would be completed. Construction restarted on 7 February 1864. Her engines and boilers were transported from Deptford to
Sheerness Sheerness () is a port town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 13,249, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby ...
in October 1865 on board HMS ''Dee'' and HMS ''Monkey''. She was launched on 18 November 1865, in front of a crowd of 10,000 people. She was then towed by the steamships ''Locust'', ''Monkey'' and ''Widgeon'' to
Woolwich Woolwich () is a town in South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was mainta ...
, where they awaited for the tide before ''Endymion'' was towed to Sheerness for completion. Endymion was launched by Miss Ffrench, the daughter of Major Ffrench of the
74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot The 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised in 1787. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot to form the Highland Light Infantry in 1881. History Formation ...
. A crowd of 40,000 people was present. By January 1866, ''Endymion'' was ready to have her lower masts fitted, following which her bottom was to be coppered. She was designed to take 36 (later 30) guns, which were intended to comprise twenty-two 32-pounder smooth-bore and eight 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns. However she was completed with four 100-pounder, rifled muzzle-loading guns (weight 125  Cwt/6,350 kg each), fourteen 8-inch guns (65 Cwt/3,302 kg each), located on the maindeck; and nine 110-pounder breech-loading guns (82 Cwt/6,166 kg each) located on the upper deck. In August, it was reported that ''Endymion'' was then being fitted with three 110-pounder Armstrongs guns, four 6½-ton/100-pounder and fourteen 8-inch guns.


History


Front-line service

''Endymion'' was commissioned at Sheerness on 27 September 1866, under the command of Captain Charles Wake, who had previously commanded . Sea trials were undertaken on 19 and 20 October. On the latter date, speed was assessed over a measured mile at the
Maplin Sands The Maplin Sands are mudflats on the northern bank of the Thames estuary, off Foulness Island, near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, though they actually lie within the neighbouring borough of Rochford. They form a part of the Essex Estuaries S ...
. On the first three runs, an average speed of was recorded, but one of the bearings in the engine was found to be running hot. Three more runs were made, giving an average speed over the first six runs of . Six more runs were made at half-power, giving an average of . ''Endymion'' departed from
Spithead Spithead is an eastern area of the Solent and a roadstead for vessels off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds except those from the southeast, with the Isle of Wight lying to the south-west. Spithead and the ch ...
for the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
on 28 October, arriving at
Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
on 10 November. She sailed eastward, arriving at
Valletta Valletta ( ; , ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 Local councils of Malta, council areas. Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital ...
,
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
on 19 November. She remained at Malta until 27 December, when she departed for
target practice Target practice is a key part of both military training and shooting sports. It involves exercises where people shoot weapons at specific targets. The main goal is to improve the shooter's accuracy and skill with firearms. Through repeated pra ...
, returning on 29 December. ''Endymion'' departed on 2 January 1867 for Beyrout,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
, taking supplies for . She had arrived at
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
, Egypt by 20 January. On 25 February, one of her carpenters was
court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...
led on board for drunkenness. He was found guilty and dismissed from the ship, being returned to the United Kingdom on board . ''Endymion'' arrived off the Syrian coast on 19 April. She returned to Malta on 29 July. On 22 August, the Mediterranean Squadron, comprising , , , HMS ''Endymion'', and and under the command of Lord Clarence Paget, departed from
Spezia La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguri ...
, Italy. The squadron arrived at
Bastia Bastia ( , , , ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, department of Haute-Corse, Corsica, France. It is located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It also has the second-highest popu ...
,
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
from Villafranca Tirenna,
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on 9 September. On 9 October, was in difficulties off Avenza, Italy in a gale. ''Arethusa'' and ''Endymion'' were despatched under steam to her aid. During the rescue, one of ''Endymions'' guns was dislodged from its mountings and ended up in a messroom. A sailor was washed overboard, but was rescued. ''Arethusa'' towed ''Cruiser'' to Spezia. On 29 October, she departed from Malta for
Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...
, Italy to collect a 16-year-old Japanese prince, orders having been received to sail immediately after arrival at Malta, once refuelling and victualling had been performed. This was instead of undergoing repairs. She returned to Malta on 7 November. ''Endymion'' departed for
Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
on 11 November with the prince on board. During the voyage to Marseille, her engines broke down, causing damage to the engine's air pump, cylinders, pistons and trunk. She was ordered back to Malta for repairs, arriving on 22 November. On 27 November, her assistant-paymaster was court-martialled on board HMS ''Hibernia'' for being absent without leave. He was found guilty, losing a year's seniority and being dismissed from the ship. On 30 January 1868, ''Endymion'' was caught by a squall whilst taking up her berth in Valletta Harbour. She collided with the Turkish
ironclad An ironclad was a steam engine, steam-propelled warship protected by iron armour, steel or iron armor constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or ince ...
''Mahmoudiah'', taking away her bowsprit and then colliding with , damaging some boats and an accommodation ladder. ''Endymion'' was reported to be undamaged. On 18 March, and ''Endymion'' departed for
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, Italy, ''Endymion'' was carrying
Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
Kellett, who was going on leave to recuperate. The voyage was also to test her engines, which had taken four months to repair. She returned to Malta on 4 April. ''Endymion'' sailed on 26 May for Beyrout, in company with ''Lord Warden''. She returned via
Piraeus Piraeus ( ; ; , Ancient: , Katharevousa: ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens city centre along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf in the Ath ...
, Greece, arriving on 14 June. On 17 June, a first-class engineer from ''Endymion'' was court-martialled on board HMS ''Hibernia'' for drunkenness. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to be dismissed from Her Majesty's Service. On 1 July, and ''Endymion'' departed Malta for
Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...
and
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
, Italy. She departed from Venice on 27 July for
Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...
. She arrived at Malta on 18 September. On 26 September, ''Endymion'' departed from Malta in company with ''Chiltern'', ''Newport'' and ''Scanderia'', which were laying a new submarine cable between Malta and Alexandria, which was reached on 6 October. She then sailed to
Brindisi Brindisi ( ; ) is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the city has played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position ...
, Italy to collect Lord Napier of Magdala, arriving on 15 November. ''Endymion'' was the first British frigate to enter Brindisi Harbour. She sailed for Alexandria on 19  November, arriving on 24 November. She then sailed to Malta, arriving on 6 December. She was then
dry dock A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
ed to enable her bottom to be cleaned. ''Endymion'' left the dry dock on 7 January 1869. On 26 January, a sub-lieutenant serving on board was court-martialled on board HMS ''Hibernia'' for false accounting in connection with the gun-room wine accounts whilst serving on board ''Endymion'' during 1867. He was further charged with destroying part of the issue-book relating to the wine accounts. The first charge was found to be partly proved, whilst he was found not guilty on the second charge. He was sentenced to be dismissed from Her Majesty's Service. She sailed from Malta on 27 January in the company of bound for
Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
. She was reported to be at Cadiz, Spain on 11 February, and at Gibraltar a month later. She departed on 22 March for
Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...
, Spain, where she arrived on 3 April. She then received orders to sail to England to join the Flying Squadron. ''Endymion'' sailed to Spithead via
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, Portugal, arriving on 1 May. On 21 May 1869, Edward Lacy took command of ''Endymion''. She sailed on 10 June for
Plymouth Sound Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a deep inlet or sound in the English Channel near Plymouth in England. Description Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point in Devon, a distance of abo ...
. ''Endymion'' was to join a Flying Squadron which was to sail around the world. The other ships were , , and . was to join the squadron at
Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...
, Brazil once her repairs had been completed. ''Scylla'' was the fastest, and ''Endymion'' was the slowest of the six ships. ''Barossa'' caught up with the squadron by the time
Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...
was reached on 1 July. The squadron departed for Bahia the next day. On 9 July, a race under sail was held between the six ships. ''Endymion'' was sixth and last, behind ''Barossa'', which was 24½
cables Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a he ...
(4.54 km) ahead. The squadron departed from Bahia on 4 August, minus ''Bristol'', which returned to Plymouth. The squadron then sailed to
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, Argentina, departing on 26 July for
Montevideo Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
, Uruguay, where the squadron arrived on 6 August. During the voyage from Rio de Janeiro, a fatal case of yellow fever was reported on board one of the ships. The squadron departed on 11 September for The Cape, where it arrived on 4 October. ''Bristol'' rejoined the squadron there. The squadron departed from
Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
on 16 October bound for
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
,
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...
. On 9 November, the squadron was caught in a storm and scattered, with all ships sustaining some damage to their rigging and sails. The squadron reached Melbourne on 26 November, anchoring in the mouth of the Yarra Yarra River at Williamstwon. The citizens of Melbourne gave the squadron an enthusiastic welcome. It sailed for
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
on 7 December, arriving on 12 December. On 29 December, the squadron sailed for
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
,
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
. On 2 January 1870, the Flying Squadron arrived at Hobart. It sailed on 10 January for New Zealand. Arrival at
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
was on 2 February, with the squadron departing six days later for Japan. On 6 April, the squadron arrived at
Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
, departing on 14 April for Yedo and returning to Yokohama on 17 April and sailing again on 19 April. Its destination was
Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...
, which was reached in May, departing on 28 May for Valparaiso, Chile, via
Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
, departing from there on 22 June. The squadron arrived at Valparaiso on 14 August. At this point it comprised , ''Endymion'', ''Liffey'' ''Liverpool'' and . The squadron sailed on 28 August, and rounded
Cape Horn Cape Horn (, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which is Águila Islet), Cape Horn marks the nor ...
on 13 September. The circumnavigation was completed on 21 September, and was celebrated by the order of "
splice the mainbrace "Splice the mainbrace" is an order given aboard naval vessels to issue the crew with an alcoholic drink. Originally an order for one of the most difficult emergency repair jobs aboard a sailing ship, it became a euphemism for authorized celebrator ...
" being given. On 2 October, one of the boys serving on ''Endymion'' fell overboard. He was a non-swimmer and Sub-Lieutenant Jones dived in and came to his rescue, the boy being unharmed. The squadron arrived at Bahia on 6 October, sailing three days later. An intended call at
Fayal Faial Island (), also known as Fayal Island, is a Portugal, Portuguese island of the Central Group or ''Grupo Central'' of the Azores, in the Atlantic Ocean. The Capelinhos volcano is the westernmost point of the island and is considered the we ...
,
Azores The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
was abandoned due to unfavourable weather conditions. The squadron arrived at
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
on 15 November. ''Endymion'' arrived at Spithead on 17 November 1870. She was then ordered to be dis-masted and paid off, Her lower masts and rigging were retained, and she was paid off on 30 November, with a view to a quick recommission. ''Endymion'' departed from
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
under steam on 6 February 1871 for trials off Spithead, returning to port that day. On 24 April 1872, Edward Madden took command of ''Endymion'', which was then in use as a
training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...
for cadets. On 28 May, personnel on leave from ''Endymion'' were recalled as the ship had received orders to sail immediately. She undertook a short cruise in the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
, arriving back at Spithead on 3 June. She then sailed for Gibraltar, putting into Plymouth on 19 June to land a sailor who had fallen from the rigging. She was at Lisbon on 12 August, She departed from Gibraltar on 24 August heading west. She sailed to
Vigo Vigo (, ; ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of province of Pontevedra, Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest ...
, Spain, where she joined the Mediterranean Squadron, comprising , , , , and . The squadron arrived at Gibraltar on 2 October. ''Endymion'' departed on 9 October and headed west. She sailed to Plymouth, departing on 27 October for Portsmouth, arriving on 1 November. She then underwent a refit. Replacement fore and main masts were fitted. These had come from and were heavier than those previously installed on ''Endymion'', leading to doubts over her stability. She was reported to be ready for active service in December 1871. On 11 May 1872, ''Endymion'' was inspected at Portsmouth by Admiral Sir George Mundy KCB, before departing for Portland that evening. She was described as being armed with 22 guns. She later departed for Gibraltar, arriving on 30 June. She sailed on 6 July to join the Mediterranean Squadron. On 12 July, ''Endymion'' anchored in the
Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...
at Lisbon. She later returned to Gibraltar, remaining behind when the squadron sailed as a
court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...
was to be held on board. The engineer of was sentenced to be dismissed from the ship with the loss of a year's seniority and a severe reprimand. Following the conclusion of the court-martial, ''Endymion'' joined the squadron at
Vigo Vigo (, ; ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of province of Pontevedra, Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest ...
, Spain on 14 August. The squadron departed on 21 September, for a cruise around the Mediterranean, with an eventual destination of Malta. It arrived off Lisbon on 24 September, ''Endymion'' left the squadron at Gibraltar, sailing on 7 October for England in company of ''Aurora''. She towed the French
barque A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel with three or more mast (sailing), masts of which the fore mast, mainmast, and any additional masts are Square rig, rigged square, and only the aftmost mast (mizzen in three-maste ...
''Lutin'' in to Gibraltar that day. The barque had been in collision with the
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
steamship ''La Pampa'' off
Europa Point Europa Point ( Spanish and Llanito: Punta de Europa or Punta Europa) is the southernmost point of Gibraltar. Although not the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, Europa Point defines the boundary between the Straits of Gibraltar in th ...
and had become waterlogged. ''Endymion'' was carrying Sir J Drummond Hay, and took him to
Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...
, Morocco, leaving immediately after he had disembarked. She called at Lisbon, arriving on 15 October and departing the next day. She arrived at Portsmouth on 31 October. ''Endymion'' then underwent a refit. New masts were fitted, which were brought to Portsmouth on board . On 5 November, a court-martial was held at Portsmouth on board ''Duke of Wellington'' of a boy who was accused of the theft of £8 7s 6d belonging to No.7 mess and its caterer. He was found guilty and sentenced to three months' imprisonment at Lewes Gaol. On 11 January 1873, a court-martial was held at Portsmouth on board of an able seaman from ''Endymion'' who was charged with desertion and attempting to obtain money by fraudulent means. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at
Winchester Gaol HM Prison Winchester is a Prison security categories in the United Kingdom, Category B men's prison, located in Winchester, Hampshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. History There has probably been a prison in ...
. The first seven days in each month to be kept in solitary confinement and the rest of the time to be kept at hard labour. At the termination of his imprisonment he was to be dismissed with disgrace. On 19 January, ''Endymion'' was undergoing trials in the Channel when she was caught in a storm. A rating was lost overboard and she lost her jib-boom and two boats. Her new foremast was damaged. Following repairs at Portsmouth, she sailed on 22 January for Vigo, her arrival being reported in ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' of 4 February. ''Endymion'' departed from Vigo on 6 February in company of , and . She was bound for
Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
. Vigo was reached in early February, with the squadron sailing on 6 February. ''Endymion'' sailed to
Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
whilst the rest of the squadron sailed to Saint Vincent. The squadron regrouped at
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on 3 April and then sailed to Martinique, arriving at Saint Pierre on 5 April. The squadron then sailed to
Port Royal Port Royal () was a town located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest and most prosperous city in the Caribbean, functioning as the cen ...
, Jamaica, arriving on 14 May. The squadron then sailed to Gibraltar, where they had arrived by the end of August. On 18 September, Henry Hickley took command of ''Endymion''. In September, ''Endymion'' was one of several ships ordered to lay off
Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
, Spain where there was an
insurgency An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare against a larger authority. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric warfare, asymmetric nature: small irregular forces ...
. Ironclads owned by the Canton of Murcia were crewed by convicts. Questions were asked about whether or not this deprived them of any protection under the laws of war. She was lying off
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by the end of October, departing on 27 October, and arriving at Valencia on 5 November. ''Endymion'' arrived at Gibraltar on 2 December. She departed on 13 December for
Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...
, Spain, where she was to relieve ''Doris''. ''Endymion'' departed on 5 January 1874 for Malta, calling at
Portmán Portmán is a locality in the Region of Murcia, Spain, located to the south of the municipality of La Unión, Murcia, La Unión at the foot of the mining mountain range of Cartagena-La Unión in a bay bathed by the Mediterranean Sea. Its territo ...
, Spain on 12 January. ''Endymion'' arrived at Malta on 15 February. She departed from Malta on 8 March for Corfu, as part of the Mediterranean Squadron. The other ships were , , and . On 10 May, ''Endymion'' and ''Narcissus'' both ran aground in Palermo Bay, with ''Narcissus'' losing of her false keel and being holed in two places. Both ships put into
Cagliari Cagliari (, , ; ; ; Latin: ''Caralis'') is an Comune, Italian municipality and the capital and largest city of the island of Sardinia, an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy. It has about 146,62 ...
,
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...
. Rear-Admiral Randolph, in charge of the squadron, was court-martialled on board at Devonport. He was unanimously acquitted. The squadron arrived at Mahón, Port Mahon, Spain on 1 June. ''Doris'' was ordered to leave the squadron and proceed to Gibraltar under steam. ''Endymion'' was ordered to proceed to HMNB Devonport, Devonport, She departed on 13 June, arriving at Plymouth on 4 July. After a spell on guard off the Isle of Wight, where Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria was staying at Osborne House, she arrived at the River Medway, Medway on 23 July for paying off. ''Endymion'' left Cowes on 21 July, and was replaced by an
ironclad An ironclad was a steam engine, steam-propelled warship protected by iron armour, steel or iron armor constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or ince ...
. She sailed to Portsmouth for paying off. On 27 July, an able seaman from ''Endymion'' was court-martialled on board at The Nore. He was charged with being in contempt of an officer and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline. He was found guilty and sentenced to one year's hard labour and to be dismissed from the Navy.''Endymion'' was sent to the River Humber, Humber for coast guard duties.


Guard ship

''Endymion'' was at
Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * The hull of an armored fighting vehicle, housing the chassis * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a sea-going craft * Submarine hull Ma ...
,
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
by October. ''Endymion'' sailed from Hull in July for Plymouth. replaced her on guard ship duties. Both ships sailed in company from Devonport on 30 July for Isle of Portland, Portland. On 17 January 1875, a court-martial was held on board ''Duke of Wellington'' as Portsmouth of a leading seaman from ''Endymion'' who was charged with indecent assault and inducing another to commit the same offence; he was found guilty on the second charge. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment as a close prisoner. On 1 April, a court-martial was held on board ''Duncan'' at The Nore of a Royal Marines, marine serving in ''Endymion'' who was accused of assaulting a corporal in the execution of his duties. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years' hard labour and dismissal from the service.''Endymion'' returned to HMNB Chatham, Chatham in August for her annual refit. Her crew transferred to . In September, she was towed from Sheerness to Devonport by the Admiralty tugs ''Camel'' and ''Grinder'', her boilers having been condemned as unfit for service. It was intended that ''Endymion'' would be stationed at
Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-o ...
, Essex where she was to replace as the
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
of the Admiral Superintendent of the Naval Reserve. That plan was cancelled due to the loss of , with that ship's crew transferring to ''Iron Duke'', with her crew transferring back to ''Endymion''. ''Endymion'' departed from Devonport on 4 November for Hull, where she was to take up coast guard duties. As her boilers had not been repaired, she departed under sail. On 13 December, a court-martial was held on board ''Duke of Wellington'' at
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
of an able seaman from ''Endymion'' charged with three counts of insubordination and disobedience. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Lewes Gaol. The first seven days in each month to be kept in solitary confinement and the rest of the time to be kept at hard labour. On 23 February 1876, a private in the Royal Marines serving on board ''Endymion'' was court-martialled on a charge of insubordination; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. On 7 March, a fire broke out in the yard of Humphrys & Pearson Ltd, shipbuilders, located in the Victoria Dock. A range of workshops was destroyed, and the ship ''Sylph'', then under construction, was severely damaged. Her rigging and port side were burnt. Royal Marines from ''Endymion'' and assisted in the firefighting operations. On Ascension Day, a salute was fired by ''Endymion'' in honour of the Queen. This caused two windows to fall out of a building in Scale Lane, Hull, injuring two passers-by. On 14 August, a fire broke out at a timber yard in Hull. Crewmen from , ''Endymion'' and assisted the Hull police in fighting the fire. Nine days later, crewmen from ''Endymion'' gave assistance at another fire at a timber yard in Drypool. John Moresby took command of ''Endymion'' on 29 September 1876. In 1877, she remained stationed on the Humber; was her ship's tender, tender until ''Pheasant'' was sent to Sheerness in June for paying off and decommissioning, being replaced by . On 9 September, a fire developed in a fish merchant's shop in Church Lane, Hull. Men from ''Endymion'' assisted in fighting the fire. Shortly after the fire had been extinguished, Holy Trinity Church, Hull, Holy Trinity Church was discovered to be on fire. It was suspected that sparks from the fire at the fish merchant's shop had caused this fire, which was extinguished without doing any major damage. On 6 March 1878, Henry Woollcombe took command of ''Endymion''. This was due to the death of Rear-Admiral William Charles Chamberlain, Superintendent at Devonport. Captain Leveson Somerset, in command at Bermuda was promoted to the vacated position. Moresby was promoted to the Bermuda position and Woollcombe was promoted to replace him as captain of ''Endymion''. On 12 April, a fire developed in shops at the Market Place, Hull. Forty marines from ''Endymion'' assisted the Hull Police in fighting the fire. They brought a hand pump but was unable to use it owing to incompatibility of the hose and hydrant, being different sizes. On 22 August, a private in the Royal Marines was court-martialled at Portsmouth for desertion from ''Endymion''. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months imprisonment and dismissal from service. In March 1879, a butcher in
Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * The hull of an armored fighting vehicle, housing the chassis * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a sea-going craft * Submarine hull Ma ...
launched a lawsuit to recover Pound Sterling, £47 in respect of meat supplied to the officers of the wardroom mess. A mess-man by the name of Jones had collected monies from various crew, but not paid the butcher. The jury found in favour of the plaintiff, even though notices had been placed in the local press stating that Jones was not authorised to pledge the credit of the officers on board ''Endymion''. A notice which the plaintiff claimed not to have seen. In July, a lieutenant was found guilty of drunkenness. ''Endymion'' departed from Hull under tow on 6 July. She arrived at Chatham on 10 July 1879 to be replaced on the Humber by , with her crew transferring to that ship, including Captain Woollacombe. ''Endymion'' was placed in the fourth division of the Medway Steam Reserve. ''Endymion'' was decommissioned on 31 July.


Administration and hospital ship

In June 1881, the Lords of the
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Tra ...
agreed to lend and ''Endymion'' to the Metropolitan Asylums Board along with a steam pinnace (ship's boat), pinnace, due to an epidemic of smallpox in London. ''Endymion'' was to serve as an administration ship. She was towed out of Chatham on 25 June and towed to
Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...
,
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
on 29 June. She was to be used as a
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating healthcare, medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navy, navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or ...
for patients infected with smallpox, although ''Endymion'' was supposed to be an administrative ship. ''Atlas'' was acquired by the board on 4 June, and ''Endymion'' on 5 July. The plans for the conversion of ''Atlas'' and ''Endymion'' were drawn up by Messrs A & C Hartson, the architects to the board. A gangway connected the two ships. Conversion of ''Atlas'' and ''Endymion'' cost £11,000. ''Endymion'' provided accommodation for the staff serving on the ships, as well as kitchen and laundry facilities. She also provided heating for the ships, as well as laundry and the repair of the patient's clothes being done on board. The location of the ships drew an objection from the shipbuilders Messrs Rennie because some of their employees refused to work near the riverside where ''Atlas'' was moored. It was also necessary to move ''Atlas'' and ''Endymion'' every time Rennie's launched a ship. In 1882, the Thames Conservancy wrote to the Metropolitan Asylums Board urging them to move ''Atlas'' and ''Endymion'' from Greenwich. The Thames Conservancy also called upon the board to pay a large claim for expenses incurred by Messrs Rennie's. At a meeting of the board, it was suggested that if moved, ''Atlas'' should be used for convalescent patients. The board decided to await the report from a Royal Commission into infectious diseases hospitals before deciding whether or not to move the ships. The last smallpox patients left ''Atlas'' in August 1882. The Metropolitan Asylums Board decided that the ships provided a useful facility and that they would be kept; in 1883, they were moved downstream to Long Reach, Kent, Long Reach, near
Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...
. In 1884, ''Atlas'' and ''Endymion'' were joined by a third hospital ship, the former English Channel, cross-Channel paddle steamer . In February 1885, a meeting of the Metropolitan Asylums Board was informed that the Admiralty had stated that it the board wished to continue using ''Atlas'' and ''Endymion'', they would have to purchase them at a cost of £8,400 and £6,500 respectively. The board replied that they would purchase the ships, but asked for the cost to be reduced. In June, it was reported that the board were authorised to purchase both ships. On 2 January 1902, a fire broke out on board ''Endymion''. The Metropolitan Fire Brigade and the fireboat ''Alpha'' attended. ''Endymion'' served in this rôle until 1904, when the new Joyce Green Hospital opened at
Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...
, Kent. ''Endymion'' was sold by auction at the Bull Hotel,
Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...
, Kent, in December 1904 for breaking. ''Endymion'' sold for £3,200. Along with ''Atlas'' and ''Castalia'', a total of £8,045 was realised. The ships were to be removed within two months or a rental of £25 per week would then be payable.


Notes


Footnotes


References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Endymion (1865) 1865 ships Ships built in Deptford Frigates of the Royal Navy Victorian-era frigates of the United Kingdom Maritime incidents in January 1868 Maritime incidents in May 1874 Hospital ships of the United Kingdom Merchant ships of the United Kingdom Hospitals in Kent