HMS ''Niger'' was originally slated to be built as a Sampson designed sloop; however, she was ordered as a First-Class

sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular ...

with screw propulsion on 20 February 1845 to be built at Woolwich Dockyard, along the design developed by Oliver Lang and with a hull like the Basilisk designed paddle sloops. Her armament and engine were to be like the Encounter Design building at Pembroke. A second vessel (''Florentia'') was ordered on 26 March 1846 but after her keel was laid at Pembroke Dockyard, her construction was suspended on 6 October 1846 then cancelled three years later, on 22 May 1849. ''Niger'' She conducted important propulsion trials, finally proving the superiority of screw propulsion and served in West Africa, the Crimea, China, the East Indies and Australia. She took part in the

New Zealand wars The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the ...

in 1860 and was sold for breaking in 1869.Rif Winfield, Chapter 12 Niger was the third named vessel since its introduction for a 33-gun fifth rate launched at Sheerness on 25 September 1759, converted to a prison ship in 1810, renamed Negro in 1813 and sold on 29 September 1814. Florentia introduced this name to the Royal Navy.

Construction and specifications

Niger’s keel was laid in May 1845 at Woolwich Dockyard Slip No. 3 and launched on 18 November 1846. Her gundeck was with her keel length reported for tonnage calculation of estimated. Her breadth was . She had a depth of hold of . Her builder’s measure tonnage was 911 tons. In 1848 her gundeck was lengthen at Deptford Dockyard to with her keel length reported for tonnage calculation of . Her maximum breadth was now with reported for tonnage. Her depth of hold was now . Her minimum draught was forward and aft. Her builder’s measured tonnage increased to 1,072 tons with a displacement of 1,496 tons. Her machinery was supplied by Maudslay, Sons & Field of Lambeth. She shipped rectangular fire tube boilers. Her engine was a 4-cylinder horizontal single expansion (HSE) steam engine with cylinders of in diameter with a stroke, rated at 400 nominal horsepower (NHP). She had a single diameter screw propeller. In 1864 she was re-engined with a 350 NHP 2-cylinder ( pistons on a stroke) supplied by Miller, Ravenhill & Salkeld. Her planned armament in 1849 consisted of a single Monk’s 1839 56-pounder muzzle loading smooth bore (MLSB) of 87 hundredweight (cwt) 10-foot solid shot gun on a pivot mount, one 10-inch MLSB of 86 cwt 9-foot 4-inch shell gun on a pivot mount and four 8-inch 65 cwt MLSB 9-foot guns on broadside trucks plus two 32-pounder 25 cwt MLSB solid shot guns. In 1850 when commissioned, the armament was changed to fourteen 32 pounder 25 cwt 6-foot MLSB solid shot guns on broadside trucks. Later in 1856 a 68-pounder 95 cwt MLSB 10-foot solid shot gun was added on a pivot mount.

Trials

During her full power steam trials her engine generated 1,002 indicated horsepower (IHP) for a speed of 10.25 knots. She participated in 1849 in trials in the

English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" ( Cotentinais) or (Jèrriais), ( Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kan ...

with the paddle sloop HMS ''Basilisk''. ''Basilisk'' had started life as her sister ship when both were designed as sailing sloops, but while ''Niger'' received screw propulsion, ''Basilisk'' was fitted with paddles. Although previous trials, including a similar comparison between ''Rattler'' and ''Alecto'' in 1845, had shown that screw propulsion was broadly superior, the 1849 trials pitted two near-identical ships against each other. Since both ships had the same lines and steam engines developing almost identical power, the results confirmed the superiority of screw propulsion over the paddle-wheel once and for all. ""HMS Niger"" was completed for sea on the 16th of August 1850 at an initial cost of 57,597.

First commission

She was commissioned at Portsmouth on the 9th of July 1850 under Commander Leopold G. Heath, RN for service on the West Coast of Africa. At the end of 1852 she was transferred to the Mediterranean, and in 1854 to the Black Sea for the Russian War. On 2 February 1855 Commander Henry W. Hire, RN took command. She paid off at Woolwich on 31 January 1856.

Second commission

After a brief time in reserve, she was commissioned on 14 May 1856, under Captain Arthur A.L.P. Cochrane, RN for service in the

East Indies Station The East Indies Station was a formation and command of the British Royal Navy. Created in 1744 by the Admiralty, it was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies. Even in official documents, the term ''East Indies Station'' was ...

and

China Station The Commander-in-Chief, China was the admiral in command of what was usually known as the China Station, at once both a British Royal Navy naval formation and its admiral in command. It was created in 1865 and deactivated in 1941. From 1831 to 18 ...

. She was involved with the Second Anglo-Chinese War. When Captain Cochrane was invalided, Captain Peter Cracroft took command on the 8th of September 1858. In 1860 she transferred to the

Australian Station The Australia Station was the British, and later Australian, naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.Dennis et al. 2008, p.53. Australia Station was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station, ...

and was involved in the New Zealand War 1860 – 61.

The First Taranaki War

On 28 March 1860, during the First Taranaki War, a party of approximately 60 marines and bluejackets under the command of Captain Peter Cracroft landed at Waireka as reinforcements in the engagement that was taking place there. After reaching the Omata stockade near dusk, they proceeded to storm the by now lightly defended Kaipopo Pā. Coxwain William Odgers broke through the palisades and pulled down the Māori ensigns flying there, and received the first

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

of the New Zealand wars as a result. On 30 March 1860, HMS ''Niger'' shelled Māori positions near Warea. Her crew also participated during the storming of the Omata stockade. Later in 1860 the detachment of Marines was stationed as a garrison at Fort Niger, a hill overlooking the

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. Th ...

suburb of East End. The hill is a reserve today. She returned to Home Waters, paying off at Woolwich on 13 September 1861.

Third commission

On 3 February 1865 she was commissioned under Captain John C. Byng, RN for service on the

North America and West Indies Station The North America and West Indies Station was a formation or command of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed in North American waters from 1745 to 1956. The North American Station was separate from the Jamaica Station until 1830 when th ...

. On 3 March 1865, HMS ''Niger'' ran aground in the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...

at Greenhithe. She was refloated and taken in to Chatham for repairs. Captain James M. Bruce, RN took command on 9 October 1865 when Captain Byng was invalided. In late 1868 she returned to Home Waters.

Disposition

Upon her arrival in Home Waters, she paid off at Woolwich on 9 December 1868. She was sold to Henry Castle & Sons for breaking at Charlton on 2 December 1869.

Citations

References

* Bastock, John (1988), ''Ships on the Australia Station'', Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia. * * * Rif Winfield; British Warships in the Age of Sail (1817 - 1863): published by Seaforth Publishing, England (c) 2014; eISBN 9781473837430

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Niger (1846) 1846 ships Ships built in Woolwich Corvettes of the Royal Navy Victorian-era sloops of the United Kingdom Sloops of the Royal Navy Maritime incidents in March 1865