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Echo, 1827
Type: Tug ; late Gun-vessel ; Armament 2
Launched : 28 May 1827 ; Disposal date or year : 1885
BM: 295 tons ; Displacement: 407 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Machinery notes: 140 hp
Notes:

Lisbon 11 July 1828 Sailed for Portsmouth.

Portsmouth 17 July 1828 Arrived from Lisbon with despatches regarding the state of affairs in Portugal.

Plymouth 21 Oct 1829 Lieut Bullock promoted to commander, and Lieut Bassett of the Lightning is appointed in his place.

Portsmouth 7 Dec 1829 Sailed with volunteers for the Druid, from Leith, to Plymouth.

Portsmouth.10 Dec 1829 Arrived from Plymouth.

Portsmouth 20 Dec 1829 Arrived from Plymouth.

Plymouth 18 Feb 1830 Sailed for Portsmouth.

Plymouth 29 Mar 1830 Sailed for Falmouth.

Falmouth 29 Mar 1830 Sailed for Plymouth.

Plymouth 11 May 1831 In Hamoaze.

Portsmouth 29 Sep 1831 Towed the Imogene out to Spithead.

Plymouth 26 Oct 1831 Got on shore in last night's gale, under the Hoe, but was floated off.

Falmouth 18 Sep 1832 Sailed for Oporto.

Woolwich 27 Sep 1833 Fitting out.

Jamaica 1 Mar 1837 at St Thomas's ; ships on the station are reported to be generally healthy

29 Mar 1840 Woolwich, is to be fitted out.

Portsmouth The Echo steam-vessel is to be based here in lieu of the Messenger.

29 May 1840 Master R. Read (additional), appointed to the Victory, for the Echo.

6 Jun 1840 Third Engineer Andrew Witham appointed to the Victory, for Echo, vice Bain, appointed to Hecla.

6 Jun 1840 Portsmouth has had her wheel placed before the mainmast, and under the control of the officer carrying on the duty on the paddle boxes.

7 Aug 1840 has been found deficient in power to act as a steam tug.

18 Sep 1840 towed the Donegal into harbour from Spithead, assisted by the steamer Monarch, from Southampton.

26 Dec 1840 Portsmouth In Harbour.

3 Apr 1841, Second Master Mr. F. J. Kent, appointed to command the Echo steam-tug.

10 Nov 1841, Woolwich, New boilers have been made, but she is at present out of commission.

Mar 1847 Involved, as a tug, in recovery of sloop Sphynx. See below.

20 Dec 1848 Portsmouth.

20 Apr 1851 Portsmouth. Took out boats and flats to the Belle Alliance yesterday for conveying the troops onshore at Cowes, from whence they will march to Parkhurst.

21 Apr 1851 Portsmouth. Towed two visiting Turkish ships, which had wintered at Portsmouth, out to Spithead, where they are expected to remain for some days.

1860 Portsmouth

1870 Portsmouth

1879 Portsmouth

1890 Gibraltar

Portsmouth, 12 March 1847.- The Sphynx steam sloop was towed into this harbour at ten o'clock this morning by the Echo tug, and was followed by the African and Monkey tugs, each laden with the gear used in this memorable operation. The vessel was not finally extricated from her stranded position until ten o'clock yesterday morning. The following is a description of the means which have proved successful in saving this fine vessel:-

The plan devised for this object was by means of "camels" - the project of Commander Caffin, of the Scourge steam-sloop, and Mr. Watts, the senior assistant master shipwright of this dockyard - the buoyant power of which amounted to above 130 tons, brought under a strong frame-work constructed under her paddle-boxes ; to this was added by Mr. Watts, subsequently to Commander Caffin's leaving, another camel, which was brought under the head of the vessel, on which, at the extreme foremost end was erected a high framework for supporting the chain cabins, hawsers, &c., used in heaving the vessel off, and to obviate or counteract this downward pressure, at the end of the camel, next the stem, was fixed a fork, formed by means of two stout pieces of fir timber placed a little more than the breadth of the stem asunder (sic), and bolted firmly to the deck of the camel. This fork came underneath two stout cleats fastened to the stem of the vessel, so that the downward pressure of the cables when hove upon constituted a power, at one end, of a lever to lift the bow of the ship at the other end. This was found to render most important aid in getting the vessel over the bank or reef of rocks, up to which she had been brought on the two former occasions, but could not then be got over. This ledge has not more than six feet of water on it at high tide, whereas the Sphynx, when lightened of everything except her engines, drew ten feet of water. The feat, therefore, of getting her over the reef is one of the most remarkable incidents ever recorded in naval science .- London Paper.

Echo, 1915
Type: Armed whaler ; Armament NK
Acquired : 1915 ; Disposal date or year : ????
Notes:

Circa early 1915 taken up by the Admiralty from Durban and Saldana Bay. Employed in and off the Rufigi Delta following the location of the Konigsberg - see p. 345 www.naval-review.org/issues/1916-2.pdf.

From late Jul 1915 employed patrolling inshore waters off the coast of East Africa as detailed in 1916-2.pdf.

Mid Sep 1915 brush with the enemy while making a reconnaissance up the Rufigi Delta in company with the Severn.