Hecate, 1839
Type: 2nd class sloop ; Armament 4
Launched : 30 Mar 1839 ; Disposal date or year : 1865
BM: 817 tons ; Displacement: 1096 tons
Propulsion: Paddle
Machinery notes: 240
Notes:

18 Sep 1840 is commissioned at Chatham, for service in the Mediterranean, by Commander James H. Ward (1838).

3 Oct 1840 Woolwich The Lightning steam vessel, left this morning for Sheerness to tow the Howe, 126 gun ship, out of Sheerness harbour, which she effected with the assistance of the Hecate steam vessel, from Chatham.

23 Oct 1840 Woolwich, sailed with troops for Syria.

24 Oct 1840 Sheerness was docked after the chain attached to the wheel becoming jammed, and it was found impossible to steer to the starboard to prevent her striking the bottom. Having been surveyed no damage was found and she has now sailed again for Malta.

31 Oct 1840, Portsmouth, paid wages today.

31 Oct 1840, Portsmouth, A court-martial was held on Friday and Saturday, on board Her Majesty's ship Victory, for the trial of Mr. A. Smith, surgeon of the Hecate, for drunkenness and improper conduct on the 23d and 24th of October. The charge was proved ; but in consideration that he had never before been guilty of the like, and also in consequence of the high character he had previously sustained, the Court adjudged him to be severely reprimanded, to be dismissed from the Hecate, and to be placed at the bottom of the list of surgeons.

31 Oct 1840, Mates Henry Lloyd and Charles Dyke, appointed to Hecate.

1 Nov 1840 Sailed from Spithead for Plymouth and the Mediterranean with several officers for special service, and a large supply of heavy guns and ordnance stores.

2 Nov 1840 Plymouth, arrived from Portsmouth and sails Thursday for the Mediterranean. She has been detained to have some slight defects made good in her boilers.

29 Nov 1840 arrived Malta.

3 Dec 1840 sailed for Syria.

8 Dec 1840 had arrived Marmorice Bay, from England.

Aug - Nov 1840 Capture of Acre and operations on the coast of Syria. Turkish Medals awarded to the Officers and Men employed during the Campaign.

2 Jan 1841 Mate Henry Lloyd appointed to the Hecate.

1 Feb 1841, departed Alexandria.

31 May 1841, arrived at Malta from Corfu.

25 Jun 1841, at Malta.

7 Aug 1841, Engineer John Saunders, appointed to Hecate

10 Sep 1841, arrived Malta, from Beyrout.

11 Sep 1841, Purser W. Wilkins, appointed to the Hecate.

7 Oct 1841, Beyrout, proceeds to Dog River.

5 Dec 1841, at Malta.

30 Oct 1845 detained in lat. 5° 12' N. long. 3° 46' E., off Lagos, the Brazilian slave vessel Uniao, Izidoro Antonio Viana, master, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone and on 27 Nov 1845 sentenced to be condemned. 10 Nov 1845 at sea, in lat. 7° 38' S. Long. 12° 43' 0" E., earlier today, observed the Prometheus detain an unnamed brig, supposed Belmira, without papers or colours, and fully equipped for the slave trade, was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone under the charge of Master's Assistant Wyld of this vessel as prize master. † Being in sight means that the Hecate may be entitled to an element of the prize and bounty money that may be due following the legal detention of vessel involved in the Slave Trade.

31 Dec 1845 off Gallinas, attempting to make contact with King Manna, the Head Krooman, but he rejects all attempts to contact him.

8 Jul 1846 detained in lat. 6° 22' S. long. 10° 47' E., in the vicinity of Ambriz, the Brazilian slave brig Relampago, Antonio Mauricio de Mendonca, master, with 545 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at St. Helena and on 13 Aug 1846 sentenced to be condemned. 1846 East Coast of Africa

Summer, 1848, Malta Harbour

20 Dec 1848 Portsmouth

30 Aug 1851 Lisbon

28 Apr 1855 departed England for anti slavery duties on the West Coast of Africa.

1 Jan 1856 detained a slave brigantine, Name Unknown, supposed Chatsworth. 21 Jul 1857 distribution of proceeds arising due to be paid shortly.

3 Aug 1857 in company with other vessels detained, at Pram Pram, the slave schooner Antonio, Juan Roes, master, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone, and on 2 Oct 1857 sentenced to be forfeited.

15 Sep 1857 at Lagos, the captain writes to Mr. Hutchinson, the British Consul at Fernando Po, asking if he knows if slave trading still continues in the New Calabar, who responded that a supercargo, Mr. Finnigan, who trades there, advised that there had been no export of slaves from the place for some years, and that the last 2 vessels to attempt it were both captured by R.N. cruisers.

Circa Oct 1857 the captain has been advised by the British Consul at Lagos that he has heard that slave traders at Whydah and in the Bight of Benin were intending to send Africans who spoke sufficient Portuguese as passengers on board vessels wearing Portuguese colours that were trading with Bahia, where they could be disembarked and merged with the existing population of Africans and can thus be sold as slaves in the Region. Newly landed Africans were in danger of being picked up by the local authorities in the recent crack down on the slave trade and treated as emancipados and were thus a loss to the traders, the consequence of which was that the slave trade in the region of Bahia was at last in decline, albeit there was still a demand for slaves from the south of the country at this time.

6 Dec 1857 whilst cruising in the offing observed a schooner running for the land and proceeded in chase using both steam and sail, and was close enough to see her hoist an American ensign and then anchor in Loanda Bay near 2 French ships. Having anchored the master, Mr. Aldricks, was sent on board the chase, who stated that a French officer had been on board previously, but had not examined her papers. However having examined the papers there was no valid register, following which the Captain went on board and also examined her papers, agreeing with the Master that her papers were incomplete. The French Commodore also visited her, but did not examine her papers. An hour or so later the American master came on board and gave the vessel up as Spanish property, not being entitled to any nationality, her colours and papers having been destroyed. On going on board and lifting the hatches it was observed that she was ready to load her human cargo, which she was due to have done on the following day. The vessel was therefore detained and sent to Sierra Leone the following day for adjudication. In the afternoon went on board the French ship and informed the Commodore accordingly.

7 Dec 1857 in summary detained in Loango Bay the slave topsail schooner Niagara, Jno. W. Disney, master, late private yacht Niagara : was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone, and on 4 Jan 1858 sentenced to be forfeited. 20 Sep 1859 distribution of proceeds received, and tonnage bounty awarded.

7 Feb 1858 that evening weighed and departed Loanda for Snake's Head, following the arrival of the US corvette Dale. He remained 2 days a Snake's Head before proceeding to the Congo.

12 Feb 1858 went up river to Punta de Lenha in a boat with a view to gaining intelligence of the slave trade, but the locals were reluctant to discuss the subject.

13 Jun 1858 returned to England from the West Coast of Africa.

19 May 1860 Woolwich. Commissioned for service on the Pacific station.

1 Jan to 9 Mar 1864 Irregular or particular service. Medical report : number of Cases of Disease and Injury.

9 Mar 1864 Paid off.