Naval Database

| Previous Page | Next Page | Index

Wanderer, 1835
Type: Brig-sloop ; Armament 16
Launched : 10 Jul 1835 ; Disposal date or year : 1850
BM: 428 tons
Notes:

Chatham 15 Aug 1835 is being fitted out for foreign service.

Portsmouth 10 Oct 1835 after repairs are completed on her rudder she will sail with the Ambassador to Rio de Janeiro and thence to New York, and will remain on the North America station.

Portsmouth 24 Oct 1835 sailed yesterday for Rio de Janeiro, but returned to St. Helen's. She has 60 supernumeraries onboard for the Rodney at Plymouth

Portsmouth 30 Oct 1835 sailed on Tuesday for Plymouth and the South America station.

11 Nov 1835 called at Madeira en route for Brazil.

Circa 21 Feb 1836 was reported to have sailed for New York.

Halifax 21 Aug 1836 is reported to be in the Bay of Fundy.

Jamaica 1 Mar 1837 cruising ; ships on the station are reported to be generally healthy

Jamaica 3 Jul 1837 sailed for Chagres.

8 May 1839 arrived Halifax with the Pique and Andromache with the 8th Regiment for Jamaica.

28 Jul 1839 arrived Portsmouth on Monday last in 18 days from Halifax, bringing a mail and sailed the same day for Sheerness, to be paid off.

14 Dec 1839 Lieutenant Thomas Chaloner, and Surgeon J. W. Elliott, appointed to the Wanderer

4 Jan 1840 is fitting out in the river.

25 Jan 1840 still at Plymouth ?

13 Jun 1840 Master's Assistant Alfred Messum, appointed to the Wanderer;

11 Jul 1840 Commander Thomas Bushby, (late of the Wanderer,) promoted to the rank of captain.

6 Jun 1840 was reported to be cruising off Sierra Leone;

13 Aug 1840 at Sierra Leone, preparing to leave for Ascension.

23 Oct 1840 Sierra Leone, is reported to have sailed some weeks ago for Ascension to refit.

1839-42 Engaged in the Operations in China. Officers and Men serving on this ship during this period may be eligible for a Medal.

4 Apr 1840 captured the Eliza Davidson, for being illegally engaged in the slave trade.

3 Jun 1840 captured San Paolo de Loando, for being illegally engaged in the slave trade.

9 Jun 1840 captured Maria Rosario, for being illegally engaged in the slave trade.

Apr-Nov 1840, the Wanderer blockaded the slave factories in the River Gallinas, the West Coast of Africa, during which period 6 prizes were taken.

11 Nov 1840 captured the slave vessel Vanguardia.

10 Dec 1840 captured the slave vessel Reglano.

Oct 1840 120 seamen and marines from the Wanderer and Saracen entered the village of Dombocorro with a view to obtaining, by treaty, the release of the slaves held by slavers in the district, under the control of Chief Siacca, and the burning of all eight slave factories.

11 Mar 1841, arrived at St. Mary's (Gambia) from leeward, and sailed on the 20th on her return.

4 Sep 1841, Commander Hon. Joseph Denman (1835), of the Wanderer, promoted to captain.

4 Sep 1841, Commander Edward Norwich Troubridge, appointed to the Wanderer, vice Denman promoted ;

28 Jul 1841, arrived at Bathurst ; sailed on the 29th to leeward.

1 Nov 1846 Slaving - Sierre Leone - see below for report.

4 Jan 1849 Captured slaver Subtil.

1 Aug 1850 Tonnage bounty due on Subtil now payable.

16 July 47 Captured slaver Dez De Outobro. Proceeds of Slave and Tonnage Bounties due to be paid 14 March 1849.

19 May 1847 The Slave Trade.

20 Dec 1848 Sloop. Coat of Africa.

The following is an extract of a letter dated Sierra Leone, December 15, 1846 :
On the 1st ult., arrived Her Majesty's brig Cygnet, having in tow the Brazilian brigantine Paquete do Rio, of about 70 tons burden, with 647 slaves on board, captured off Sherbro on the 27th October, and brought to this port for adjudication in the Vice Admiralty Court. The following are the authentic particulars relative to this vessel :-

About the middle of last August the Paquete do Rio arrived at Sierra Leone with a cargo consisting of merchandise and rum, and having on board as passenger Mr S. P M. Campos, His Imperial Brazilian Majesty's Vice Consul at this port. After remaining a short period in this harbour, she sailed to Yawry Bay; a short distance to the southward where the timber is collected, and there landed her spirits (it being out. of the jurisdiction of this colony.) After this proceeding, the Paquete do Rio again returned to Sierra Leone, whence she subsequently (on the 6th of October) sailed for the southward and Rio, in ballast, and water and provisions for her passengers, twenty in number, consisting of some of the crews of former slavers. Before her departure however, she underwent a careful overhauling by an officer from the [HMS] Wanderer, but nothing could be found on board to expose her real intentions. In beating down to the southward she subsequently made acquaintance with Lieutenant __________, who boarded her, from Her Majesty's sloop Contest, on the 24th of October, off Sherbro, but even Lieutenant ________'s lynx eyes saw nothing whereby he could detain the vessel. [Lieutenant _________ , was formerly in Her Majesty's brig Lynx, and has had some experience in these matters] ; though, no doubt, from his experience, he soon guessed her in-tention. The slaver, having got safely over this last encounter, ran in for the shore, and on the evening of the 26th, or rather from the 24th to the 26th of October she shipped the whole of her equipment, water-casks, &c., with 556 slaves ! and immediately bore up for the northward, thinking I presume, to escape the Contest. In this she was successful (had she gone southward, it would not have been the case), but unluckily, Her Majesty's brig Cygnet hove in sight ; and gave chase, and, while the slaver made all sail to escape capture, a French brig of war was observed in the distance to the northward, but her Majesty's brig Cygnet was not long in coming up, and ere long the famous Paquete do Rio was a prize, and the. glad shouts of 549 human beings "were echoed o'er the briny deep," invoking blessings on. their deliverers. Many of these poor wretches were chained by iron rods passed through iron rings fastened round their necks.

Together with the slaves, numbering 549, were the passengers and crew, about 30, making in all about 579 human beings packed in a small vessel of only 70 tons. I shall dispense with giving a more detailed description of the horrible sight which presented itself, and merely state that the Cygnet arrived in Sierra Leone on the 1st November, towing the prize, which was subsequently adjudicated in the Vice-Admiralty Court .-London paper.