HMS Hydra (1838)
Encyclopedia
HMS Hydra launched in 1838, at Chatham Dockyard
, was a wooden steam paddle sloop
of the Royal Navy
of 818 tons (builder's measurement). She was rated at 220 hp and carried 6 guns.
and the capture of St Jean d'Acre
in September 1840. In 1849 she was involved on anti-slavery
operations. She then undertook a number of cruises as HM Survey Vessel (HMSV) Hydra in a commission that started in January 1852 at Sheerness
and ended with her paying off on 10 May 1856. From February to April 1852 she sailed from Sierra Leone
to the Cape of Good Hope
http://home.planet.nl/~pdavis/Map_Hydra_2.htm. In July 1853 she was surveying between the Comoros Islands and the Cape of Good Hope
http://home.wxs.nl/~pdavis/Map_Hydra_5.htm. She undertook another survey cruise from False Bay
(the Cape of Good Hope) to the Comoros Islands and back from 5 January 1854 to 3 April 1854 http://home.planet.nl/~pdavis/Map_Hydra_7.htm. From 1864-1868 she was again employed as a "surveying ship", first in the Ionian Sea
, from 1864-1865, with the resulting Admiralty
chart
"West Coast of Morea
to the Island of Dante
" being published in 1867. Her most notable task was a deep-sea cruise in 1867-1868 in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic Ocean
, and a sounding from Aden
to Bombay. The ship's blacksmith received an award for the invention of the "Hydra Rod" http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/ships/ship4393.htm http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/ships/ship4212.htm. The ship paid off in 1868 and was sold in 1870.
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
, was a wooden steam paddle sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
of 818 tons (builder's measurement). She was rated at 220 hp and carried 6 guns.
Service
She was involved in the bombardment of BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and the capture of St Jean d'Acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
in September 1840. In 1849 she was involved on anti-slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
operations. She then undertook a number of cruises as HM Survey Vessel (HMSV) Hydra in a commission that started in January 1852 at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
and ended with her paying off on 10 May 1856. From February to April 1852 she sailed from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
http://home.planet.nl/~pdavis/Map_Hydra_2.htm. In July 1853 she was surveying between the Comoros Islands and the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
http://home.wxs.nl/~pdavis/Map_Hydra_5.htm. She undertook another survey cruise from False Bay
False Bay
False Bay is a body of water defined by Cape Hangklip and the Cape Peninsula in the extreme South-West of South Africa.- Description and location :...
(the Cape of Good Hope) to the Comoros Islands and back from 5 January 1854 to 3 April 1854 http://home.planet.nl/~pdavis/Map_Hydra_7.htm. From 1864-1868 she was again employed as a "surveying ship", first in the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
, from 1864-1865, with the resulting Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
chart
Chart
A chart is a graphical representation of data, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart"...
"West Coast of Morea
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
to the Island of Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
" being published in 1867. Her most notable task was a deep-sea cruise in 1867-1868 in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and a sounding from Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
to Bombay. The ship's blacksmith received an award for the invention of the "Hydra Rod" http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/ships/ship4393.htm http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/ships/ship4212.htm. The ship paid off in 1868 and was sold in 1870.