Pacific Station
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy
divided its worldwide responsibilities. Before 1837 it was called the South America Station.
It was established in the early nineteenth century to support British interests along the eastern shores of the Pacific Ocean
at Valparaíso
, Chile
. In 1834 the Station hosted a visit by the survey ship on her second voyage
. In 1837 the South America Station was renamed the Pacific Station. In 1843 George Paulet
, captain of , took her out from Valparaíso to Honolulu to demand the islands of the Kingdom of Hawaii
for Britain. King Kamehameha III
capitulated and signed the islands over to Paulet. In the summer of that year Rear-Admiral Richard Darton Thomas
set out from Valparaíso in the to rein Paulet in. On 31 July 1843 Thomas assured the King that the occupation was over and that there was no British claim over the islands
.
In 1842 was sent north to survey the coast of Vancouver Island
and what would become the Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard. During the survey trip the crew of the Pandora found that Esquimalt Harbour
had a size and depth suited for use as a Royal Navy harbour. As tensions between Britain
and America
rose during the Oregon boundary dispute
a base at the southern end of Vancouver Island would help strengthen the British claim to all of the island. The Oregon Treaty
of 1846 ceded control over all of the island to Britain. In 1848 the was sent to Esquimalt and was the first vessel to be stationed there. In the summer of 1854 several ships, including , , , , and set out from Valparaíso and sailed across the Pacific Ocean stopping at the Marquesas Islands
then they went on to Honolulu where they met a French fleet of warships. In late August the combined fleets sailed to Russia to engage in the Siege of Petropavlovsk
at which Commander-in-Chief David Price died.
Captain of the Pique Frederick William Erskine Nicolson was brevetted
and took command of the British naval forces from 31 August 1854 until the arrival of the next Commander-in-Chief. In 1855 three Crimean huts were built at Esquimalt to serve as a hospital intended to receive wounded from the Crimean War
. The huts were the first shore establishment at Esquimalt.
The presence of forests full of straight grained conifers such as the Coast Douglas-fir
meant that Vancouver Island could provide shipbuilding material suitable for spar
making in the age of sail
. The later discovery of coal on the island and at Vancouver's Coal Harbour
, meant that the area could also serve as a useful resource in the age of steam
as well. Rear-Admiral Robert Lambert Baynes
, aware of the political importance of maintaining British sovereignty amidst the San Juan Boundary Dispute and the British Columbia gold rushes
recommended to the Admiralty
a move of the station headquarters from Valparaíso to Esquimalt in November 1859.
By 1865 Esquimalt was recognized as the base headquarters of the Pacific Station. The move from Valparaíso to Esquimalt helped the Pacific Station avoid involvement in the Chincha Islands War
(1864–1866) between Spain
, Chile
, and Peru
. Rear-Admiral de Horsey
ordered commanded by Frederick Bedford, against the Nicolás de Piérola
-led Huáscar in the Battle of Pacocha
on 29 May 1877. In that battle two Whitehead
torpedo
es were fired from the Shah at the Huáscar but they missed their mark and the Huáscar got away.
A graving dock large enough to accommodate the largest ships in the Pacific fleet was commissioned at Esquimalt in 1887. After a period of relaxing tensions meant that British interests in British Columbia were secured, the Station was maintained to counter Russia
n ambitions in the Pacific. The Station was also crucial in defending British Columbia from United States
aggression during the Spanish-American War
of 1898 and the contemporaneous Alaska Boundary Dispute
, when the US threatened to forcibly invade and annex British Columbia if its demands over Alaska were not met.
By the end of the nineteenth century, improved communications, the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
and the need to concentrate warships in British waters to counter the developing German High Seas Fleet
, meant that the station was closed down at sunset on 1 March 1905. The facilities and base of operations at Esquimalt, British Columbia
were transferred to the Canadian Department of Marine and Fisheries
. The Pacific Station's responsibilities were divided between the China
, Australia
and the North America and West Indies Stations.
After passage of the Naval Service Bill
in 1910 there was a Canadian Naval Service that controlled the base at Esquimalt and that service became the Royal Canadian Navy
in 1911. In the 1960s a consolidation of defence forces in Canada led to its reformation as the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt
.
of the station held the rank of rear admiral
, with the exceptions of Hamond and Hastings who were each promoted to vice admiral
before being reassigned to other duties, and Goodrich who was a commodore
.
naval base in western Canada. Many geographical features of Vancouver Island and British Columbia are named after captains, commanders, and ships assigned to the Pacific Station. The Arco Britanica triumphal arch
in Valparaíso was constructed to commemorate the British presence in the city, including several Naval commanders. Thomas Square
in Honolulu is named after Admiral Richard Darton Thomas. Although Union Flag
s were flown over Hawaii as early as 1816 the current state flag of Hawaii
design dates from the close of the Paulet Affair and features a British Union Flag in its canton to commemorate the help that Thomas rendered the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Charles Darwin
's visits to Valparaíso, Cerro La Campana
, and the Galápagos Islands
led to publication of The Voyage of the Beagle
which, along with later works such as On the Origin of Species, helped to establish the field of evolutionary biology.
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...
divided its worldwide responsibilities. Before 1837 it was called the South America Station.
History
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. In 1834 the Station hosted a visit by the survey ship on her second voyage
Second voyage of HMS Beagle
The second voyage of HMS Beagle, from 27 December 1831 to 2 October 1836, was the second survey expedition of HMS Beagle, under captain Robert FitzRoy who had taken over command of the ship on its first voyage after her previous captain committed suicide...
. In 1837 the South America Station was renamed the Pacific Station. In 1843 George Paulet
Lord George Paulet
Admiral Lord George Paulet CB was a officer of the Royal Navy.He entered the navy shortly after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and after some years obtained his own command. He served off the Iberian Peninsula during the Portuguese Liberal Wars and the Spanish First Carlist War, protecting British...
, captain of , took her out from Valparaíso to Honolulu to demand the islands of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
for Britain. King Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
capitulated and signed the islands over to Paulet. In the summer of that year Rear-Admiral Richard Darton Thomas
Richard Darton Thomas
Admiral Richard Darton Thomas was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:...
set out from Valparaíso in the to rein Paulet in. On 31 July 1843 Thomas assured the King that the occupation was over and that there was no British claim over the islands
Paulet Affair (1843)
The Paulet Affair was a five month occupation of the Hawaiian Islands in 1843 by British naval officer Captain Lord George Paulet, of .-Paulet affair:...
.
In 1842 was sent north to survey the coast of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and what would become the Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard. During the survey trip the crew of the Pandora found that Esquimalt Harbour
Esquimalt Harbour
Esquimalt Harbour is a sheltered body of water in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca by a narrow channel known as Royal Roads. Its entrance is marked by Fisgard Lighthouse....
had a size and depth suited for use as a Royal Navy harbour. As tensions between Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rose during the Oregon boundary dispute
Oregon boundary dispute
The Oregon boundary dispute, or the Oregon Question, arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of North America in the first half of the 19th century. Both the United Kingdom and the United States had territorial and commercial aspirations in the region...
a base at the southern end of Vancouver Island would help strengthen the British claim to all of the island. The Oregon Treaty
Oregon Treaty
The Oregon Treaty is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which had been jointly occupied by...
of 1846 ceded control over all of the island to Britain. In 1848 the was sent to Esquimalt and was the first vessel to be stationed there. In the summer of 1854 several ships, including , , , , and set out from Valparaíso and sailed across the Pacific Ocean stopping at the Marquesas Islands
Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
then they went on to Honolulu where they met a French fleet of warships. In late August the combined fleets sailed to Russia to engage in the Siege of Petropavlovsk
Siege of Petropavlovsk
The Siege of Petropavlovsk was the main operation on the Pacific Theatre of the Crimean War. The Russian casualties are estimated at 100 soldiers; the Allies lost five times as many....
at which Commander-in-Chief David Price died.
Captain of the Pique Frederick William Erskine Nicolson was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
and took command of the British naval forces from 31 August 1854 until the arrival of the next Commander-in-Chief. In 1855 three Crimean huts were built at Esquimalt to serve as a hospital intended to receive wounded from the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. The huts were the first shore establishment at Esquimalt.
The presence of forests full of straight grained conifers such as the Coast Douglas-fir
Coast Douglas-fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii, known as Douglas-fir, Oregon Pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer species native to western North America. Its variety Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, also known as coast Douglas-fir grows in the coastal regions, from west-central British Columbia, Canada...
meant that Vancouver Island could provide shipbuilding material suitable for spar
Spar
In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a pole of wood, metal or lightweight materials such as carbon fiber used on a sailing vessel. Spars of all types In sailing, a spar is a...
making in the age of sail
Age of Sail
The Age of Sail was the period in which international trade and naval warfare were dominated by sailing ships, lasting from the 16th to the mid 19th century...
. The later discovery of coal on the island and at Vancouver's Coal Harbour
Coal Harbour
Coal Harbour is the name for a section of Burrard Inlet lying between Vancouver, Canada's downtown peninsula and the Brockton Peninsula of Stanley Park...
, meant that the area could also serve as a useful resource in the age of steam
Naval tactics in the Age of Steam
The development of the steam ironclad firing explosive shells in the mid 19th century rendered sailing tactics obsolete. New tactics were developed for the big-gun Dreadnought battleships. The mine, torpedo, submarine and aircraft posed new threats, each of which had to be countered, leading to...
as well. Rear-Admiral Robert Lambert Baynes
Robert Lambert Baynes
Admiral Sir Robert Lambert Baynes KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:...
, aware of the political importance of maintaining British sovereignty amidst the San Juan Boundary Dispute and the British Columbia gold rushes
British Columbia Gold Rushes
The presence of gold in the region that is now British Columbia is mentioned in old legends that, in part, led to its discovery. The Strait of Anian, claimed to have been sailed by Juan de Fuca for whom today's Strait of Juan de Fuca is named, was described as passing through a land "rich in gold,...
recommended to the 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...
a move of the station headquarters from Valparaíso to Esquimalt in November 1859.
By 1865 Esquimalt was recognized as the base headquarters of the Pacific Station. The move from Valparaíso to Esquimalt helped the Pacific Station avoid involvement in the Chincha Islands War
Chincha Islands War
The Chincha Islands War was a series of coastal and naval battles between Spain and its former colonies of Peru and Chile from 1864 to 1866, that began with Spain's seizure of the guano-rich Chincha Islands, part of a series of attempts by Isabel II of Spain to reassert her country's lost...
(1864–1866) between Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Rear-Admiral de Horsey
Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey
Admiral Sir Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey KCB was a Royal Navy officer who served in the nineteenth century.-Early life:...
ordered commanded by Frederick Bedford, against the Nicolás de Piérola
Nicolás de Piérola
H.E. Don Jose Nicolás Baltasar Fernández de Piérola y Villena was a prominent Peruvian politician, the Finance Minister and twice President of the Republic of Peru .-Early years:Nicolás de Piérola was born and educated in the southern Peruvian city of Arequipa...
-led Huáscar in the Battle of Pacocha
Battle of Pacocha
The naval Incident of Pacocha took place on 6 May 1877 when Nicolás de Piérola was leading a revolution to overthrow then Peruvian President Mariano Ignacio Prado. Piérola used the Peruvian monitor Huáscar as a raiding ship. She practiced sabotage primarily against the government forces of Peru...
on 29 May 1877. In that battle two Whitehead
Robert Whitehead
Robert Whitehead was an English engineer. He developed the first effective self-propelled naval torpedo. His company, located in the Austrian naval centre in Fiume, was the world leader in torpedo development and production up to the First World War.- Early life:He was born the son of a...
torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es were fired from the Shah at the Huáscar but they missed their mark and the Huáscar got away.
A graving dock large enough to accommodate the largest ships in the Pacific fleet was commissioned at Esquimalt in 1887. After a period of relaxing tensions meant that British interests in British Columbia were secured, the Station was maintained to counter Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n ambitions in the Pacific. The Station was also crucial in defending British Columbia from United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aggression during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
of 1898 and the contemporaneous Alaska Boundary Dispute
Alaska Boundary Dispute
The Alaska boundary dispute was a territorial dispute between the United States and Canada . It was resolved by arbitration in 1903. The dispute had been going on between the Russian and British Empires since 1821, and was inherited by the United States as a consequence of the Alaska Purchase in...
, when the US threatened to forcibly invade and annex British Columbia if its demands over Alaska were not met.
By the end of the nineteenth century, improved communications, the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
The first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club, on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
and the need to concentrate warships in British waters to counter the developing German High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
, meant that the station was closed down at sunset on 1 March 1905. The facilities and base of operations at Esquimalt, British Columbia
Esquimalt, British Columbia
The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esquimalt Harbour and Royal Roads, to the northwest by the...
were transferred to the Canadian Department of Marine and Fisheries
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, frequently referred to as DFO , is the department within the government of Canada that is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters...
. The Pacific Station's responsibilities were divided between the China
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
, Australia
Australia Station
The Australia Station was the British—and later Australian—naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.-History:In the early years following the establishment of the colony of New South Wales, ships based in Australian waters came under the control of the East Indies...
and the North America and West Indies Stations.
After passage of the Naval Service Bill
Naval Service Bill
The Naval Service Bill of 1910 was a piece of Canadian government legislation, which was put forward by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Prior to the bill's introduction Canada did not have a navy of its own, a state of affairs that left the Dominion dependent on the British Royal Navy for...
in 1910 there was a Canadian Naval Service that controlled the base at Esquimalt and that service became the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
in 1911. In the 1960s a consolidation of defence forces in Canada led to its reformation as the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt
CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
.
Commanders
Most commanders-in-chiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the station held the rank of rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
, with the exceptions of Hamond and Hastings who were each promoted to vice admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
before being reassigned to other duties, and Goodrich who was a commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
.
| List of Commanders-in-chief | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| South America Station (1826–1837) | |||
| Commander-in-Chief, South America | From | Until | Notes |
| Rear Admiral Robert Otway Robert Otway Admiral Sir Robert Waller Otway, 1st Baronet, GCB was a senior Royal Navy officer of the early nineteenth century who served extensively as a sea captain during the Napoleonic War and later supported the Brazilian cause during the Brazilian War of Independence... |
1826 | 1829 | Later promoted to Admiral, flagship was the |
| Rear Admiral Thomas Baker Thomas Baker (Royal Navy officer) Sir Thomas Baker KCB, KWN was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars... |
9 January 1829 | January 1833 | Promoted to Vice Admiral 10 January 1837 |
| Rear Admiral Sir Michael Seymour Sir Michael Seymour, 1st Baronet Sir Michael Seymour, 1st Baronet KCB was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served during the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, eventually rising to the rank of Rear-Admiral.-Family and early life:... |
1 January 1833 | 9 July 1834 | Died en route to station |
| Vice Admiral Graham Hammond Sir Graham Hamond, 2nd Baronet Admiral of the Fleet Sir Graham Eden Hamond, 2nd Baronet GCB was a Royal Navy officer who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars.... |
16 September 1834 | 17 May 1838 | Promoted to Vice Admiral Vice Admiral (Royal Navy) Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century... 10 January 1837 |
| Pacific Station (1837–1905) | |||
| Commander in Chief, Pacific | From | Until | Notes |
| Rear Admiral Charles Ross Charles Ross (Royal Navy officer) Vice Admiral Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross CB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
1837 | 1841 | |
| Rear Admiral Richard Thomas Richard Darton Thomas Admiral Richard Darton Thomas was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
5 May 1841 | 1844 | Promoted to Admiral of the White 19 May 1857 |
| Rear Admiral George Seymour | 14 May 1844 | 25 August 1847 | Appointed Admiral of the Fleet Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy) Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996.... 30 November 1866 |
| Rear Admiral Phipps Hornby Phipps Hornby Admiral Sir Phipps Hornby, GCB was a prominent and experienced British Royal Navy officer of the nineteenth century. Hornby served on frigates throughout most of his wartime experience, which included witnessing the Nore Mutiny first hand aged 12 in 1797... |
25 August 1847 | 21 August 1850 | |
| Rear Admiral Fairfax Moresby Fairfax Moresby Admiral of the Fleet Sir Fairfax Moresby GCB , born in Calcutta, India, to English parents was a British naval officer.-Early life:Moresby was the eldest son of Fairfax Moresby, Lieut... |
21 August 1850 | 17 August 1853 | Stationed at Valparaíso Valparaíso Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region... also visited Vancouver Vancouver Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,... . Appointed Admiral of the Fleet 21 January 1870 |
| Rear Admiral David Price | 17 August 1853 | 30 August 1854 | Died at the Siege of Petropavlovsk Siege of Petropavlovsk The Siege of Petropavlovsk was the main operation on the Pacific Theatre of the Crimean War. The Russian casualties are estimated at 100 soldiers; the Allies lost five times as many.... |
| Rear Admiral Henry Bruce Henry William Bruce Admiral Sir Henry William Bruce KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.-Military career:... |
25 November 1854 | 8 July 1857 | |
| Rear Admiral Robert Baynes Robert Lambert Baynes Admiral Sir Robert Lambert Baynes KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
8 July 1857 | 5 May 1860 | |
| Rear Admiral Thomas Maitland Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale Admiral of the Fleet Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale, GCB was a Royal Navy officer and peer.-Naval career:... |
5 May 1860 | 31 October 1862 | Appointed Admiral of the Fleet 27 December 1877 |
| Rear Admiral John Kingcome John Kingcome Admiral Sir John Kingcome, KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:Kingcome joined the Royal Navy in 1808 and was present at the destruction of the French ships during the Battle of the Basque Roads the following year... |
31 October 1862 | 10 May 1864 | After whom Kingcome Inlet Kingcome Inlet Kingcome Inlet is one of the lesser principal fjords of the British Columbia Coast. It is sixth in sequence of the major saltwater fjords north from the 49th parallel north near Vancouver and similar in width to longer inlets such as Knight Inlet and Bute Inlet, but it is only 35 km in... is named, flagship was the |
| Rear Admiral Henry Denham Henry Mangles Denham Vice Admiral Sir Henry Mangles Denham, CMG was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Early career:... |
10 May 1864 | 21 November 1866 | |
| Vice Admiral George Hastings George Fowler Hastings Vice-Admiral George Fowler Hastings CB was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the First Opium War and the Crimean War. In a naval career spanning over 50 years Hastings saw service across the British Empire, and rose to the rank of vice-admiral... |
21 November 1866 | 1 November 1869 | Promoted to Vice Admiral 10 September 1869 |
| Rear Admiral Arthur Farquhar Arthur Farquhar Admiral Sir Arthur Farquhar KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.-Naval career:Farquhar joined the Royal Navy in 1829... |
1 November 1869 | 9 July 1872 | An investor in the coal mines of Robert Dunsmuir Robert Dunsmuir Robert Dunsmuir was a Scottish-Canadian coal miner, railway developer, industrialist and politician. -Origins in Scotland:... |
| Rear Admiral Charles Hillyar Charles Hillyar Admiral Sir Charles Farrell Hillyar KCB was a Royal Navy admiral who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, China Station.-Naval career:... |
9 July 1872 | 6 June 1873 | Son of James Hillyar James Hillyar Admiral Sir James Hillyar KCB KCH was a prominent British Royal Navy officer of the early nineteenth century, who is best known for his service in the frigate HMS Phoebe during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812... |
| Rear Admiral Arthur Cochrane Arthur Cochrane (Royal Navy officer) Admiral Sir Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro Cochrane KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
6 June 1873 | 15 April 1876 | Son of Thomas Cochrane Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician.... |
| Rear Admiral George Hancock George Hancock (Royal Navy officer) Rear Admiral George Hancock was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
15 April 1876 | August 1876 | |
| Rear Admiral Algernon de Horsey Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey Admiral Sir Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey KCB was a Royal Navy officer who served in the nineteenth century.-Early life:... |
20 September 1876 | 21 July 1879 | Promoted to Vice Admiral 27 November 1879. Promoted to Admiral 29 April 1885. |
| Rear Admiral Frederick Stirling Frederick Stirling Vice Admiral Frederick Henry Stirling was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station. He was a son of Admiral Sir James Stirling, the first Governor of Western Australia and Ellen Mangles.... |
21 July 1879 | 10 December 1881 | |
| Rear Admiral Algernon Lyons | 10 December 1881 | 13 September 1884 | |
| Rear Admiral John Baird | 13 September 1884 | 4 July 1885 | |
| Rear Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 3rd Baronet Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 3rd Baronet was a senior Royal Navy officer. On 17 September 1880 he became 3rd Baronet, on the death of his father... |
4 July 1885 | 20 September 1887 | |
| Rear Admiral Algernon Heneage Algernon Heneage Admiral Sir Algernon Charles Fieschi Heneage GCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore... |
20 September 1887 | 4 February 1890 | |
| Rear Admiral Charles Hotham Charles Frederick Hotham Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Frederick Hotham, GCB GCVO was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.-Naval career:... |
4 February 1890 | 4 May 1893 | |
| Rear Admiral Henry Stephenson Henry Frederick Stephenson Admiral Sir Henry Frederick Stephenson GCVO, KCB was a Royal Navy officer, courtier, and Arctic explorer.-Early life and career:... |
4 May 1893 | 19 June 1896 | |
| Rear Admiral Henry Palliser Henry Palliser Admiral Henry St Leger Bury Palliser was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:Palliser was appointed a Commander in the Royal Navy in 1869... |
19 June 1896 | 22 June 1899 | |
| Rear Admiral Lewis Beaumont Lewis Beaumont Admiral Sir Lewis Anthony Beaumont KCB KCMG was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.-Naval career:Beaumont joined the Royal Navy as a boy and was engaged in operations in Malaya by 1875.... |
22 June 1899 | 15 October 1900 | |
| Rear Admiral Andrew Bickford Andrew Bickford Admiral Andrew Kennedy Bickford CMG was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
1900 | 1903 | Builder of the Bickford tower. Promoted to Vice Admiral 10 February 1904. |
| Commodore James Goodrich James Goodrich (Royal Navy officer) Admiral Sir James Edward Clifford Goodrich KCVO was the last Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.-Naval career:... |
1903 | 1 March 1905 | Last Royal Navy commander. |
Legacy
The largest remnant of the Pacific Station is the CFB EsquimaltCFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
naval base in western Canada. Many geographical features of Vancouver Island and British Columbia are named after captains, commanders, and ships assigned to the Pacific Station. The Arco Britanica triumphal arch
Triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crowned with a flat entablature or attic on which a statue might be...
in Valparaíso was constructed to commemorate the British presence in the city, including several Naval commanders. Thomas Square
Thomas Square
Thomas Square is a park in Honolulu, Hawaii named for Admiral Richard Darton Thomas.-Hawaii:In February 1843 Lord George Paulet on seized and occupied the Kingdom of Hawaii, establishing the Provisional Cession of the Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands....
in Honolulu is named after Admiral Richard Darton Thomas. Although Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
s were flown over Hawaii as early as 1816 the current state flag of Hawaii
Flag of Hawaii
The flag of the state of Hawaii is the official standard symbolizing Hawaii as a U.S. state. The same flag had also previously been used by the kingdom, protectorate, republic, and territory of Hawaii...
design dates from the close of the Paulet Affair and features a British Union Flag in its canton to commemorate the help that Thomas rendered the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
's visits to Valparaíso, Cerro La Campana
Cerro La Campana
Cerro la Campana, the Bell mountain, is a mountain in La Campana National Park in central Chile.The Pacific and the mountain Aconcagua are visible from the summit on clear days....
, and the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
led to publication of The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle is a title commonly given to the book written by Charles Darwin and published in 1839 as his Journal and Remarks, bringing him considerable fame and respect...
which, along with later works such as On the Origin of Species, helped to establish the field of evolutionary biology.
See also
- British Pacific FleetBritish Pacific FleetThe British Pacific Fleet was a British Commonwealth naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944...
- a World War II era fleet assembled to fight Japan - CFB EsquimaltCFB EsquimaltCanadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
- the contemporary Canadian Forces Base - China StationChina StationThe China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
- a Royal Navy command that patrolled the eastern Pacific Ocean in the 19th and 20th centuries - Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard - the shore establishment used by the Pacific Station until 1905
- Maritime Forces PacificMaritime Forces PacificIn the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Pacific is responsible for the fleet and operations of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Pacific Ocean...
- the contemporary Canadian command - Pacific SquadronPacific SquadronThe Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...
- a division of the United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
between 1821 and 1907