Druid, 1825
Type: 5th rate ; Armament 46
Launched : 1 Jul 1825 ; Disposal date or year : 1863
BM: 1170 tons
Notes:

1 Jan 1820 building or ordered to be built, with a circular stern.

29 Dec 1825 departs Plymouth for Lisbon to relieve the Glasgow when she has received her full complement.

14 Mar 1826 arrived Spithead from Plymouth.

10 Jun 1826, Jamaica, is reported to have landed Mr. Mackenzie, the British Consul, at Port au Prince.

6 Jan 1827 Employed in the West Indies.

9 May 1828 departed Crooked Island for Jamaica via Turk's Island.

17 Jul 1828 preparing to depart Nassau, New Providence, for Halifax, to be hove down through the hurricane season.

15 Oct 1828 had arrived Bermuda from Halifax, and would shortly proceed to Jamaica.

6 Sep 1829 arrived Portsmouth from Jamaica with specie, and will sail shortly for Plymouth, to be paid off.

9 Feb 1830 In Hamoaze.

Mar 1830 fitted with the fire-engine pump, invented by Mr. John Earle of Devonport. See Jun 1833 for one or two comments.

8 Mar 1830 departs Plymouth about the end of the week for South America.

15 Nov 1830 arrived Bahia, from Rio de Janeiro, Capt. Hamilton, in command.

2 Dec 1830 about 10 miles to the S.W. of Bahia sighted and stopped the schooner Destimida, Raimundo Arribas, master, which was in a leaky condition and accompanied her into Bahia. 5 negroes on board the schooner were claimed to be a part of her crew, but were not mentioned in the vessel's papers and were obviously slaves, and once in port a further 50 negroes were found hidden in the hull, and since it was necessary to careen the vessel they had to be taken out, 48 being put on board the Druid. The Destimida was then sent for adjudication to the British and Brazilian Mixed Court of Commission at Rio de Janeiro, where she arrived on 21 Dec 1830 and on 22 Jan 1831 50 of the negroes were emancipated and it was decreed that the schooner should be given up to her owner.

5 Dec 1830 when returning to Rio to refit received information that the Thetis had been wrecked about forty miles north of Rio. Capt. Hamilton determined on going as near as possible to assist the ship's crew, and to see if any thing could be saved from the wreck. We endeavoured to get to windward, in company with the Clio, Adelaide, Aguize, and a brig sent by the French Admiral; but from the light winds and strong southerly current, could not weather Cape Frio, where the Thetis was lost. On the 16th, about six miles to the southward of the Cape, the Captain sent a boat on shore to gain intelligence respecting the ship's crew and wreck ; about ten on the morning of the 17th, saw our boat returning, when we were ordered by the Admiral to take on board the sick and wounded, and send provisions for the remainder. At three P.M. the Algerine came out of the bay, and brought us thirty-five officers and men, who were in a most deplorable condition, having lost every thing. We came to an anchor in the evening, and on the morning of the 18th sent all our boats on shore to bring off the crew. The ship had on board eight hundred thousand dollars when she was wrecked. At about 11.30 A.M. the officers and seamen arrived in seven of our boats, with the exception of Capt. Burgess, and a few officers and men, who were wounded, amongst whom was Mr. Barnes, late Surgeon (supernnmerary) of the Warspite, who had been invalided. Lieut. Child and the Marines remain behind to take care of the stores that may drive on shore from the hull of the ship.

12 Feb 1831 further to the Destimida case the Brazilian authorities appear to be taking their time with respect to the negroes on board the schooner, requiring the Naval Authorities to provide manpower to supervise them and funds to pay for their food etc.

28 Feb 1831 the 50 negroes were removed by the Brazilian authorities, in preparation for their emancipation i.e. to be named etc. and given letters of emancipation etc., but in reality, I suspect, hardly emancipation as it would have been intended by the British Government.

6 Mar 1831 arrived Portsmouth, from Rio Janeiro, which she left on the 16 Jan. bringing home Capt. Burgess, and the officers and ship's company of the late frigate Thetis, Capt. G. W. Hamilton, C.B., in command.

Druid 11 Mar 1831 arrived Plymouth from Portsmouth.

15 May 1831 departed Plymouth for the South American station.

12 Jul 1831 had arrived Rio Janeiro from Plymouth.

18 Sep 1831 remains Rio de Janeiro.

4 Jul 1832 is reported to have remained in the Rio Plata when the Lightning departed Rio for England.

6 Aug 1832 she is reported at Rio to be at Monte Video looking after British interests during the current instability.

Circa 2 Oct 1832 departed Rio for England.

26 Nov 1832 arrived Spithead from the South America station in 56 days.

8 Dec 1832 remains at Spithead.

22 Dec 1832 departed Portsmouth for Plymouth and from thence for Lisbon and Oporto to relieve the Briton.

24 Dec 1832 arrived Plymouth.

25 Dec 1832 departed Plymouth for Lisbon.

4 Mar 1833 Off Oporto.

11 Mar 1833 off the bar at Lisbon.

4 Jun 1833 arrived Spithead from Lisbon.

5 Jun 1833 departed Spithead for Plymouth.

6 Jun 1833 arrived Plymouth Sound, from Portsmouth.

7 Jun 1833 came into Hamoaze to be paid off.

18 Jun 1833 paid off at Plymouth.

Jun 1833 it is reported that Earle's fire-engine pump has worked satisfactorily, and excepting repairs which needed to be made to the leather hose etc. has required no maintenance despite being used every day for emptying the well, washing decks, filling gallery (sic.) cisterns, pumping water from the tanks, and filling them from the boats alongside, and it can be applied as three distinct fire engines if required, and is now being fitted on board the Caledonia, Revenge, Endymion, Forte, Volage, Vestal, Nimrod, Ringdove, and Pandora packet, along with other ships which have had it fitted.

10 Aug 1839 Royal Marines Second Lieutenant Pickard appointed to the Druid.

8 Aug 1839 Plymouth, In Barnpool.

Dec 1839 arrived Sydney at the latter end of the month.

12 Jan 1840 Sydney left for Canton.

15 Apr 1840 had arrived at Canton.

11 Jul 1840 Mate Arthur B. Kingston (1833), of the Druid, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

27 Apr 1840 at Capsingmoon, China

2 Jun 1840 Capt. J. Churchill died at Macao of dysentry.

1839-42 engaged in the Operations in China. Officers and Men serving on this ship during this period may be eligible for a Medal. See p. 288 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

6 Aug 1840 following an attack on a clergyman in Casilha Bay, near Macao, reprisals were taken by the squadron. See p. 284 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

24 Nov 1840, at Tongkoo Bay.

7 Jan 1841 off Anunghouy, RMs, detachments of the British and Indian army and men from the Wellesley, Blenheim, Melville, Samarang, Druid, Modeste, Columbine Calliope, Hyacinth, Starling, Larne and cutter Louise landed to attack and destroy the forts at Chuenpee and Tycocktow. See www.gazettes-online.co.uk of 7 May 1841 and 14 May 1841. See also p. 284-> at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

19 Feb 1841 departed Hong Kong with the Jupiter and transports for operations off North Wangtong.

26 Feb 1841 entered the western channel, and engaged the battery on North Wangtung, and a fort and camp on the opposite bank ; see www.gazettes-online.co.uk of 11 Jun 1841. See also p. 289-> at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

1 Mar 1841 off Wantong. Ship's boats sent up the river to Canton.

17 Apr 1841 Mate ----- Pitman (of the Blenheim), promoted to Lieutenant ; appointed to the Druid.

24-> Aug 1841 operations against Amoy and the fortified island of Kolangsoo. See p. 294-> at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

4 Sep 1841 the expedition proceeded to Chusan. See p. 294-> at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

1 Oct 1841 action at Tinghae. See p. 294-> at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

8 Oct 1841 Mate Henry Need promoted to Lieutenant.

Late 1841 piracy remained a source of much trouble, especially in the vicinity of Amoy, where, on one occasion, a boat of the Druid, Captain Henry Smith, lost several men by the sudden blowing up of a large junk at the moment of boarding. See p. 296-> at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

13 Nov 1841 at Amoy.

14 Mar 1842 at Amoy.

2 Jun 1842 at Hong Kong.and expected to remain after the Blenheim departs for Singapore to continue co-ordinating communications with vessels arriving from Singapore and India etc..

18 Jun 1842 departed Hong Kong for Bombay and England.

20 Dec 1848 Quarantine Ship, Liverpool

1860 Quarantine Service, Liverpool (from 1846)