HMS Dart (1882) facts for kids
The crew of Dart in 1885
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Dart |
| Acquired | March 1882 |
| Fate | Lent to New South Wales Government in April 1904 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Screw schooner |
| Displacement | 470 ton |
| Length | 133 ft (41 m) |
| Beam | 25.2 ft (7.7 m) |
| Depth | 13+1⁄2 ft (4.1 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 cylinder steam engine 16" & 32"-24" |
| Notes | Iron frame planked. Designer St Clare Byrne. Sails by Lapthorn and Ramseys |
HMS Dart was a special kind of sailing ship called a schooner. It was built in 1877 in Barrow, England. The ship was first named Cruiser and belonged to a nobleman, Lord Eglinton.
Later, the British government bought the ship. It was used by Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, who was the governor of the Fiji Islands. When he moved to New Zealand, the Royal Navy bought Cruiser. They renamed it Dart in March 1882. It then became a support ship for the training vessel Britannia.
Exploring the Seas: Survey Work
Dart was first planned to be a yacht for a high-ranking naval officer in Australia. Instead, it was set up for important survey missions. A hydrographic survey means mapping out oceans, rivers, and lakes. This helps create accurate charts for ships to navigate safely.
- Dart started its survey work in 1883 around Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.
- From May to September 1884, it also surveyed waters near Fiji, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, the Marshall Islands, and New Britain Island.
In 1883, Dart was involved in an event in the New Hebrides. This happened after a ship captain was killed. A group from Dart went ashore. After some fighting, some people were killed or hurt. As a result, weapons were taken, and some villages were burned.
In 1893, Dart surveyed Port Arthur and "Dead Island" (Isle of the Dead) in Tasmania, Australia. The information was used to create a detailed map called Admiralty chart 1475. This chart helped other ships know the area better.
Later Adventures of HMS Dart
In 1885, Arthur Mostyn Field became the first commander of Dart. In June 1889, there was a worry that the ship might be lost when a small boat from it was found near North Cape, New Zealand. But Dart safely sailed into Sydney later.
From March 1897 to March 1900, Commander John Franklin Parry was in charge. Dart continued its survey work in Australia. Lieutenant Charles Edward Monro took command on March 1, 1900. That same month, the ship visited Sydney and Hobart. In early 1901, it was in Brisbane.
Lieutenant Frederick Claude Coote Pasco became the commander in January 1902. In June 1902, Dart visited Nouméa and the Solomon Islands.
In 1904, the Royal Navy stopped using Dart. It was then loaned to the New South Wales Government to be a training ship. In 1912, it was sold for £1010 to the Victoria State Government. They used it as a support ship for their training vessel, John Murray.
In 1919, Dart was sold again for £1500 to Mr. J. Harrison. In July 1919, there were reports that the ship was lost after some wreckage was found near St Helens, Tasmania. But once again, Dart arrived safely in Hobart. In 1920, French owners in Nouméa bought the ship. They renamed it Jeanne Elisabeth and later Athalai.
