Challenger was commanded in 1827 by Captain FitzClarence the illegitimate son of William IV. His father was still the Duke of Clarence in 1827, the year he became Lord High Admiral.[1]
Fremantleedit
Under the command of Charles Fremantle, she was in part responsible for the creation of the colony of Swan River in 1829. Captain Fremantle was under orders to take possession of the western side of New Holland on behalf of the British government. Challenger arrived on 25 April 1829 off Garden Island. She attempted to sail into Cockburn Sound the next day, but due to the incompetence of the sailing master, struck a rock midway between Garden and Carnac Islands. Challenger was not seriously damaged.[2]
Fateedit
The wreck of HMS Challenger, with the encampment built by the crew
Challenger was wrecked off Mocha Island, Chile on 19 May 1835, with the loss of two lives. HMS Blonde rescued the survivors on 15 June.[3]
Challenger was under the command of Captain Michael Seymour. She sailed from Rio de Janeiro on 1 April, bound for Talcahuano. She was sailing off the coast of Chile when she struck on rocks in the late evening of 19 May. Overcast skies had prevented her from taking sightings since 17 May. The crew cut away her mizzen mast and the waves carried her over the rocks into calmer water. Pumping kept the water coming in from sinking her, but it was clear that she was lost. The morning revealed that she was low, a flat beach nearby. Over the next few days the crew used boats and rafts to evacuate Challenger, though some crew members died when their boats overturned in the surf. The crew were also able to salvage a considerable amount of her stores and to establish a camp. Local ranchers arrived and rendered assistance,[4] while the assistant surgeon and clerk sought help at Concepción, Chile. From there Rouse, the British consul, took a party on horseback to assist. At the wreck, a crowd of Araucanian people gathered peaceably. Seymour was concerned that they could turn hostile, and the shore was unsuitable for ship access.[5] The survivors abandoned their camp on 8 June and established a new camp at the mouth of the Lebu River, about 16 kilometres (10 mi) north. From there a party went overland to Concepción, about 64 kilometres (40 mi) away (as the crow flies).[4] Their leader, Lieutenant Collins, found the town still in ruins after the earthquake in February. The only available boat was an overpriced sloop in poor condition, so he sent a message to the consulate in Valparaíso requesting help, then went back to the Lebu camp.[6]
HMS Beagle, under captain Robert FitzRoy, was surveying the coast and about to leave Valparaíso on 14 June when an English merchant got a letter which mentioned the shipwreck. A Swedish ship had seen an "American big" in trouble near Mocha island. FitzRoy questioned them and next day, convinced it was Challenger captained by his friend, collected the mail for the British consulate. It was closed, but he got entry and saw dispatches about the wreck. He then went to Blonde with the message from Collins requesting help. Apparently Commodore Mason was reluctant to set off and risk the lee-shore in winter, so FitzRoy "had to bully him & at last offered to go as Pilot", agreed after "a tremendous quarrel" with hints the Commodore would face a court-martial.[7][8]
They took Blonde south to Concepción, then FitzRoy took horse and a guide to Seymour's Lebu camp, returning to find that Mason had hired the overpriced sloop Carmen with its inexperienced local crew, and sent it off along with the Beagle's whaleboat. The sloop had sailed past the campsite by 28 June, when at FitzRoy's insistence Blonde set off. He too had difficulty finding the Lebu River, but they saw signal fires lit at the camp, and arrived on 5 July. With some difficulties, they got the survivors on board, as well as Rouse, whose servants and horses returned overland.[5] Investigation revealed that a powerful current had pushed Challenger onshore at Molfguilla,[4] FitzRoy later suggested that the earthquake had changed ocean current patterns. On the way back they rescued Carmen, which had become dismasted, and towed it and the whaleboat to Concepción.[9]Challenger's captain and crew were returned to England from Coquimbo on 22 July by HMS Conway.[10]
Citationsedit
^"The Challenger commanded by Captain FitzClarence, sailing from Portsmouth with Dispatches for Lisbon, Oct 31. 1827 | Royal Museums Greenwich".
^"The tragedy of the seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine". 1848.
Referencesedit
Cygnet (1935), The story of H.M.S. Challenger (1826-1835): the ship in which Captain Fremantle took possession of Western Australia for the British Crown in 1829, Paterson Brokensha
Henderson, Graeme (1980), Unfinished Voyages: Western Australian Shipwrecks 1622–1850, University of Western Australia, ISBN0855641762
Hepper, David J. (1994), British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859, Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot, ISBN0-948864-30-3
challenger, 1826, other, ships, with, same, name, challenger, challenger, sixth, rate, royal, navy, launched, portsmouth, england, november, 1826, challenger, commanded, captain, fitzclarence, sailing, from, portsmouth, with, dispatches, lisbon, october, 1827h. For other ships with the same name see HMS Challenger HMS Challenger was a 28 gun sixth rate of the Royal Navy launched at Portsmouth England on 14 November 1826 Challenger commanded by Captain FitzClarence sailing from Portsmouth with dispatches for Lisbon on 31 October 1827History United Kingdom NameHMS Challenger Ordered9 June 1825 Reordered 27 June 1825 BuilderPortsmouth Dockyard Laid downNovember 1825 Launched14 November 1826 CompletedBy 9 March 1827 FateWrecked on 19 May 1835 General characteristics Class and type28 gun sixth rate Tons burthen60291 94 bm LengthOverall 125 ft 7 1 2 in 38 3 m Keel 105 ft 11 1 2 in 32 3 m Beam32 ft 8 in 10 0 m Depth of hold9 ft 3 1 4 in 2 8 m Sail planFull rigged ship Complement175 ArmamentGun deck 20 32 pounder 14 528 g 32 029 lb carronades QD 6 x 18 pounder 8 172 g 18 016 lb carronades Fc 2 x 9 pounder 4 086 g 9 008 lb Contents 1 Royal patronage 2 Fremantle 3 Fate 4 Citations 5 ReferencesRoyal patronage editChallenger was commanded in 1827 by Captain FitzClarence the illegitimate son of William IV His father was still the Duke of Clarence in 1827 the year he became Lord High Admiral 1 Fremantle editUnder the command of Charles Fremantle she was in part responsible for the creation of the colony of Swan River in 1829 Captain Fremantle was under orders to take possession of the western side of New Holland on behalf of the British government Challenger arrived on 25 April 1829 off Garden Island She attempted to sail into Cockburn Sound the next day but due to the incompetence of the sailing master struck a rock midway between Garden and Carnac Islands Challenger was not seriously damaged 2 Fate edit nbsp The wreck of HMS Challenger with the encampment built by the crew Challenger was wrecked off Mocha Island Chile on 19 May 1835 with the loss of two lives HMS Blonde rescued the survivors on 15 June 3 Challenger was under the command of Captain Michael Seymour She sailed from Rio de Janeiro on 1 April bound for Talcahuano She was sailing off the coast of Chile when she struck on rocks in the late evening of 19 May Overcast skies had prevented her from taking sightings since 17 May The crew cut away her mizzen mast and the waves carried her over the rocks into calmer water Pumping kept the water coming in from sinking her but it was clear that she was lost The morning revealed that she was low a flat beach nearby Over the next few days the crew used boats and rafts to evacuate Challenger though some crew members died when their boats overturned in the surf The crew were also able to salvage a considerable amount of her stores and to establish a camp Local ranchers arrived and rendered assistance 4 while the assistant surgeon and clerk sought help at Concepcion Chile From there Rouse the British consul took a party on horseback to assist At the wreck a crowd of Araucanian people gathered peaceably Seymour was concerned that they could turn hostile and the shore was unsuitable for ship access 5 The survivors abandoned their camp on 8 June and established a new camp at the mouth of the Lebu River about 16 kilometres 10 mi north From there a party went overland to Concepcion about 64 kilometres 40 mi away as the crow flies 4 Their leader Lieutenant Collins found the town still in ruins after the earthquake in February The only available boat was an overpriced sloop in poor condition so he sent a message to the consulate in Valparaiso requesting help then went back to the Lebu camp 6 HMS Beagle under captain Robert FitzRoy was surveying the coast and about to leave Valparaiso on 14 June when an English merchant got a letter which mentioned the shipwreck A Swedish ship had seen an American big in trouble near Mocha island FitzRoy questioned them and next day convinced it was Challenger captained by his friend collected the mail for the British consulate It was closed but he got entry and saw dispatches about the wreck He then went to Blonde with the message from Collins requesting help Apparently Commodore Mason was reluctant to set off and risk the lee shore in winter so FitzRoy had to bully him amp at last offered to go as Pilot agreed after a tremendous quarrel with hints the Commodore would face a court martial 7 8 They took Blonde south to Concepcion then FitzRoy took horse and a guide to Seymour s Lebu camp returning to find that Mason had hired the overpriced sloop Carmen with its inexperienced local crew and sent it off along with the Beagle s whaleboat The sloop had sailed past the campsite by 28 June when at FitzRoy s insistence Blonde set off He too had difficulty finding the Lebu River but they saw signal fires lit at the camp and arrived on 5 July With some difficulties they got the survivors on board as well as Rouse whose servants and horses returned overland 5 Investigation revealed that a powerful current had pushed Challenger onshore at Molfguilla 4 FitzRoy later suggested that the earthquake had changed ocean current patterns On the way back they rescued Carmen which had become dismasted and towed it and the whaleboat to Concepcion 9 Challenger s captain and crew were returned to England from Coquimbo on 22 July by HMS Conway 10 Citations edit The Challenger commanded by Captain FitzClarence sailing from Portsmouth with Dispatches for Lisbon Oct 31 1827 Royal Museums Greenwich Henderson 1980 pp 77 78 Loss of His Majesty s Frigate Challenger The Morning Post No 20236 16 October 1835 a b c Hepper 1994 p 162 a b Thomson 2003 pp 191 192 Thomson 2003 p 192 Thomson 2003 pp 190 191 Letter no 281 Charles Darwin to Caroline Darwin 19 July 12 August 1835 Lima Darwin Correspondence Project Retrieved 24 January 2022 Thomson 2003 pp 191 193 The tragedy of the seas or Sorrow on the ocean lake and river from shipwreck plague fire and famine 1848 References editCygnet 1935 The story of H M S Challenger 1826 1835 the ship in which Captain Fremantle took possession of Western Australia for the British Crown in 1829 Paterson Brokensha Henderson Graeme 1980 Unfinished Voyages Western Australian Shipwrecks 1622 1850 University of Western Australia ISBN 0855641762 Hepper David J 1994 British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail 1650 1859 Rotherfield Jean Boudriot ISBN 0 948864 30 3 Naval database Thomson Keith S 2003 HMS Beagle the story of Darwin s ship London Phoenix ISBN 978 0 7538 1733 9 OCLC 52143718 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Challenger 1826 amp oldid 1169618546, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
