For other ships with the same name, see HMS Melita.
HMS Melita was a Royal NavyMariner-class composite screw sloop of 8 guns, launched in 1888 and commissioned in 1892. She was the only significant Royal Navy warship ever to be built in Malta Dockyard,[Note 2] She was renamed HMS Ringdove in 1915 as a salvage vessel and in 1920 was sold to the Falmouth Docks Company, which changed her name to Ringdove's Aid. She was sold again in 1926 to the Liverpool & Glasgow Salvage Association, renamed Restorer, and finally broken up in 1937, 54 years after her keel was laid.
The last of six 8-gun Mariner-class gunvessels designed by Nathaniel Barnaby,[2] the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction, her hull was of composite construction; that is, iron keel, frames, stem and stern posts with wooden planking. She was fitted with a 2-cylinder horizontal compound expansion steam engine driving a single screw, which was also built in the Malta Dockyard.[2] She was rigged with three masts, with square rig on the fore- and main-masts, making her a barque-rigged vessel. Her keel was laid at a special slipway built for her on the Senglea side of French Creek, which was still known as the "Melita Slip" into modern times.[1] Although laid down on 18 July 1883,[2] work progressed slowly; the entire enterprise had been designed to employ the local workforce when the Mediterranean Fleet was absent, and the fleet's frequent presence caused work on the new vessel to be halted all too often.[1] She was launched as Melita, the Latin name for the Malta, on 20 March 1888 by Princess Victoria Melita, the twelve-year-old daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh who was Commander-in-Chief of the British Mediterranean Fleet.[1]The Army and Navy Gazette reported that
The launch of the Melita, sloop at Malta Dockyard must have been quite an event in the history of the island. Under the circumstances, it would be invidious to make any remarks about the length of time she has been building. Let us hope she will prove a staunch and useful vessel.[4]
By the time she was launched, her entire class had been re-classified from gunvessels to sloops[2]
Naval careeredit
Melita was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 27 October 1892, nearly ten years after she was laid down.[1] During the 1890s she served in the Mediterranean,[5] recommissioning in October 1895, and again in October 1898.[1] While serving in Melita during this period Lieutenant (later Rear Admiral) Edward Inglefield invented the Inglefield clip for quickly attaching flags to each other - they are still in use in the Royal Navy today. In 1896 she served off the Sudanese coast, as part of the preparations for the reconquest of the Sudan.[6] While under Commander Ian M. Fraser she was as special service vessel at Constantinople when in November 1901 she was ordered to Devonport,[7] where she arrived in late December to be paid off 17 January 1902.[8]
Although it was stated by the Secretary to the Admiralty in Parliament that she would be sold,[9] instead she became a boom defence vessel at Southampton in May 1905. She was converted to a salvage vessel in December 1915, and swapped names with the Redbreast-class gunboatRingdove, thereby becoming the sixth Ringdove to serve in the Royal Navy.[2]
^Two 2-gun 94-ton schooners were also built by German of Malta in the 1850s
Referencesedit
^ abcdefMelita Historica New Series. 12(1998)3(323-330)
^ abcdefghijklWinfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555.
^ abcMercantile Navy List. London: Spottiswood, Ballantyne. 1 January 1923. p. 446. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
^. Archived from the original on 5 May 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
^Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. British Battles and Medals. p. 181. Published Spink, London. 1988.
^"Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36617. London. 20 November 1901. p. 10.
^"Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36643. London. 20 December 1901. p. 5.
^Hansard, Commons Sitting, 13 March 1905 vol 142 cc1199-200
^"Washless Propeller: Feature of Falmouth Salvage Ship". Western Morning News. No. 19755. Plymouth: The British Newspaper Archive (subscription). 9 July 1923. p. 3. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
^"Cornish Salvage Steamer". Western Morning News. No. 19757. Plymouth: The British Newspaper Archive (subscription). 11 July 1923. p. 3. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
^"The Salvage Association". Shipbuilding and Shipping Record. No. Volume 53, Part 1. 1939. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
^"Notices". Western Morning News. No. 20968. Plymouth: British Newspaper Archive (subscription). 7 June 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
Media related to HMS Melita (1888) at Wikimedia Commons
February 13, 2024
melita, 1888, other, ships, with, same, name, melita, melita, royal, navy, mariner, class, composite, screw, sloop, guns, launched, 1888, commissioned, 1892, only, significant, royal, navy, warship, ever, built, malta, dockyard, note, renamed, ringdove, 1915, . For other ships with the same name see HMS Melita HMS Melita was a Royal Navy Mariner class composite screw sloop of 8 guns launched in 1888 and commissioned in 1892 She was the only significant Royal Navy warship ever to be built in Malta Dockyard Note 2 She was renamed HMS Ringdove in 1915 as a salvage vessel and in 1920 was sold to the Falmouth Docks Company which changed her name to Ringdove s Aid She was sold again in 1926 to the Liverpool amp Glasgow Salvage Association renamed Restorer and finally broken up in 1937 54 years after her keel was laid Watercolour 1896 by Gaetano EspositoHistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS MelitaNamesakeMalta Latin BuilderMalta DockyardCost 60 179 2 Laid down18 July 1883 2 Launched20 March 1888Commissioned27 October 1892 1 RenamedRingdove in December 1915Reclassifiedsalvage vessel 1915FateSold on 9 July 1920 to the Falmouth Docks CompanyUnited KingdomName1920 Ringdove s Aid 1927 RestorerOperator1920 Falmouth Docks Company 1921 Falmouth Docks amp Engineering Company Ltd 1927 Liverpool amp Glasgow Salvage AssociationIdentificationOfficial Number 137212 from 1921 3 FateBroken up in the second quarter of 1937General characteristicsClass and typeMariner class composite screw sloopTonnage554 GRT 214 NRT from 1921 3 Displacement970 tonsLength167 ft 51 m Beam32 ft 9 8 m Draught14 ft 4 3 m 2 Installed power850 ihp 630 kW Propulsion2 cylinder horizontal compound expansion steam engine Single screw 2 Sail planBarque riggedSpeed11 1 2 knots 21 3 km h RangeApproximately 2 100 nmi 3 900 km at 10 kn 19 km h 2 Complement126Armament8 5 inch 40cwt breech loading guns Note 1 1 light gun 8 machine guns 2 Contents 1 Construction 2 Naval career 3 Civilian salvage vessel 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksConstruction edit nbsp Launch of MelitaThe last of six 8 gun Mariner class gunvessels designed by Nathaniel Barnaby 2 the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction her hull was of composite construction that is iron keel frames stem and stern posts with wooden planking She was fitted with a 2 cylinder horizontal compound expansion steam engine driving a single screw which was also built in the Malta Dockyard 2 She was rigged with three masts with square rig on the fore and main masts making her a barque rigged vessel Her keel was laid at a special slipway built for her on the Senglea side of French Creek which was still known as the Melita Slip into modern times 1 Although laid down on 18 July 1883 2 work progressed slowly the entire enterprise had been designed to employ the local workforce when the Mediterranean Fleet was absent and the fleet s frequent presence caused work on the new vessel to be halted all too often 1 She was launched as Melita the Latin name for the Malta on 20 March 1888 by Princess Victoria Melita the twelve year old daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh who was Commander in Chief of the British Mediterranean Fleet 1 The Army and Navy Gazette reported thatThe launch of the Melita sloop at Malta Dockyard must have been quite an event in the history of the island Under the circumstances it would be invidious to make any remarks about the length of time she has been building Let us hope she will prove a staunch and useful vessel 4 By the time she was launched her entire class had been re classified from gunvessels to sloops 2 Naval career editMelita was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 27 October 1892 nearly ten years after she was laid down 1 During the 1890s she served in the Mediterranean 5 recommissioning in October 1895 and again in October 1898 1 While serving in Melita during this period Lieutenant later Rear Admiral Edward Inglefield invented the Inglefield clip for quickly attaching flags to each other they are still in use in the Royal Navy today In 1896 she served off the Sudanese coast as part of the preparations for the reconquest of the Sudan 6 While under Commander Ian M Fraser she was as special service vessel at Constantinople when in November 1901 she was ordered to Devonport 7 where she arrived in late December to be paid off 17 January 1902 8 Although it was stated by the Secretary to the Admiralty in Parliament that she would be sold 9 instead she became a boom defence vessel at Southampton in May 1905 She was converted to a salvage vessel in December 1915 and swapped names with the Redbreast class gunboat Ringdove thereby becoming the sixth Ringdove to serve in the Royal Navy 2 nbsp HMS MelitaCivilian salvage vessel editRingdove ex Melita was sold to the Falmouth Docks Company on 9 July 1920 passing to Falmouth Docks amp Engineering Company Ltd as Ringdove s Aid the following year 2 3 In 1923 she was fitted with a new engine made by Samuel White amp Co of East Cowes Isle of Wight This was a 2 cylinder compound steam engine of 1200 IHP driving a new washless propeller 10 11 The ship was sold in 1926 to the Liverpool amp Glasgow Salvage Association which renamed her Restorer in 1927 12 13 Restorer was broken up in the second quarter of 1937 14 Notes edit The rest of the class had 38cwt versions Two 2 gun 94 ton schooners were also built by German of Malta in the 1850sReferences edit a b c d e f Melita Historica New Series 12 1998 3 323 330 a b c d e f g h i j k l Winfield R Lyon D 2004 The Sail and Steam Navy List All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815 1889 London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 032 6 OCLC 52620555 a b c Mercantile Navy List London Spottiswood Ballantyne 1 January 1923 p 446 Retrieved 16 November 2019 Army and Navy Gazette 24 March 1888 HMS Melita at the Naval Database website Archived from the original on 5 May 2006 Retrieved 11 September 2008 Joslin Litherland and Simpkin British Battles and Medals p 181 Published Spink London 1988 Naval amp Military intelligence The Times No 36617 London 20 November 1901 p 10 Naval amp Military intelligence The Times No 36643 London 20 December 1901 p 5 Hansard Commons Sitting 13 March 1905 vol 142 cc1199 200 Washless Propeller Feature of Falmouth Salvage Ship Western Morning News No 19755 Plymouth The British Newspaper Archive subscription 9 July 1923 p 3 Retrieved 16 November 2019 Cornish Salvage Steamer Western Morning News No 19757 Plymouth The British Newspaper Archive subscription 11 July 1923 p 3 Retrieved 16 November 2019 The Salvage Association Shipbuilding and Shipping Record No Volume 53 Part 1 1939 Retrieved 16 November 2019 Notices Western Morning News No 20968 Plymouth British Newspaper Archive subscription 7 June 1927 p 1 Retrieved 16 November 2019 1137212 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 7 July 2009 External links edit nbsp Media related to HMS Melita 1888 at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Melita 1888 amp oldid 1176485801, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
