HMS Egeria

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The first Egeria was a 26-gun ship sloop launched at Bridport in 1807. She was of 424 tons and carried a crew of 135 men. Her length, beam, and draught were 108ft., 30ft., and 11ft. On December 21st, 1808, the Egeria, commanded by Commander Lewis Hole, captured the French 10-gun vessel Noesois. On March 2nd, 1809, the Egeria” commanded by Commander Lewis Hole, captured the Danish 6-gun vessel Aalborg. The “Egeria” became a receiving ship at Devonport from 1825 until 1860. She then became a police ship and acted as such until 1864, when she was broken up. The second Egeria was a 4-gun screw sloop launched at Pembroke in 1873. She was of 940 tons, 1011 horse-power, and 11 knots speed. Her length, beam, and draught were 160ft., 31ft., and 14ft. In 1875 the “Egeria,” commanded by Commander Ralph Lancelot Turton, proceeded to Perak, as one of a squadron of six ships under Captain Alexander Buller with his senior officer’s pennant in Modeste, to take part in an expedition against the murderers of Mr. J. W. Birch, the British resident in Perak. While the troops and a naval brigade advanced on the upper reaches of the Perak River simultaneously from two points, the Egeria blockaded the Perak Littoral, and sent her boats up the Kurow River. These boats destroyed or carried off some guns, arms, and ammunition which might have been useful to the enemy. Severe punishment was inflicted on the natives, but the actual murderers were not brought to account for some time afterwards. This vessel acted for many years in the Surveying Service, and in November 1911 she was put up to public auction at Esquimalt, and sold to the Vancouver branch of the Navy League for £1416.[1]