HMS Hornet (1854)

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Career (UK)

Launched:	13 April 1854
Fate:	Decommissioned 1868
General characteristics
Displacement:	753 tons
Propulsion:	Screw

For other RN ships of this name, see HMS Hornet.

HMS Hornet, Royal Navy sloop.

[edit] History

On 25 April 1855 Hornet, along with HMS Sybille and HMS Bittern, under Commodore Hon Charles Elliot, discovered an island in the Sea of Japan, at lat 37 ° 17 ' 23 " N, long 131 ° 54 ' 23 " E. It was about a mile in extent, running in a NW by W and SE by E direction and formed together by a reef of rocks. The Hornet's commander at the time, Charles C Forsyth, noted in the ship's log:

We could discern no dangers lying off them and the waters appear to be deep close to the shore. They are barren, without exception of a few patches of grass on their sides and landing would be difficult except in very calm weather. The height of the NW island was ascertained to be 410 ft above sea level.

On 27 November that year, Hornet arrived at Hong Kong from Hakodadi. Two years later, on 26 June 1858, the Hornet was one of 56 vessels there granted part of a Parliamentary Grant of £33,000, in lieu of prize money, for services on the China Station. In 1860 she was still serving on the China Station, in the East Indies and the China Sea.