HMS Waterwitch
1832 Waterwitch was built by Joseph White, of Cowes as a racing yacht of advanced, experimental design, achieving considerable success in this field.
1834 She was purchased by the Navy and spent the remainder of her career on the West Africa station. She was the last privately-built vessel to be bought by the Admiralty for use as a man-of-war. It was also part of the final generation of sail-driven warships to be operated by the Navy.
She is representative of a group of fast-sailing vessels that served with distinction on the anti-slavery patrol during the middle decades of the nineteenth century.
c.1839 Waterwitch's second cruise followed the established pattern, of patrol in the Gulf of Guinea and reliance on Sierra Leone; after this date there was a marked break, with blockade of the central African coast and a new association with bases at St Helena, Ascension Island and Cape Colony.
Subsequently Mr. White built other brigs for the Royal Navy, notably the Daring. This vessel and the Waterwitch performed the best to windward in a strong wind and head sea in the experimental sailing of 1844. [1]
Another Waterwitch was built in 1866:
1866 She was built by J. and W. Dudgeon of Millwall, a 'waterjet' powered steam warship, based on the patent of John Ruthven. Launched in 1866.
Another Waterwitch was a Royal Fleet Auxiliary:
1914 Launched by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd, Govan as RECHID PASHA for Sirketi Hayriye, Istanbul (Bosphorous Steam Navigation Co). She was seized on the slip
1915 She was completed as WATERWITCH
1923 She was returned to Turkish owners Bosphorus Steam Navigation Co, Istanbul and renamed HALAS NO 71
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Engineer 1887/04/08