Proceedings aboard the HMS GLADIATOR recorded by Robert O Leach

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Proceedings aboard the HMS GLADIATOR recorded by Robert O Leach

Author Robert Owen Leach (British, 1832 - 1920)

Date17 February 1846 - 29 August 1847

Object number00044625

NameJournal

MediumPaper, ink, board, leather

DimensionsOverall: 328 x 220 x 30 mm, 1385 g

ClassificationsBooks and journals

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionManuscript journal logging the proceedings aboard the HMS GLADIATOR as recorded by Robert O Leach, Naval Cadet. The journal commences in Woolwich, 17 February 1846 and ends in Messina 29 August 1847.HistoryThis is one of three manuscript journals which contain a series of 'logs' detailing the life at sea of Robert O. Leach, Cadet, Midshipman and Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy from 17 February 1846 to 31 March 1861. The whole period is covered consecutively, they chronicle the development of Robert Leach from Cadet aboard a large paddle wheel frigate HMS GLADIATOR, 4 x 10inch and 2 x 110pwd guns, moored in or cruising off Oporto, Portugal between March and August 1846 during the Portuguese Wars, then cruising in the Mediterranean and at Malta, Leghorne, Genoa, Palermo and Messina. Journal Two continues the voyage of HMS GLADIATOR to Naples, Genoa and Tangier before returning to England and the dockyards at Woolwich where Leach is transferred to HMS GANGES a wooden, three masted, 84 gun ship of the line built at Bombay, India. On board GANGES Leach sails back to the Mediterranean and cruise there between the 2 May 1849 and 27 January 1852 voyaging constantly between Malta and the Dardanelles. Leach returns to Sheerness, England in early 1852 and is transferred to HMS VICTORY in Portsmouth Harbour. Journal Three commences on the 28 January 1852 and details life and work onboard HMS VICTORY until 6 July 1852, where he passed for the rank of Lieutenant and was appointed to HMS PORCUPINE, a three gun, 140hp paddle gunboat on the 17 July 1852. He cruises extensively around Britain and Ireland before being sent on the 6 April 1854 to the Baltic, joining Admiral Napier's Squadron fighting the Russians in the Baltic part of the Crimean War. The PORCUPINE cruised extensively in Swedish and Finish waters and amongst the Aland Islands and took part in the landing of soldiers and bombardment of Bomarsund Fortress on 11 August 1854. On the 1 October 1854 Lt. Leach transferred to HMS Conflict, an 8 gun, 400 hp screw steam sloop patrolling off Gotland, taking prizes and going off on small boat expeditions until the vessel retuned to England for a refit between 21 December 1854 and February 1855, after which it was ordered back to the Baltic to continue operations. On the 17 march 1856 Lt. Leach was appointed to HMS CORMORANT, a six gun, 300hp paddle sloop fitting out at Chatham Dockyards and he stayed with the ship for sea trials until May 1857 when he was appointed to HMS CORDELIA, a new wooden, three masted, 579 ton screw sloop armed with 11 x 32 pwds. By August 1857 Leach and the CORDELIA were in Simonstown and until May 1858 patrolled and worked between Mozambique, the Arabian Peninsula and India. Australia Station In the early 1850s the worsening relations between Britain and Russia, the discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria coupled with a growing awareness of isolation and vulnerability made the Australian colonial governments make a series of urgent request to the British government for a stronger Royal Navy presence in the region. The British Government subsequently strengthened the naval forces based at Port Jackson and in 1859 established Australia as a seperate station from the East Indies Station allowing Captain William Loring of HMS IRIS to hoist a commodore's Blue Pennant and to assume command as Senior Officer of Her Majesty's Ships on the Australian Station. (Bastock, 1975) On 13 June 1858 Leach and the CORDELIA sailed for the Australian Colonies, reaching Sydney 29 July 1858. On board CORDELIA were Sir George Bowan, First Governor of Queensland and his wife Contessa Diamantina Roma and their daughter Nina. The CORDELIA subsequently took the new Governor and his family to Moreton Bay. (Harris, 2006, http://www.health.qld.gov.au/pahospital/history/contessa.asp) Lt. Leach and HMS CORDELIA subsequently went on to visit Norfolk Island, The Fiji Islands, Samoa and New Caledonia, charted parts of the Great Barrier Reef and acted as a supply vessel for missionaries in the Pacific, notable Rev John Gibson Paton and John Coleridge Patteson. Between February 1860 and March 1861 Leach and the CORDELIA in company with HMS Elk, IRIS, NIGER and PELORUS were sent to New Zealand to assist European settlers during the Taranaki Wars against the Maoris. In December 1860 HMS CORDELIA and Lt. Leach sailed for England. Leach's journal ends on the 31 March 1861. Also included with the journals is Cadet's Leach's mathematical and navigational workbook which begins on the 13 August 1846 whilst he is on board HMS GLADIATOR and progress into more complex navigational workings and exercises until 19 March 1848. SignificanceOne of a rare and remarkable series of journals by Robert O Leach detailing 15 years in the Royal Navy. The three Leach journals and the Leach workbook provide a unique insight into life onboard Royal Navy gunboats and sloops during 'Pax Britannica' and provide a view of the Baltic War Campaign amongst the Swedish, Finnish and Aland Islands as well as the Arabian Sea, the far Pacific and the New Zealand Wars.