HMS HERALD
Artist
Frederick Howard RN
Date1853
Object number00017993
NamePainting
MediumWatercolour paint, paper
DimensionsOverall: 146 mm, 0.15 kg
Display Dimensions: 100 x 150 mm
Display Dimensions: 100 x 150 mm
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionWatercolour painting by Frederick Howard RN titled 'HMS HERALD' . The three-masted vessel is shown off Lord Howe Island with furled sails, flying the White Ensign at the stern, cannons appear to be fired from the starboard side.
HMS HERALD was a survey ship on the Australia Station, 1845-56HistoryHMS HERALD was an Atholl-class 28-gun corvette of the Royal Navy. The vessel was converted to a survey ship in 1845 and surveyed in the Pacific, notably the coast of British Columbia. In 1848 the vessel took part in the search for Sir John Franklin who had been exploring the Northwest Passage.
From 1852 to 1861, under the command of Captain Henry Mangles Denham, HERALD carried out a survey of the Australian coast and Fiji Islands, continuing the earlier mission of HMS RATTLESNAKE. This era of surveying was an important period in southern hydrography as the voyage of HMS HERALD looked at substantial parts of the Australian coast which helped in establishing safe routes for shipping.
With the discovery of gold in Australia in the 1850s, the Royal Navy began to take a greater interest in New South Wales. In 1859 it established a new Australian Station, a naval command separate from the East Indies Station, to be responsible for waters around Australia.
SignificanceHMS HERALD had a long career and played a prominent role in early surveys of Australia's coastal waters.
