Cleopatra, 1835
Type: 6th rate ; Armament 26
Launched at Pembroke : 28 Apr 1835 ; Disposal date or year : 1862
BM: 918 tons
Complement : 152 officers and men ; 33 boys ; 25 marines
Notes:

St Petersburgh 15 Oct 1835 sailed for England having been on shore. She arrived at Flamborough Head on the 25th and the following day, in a gale, was in collision with the dismasted brig Fisher, to which she was attempting to give assistance, which sank with the apparent loss of 6 lives. She is now in dock at Sheerness.

26 Oct 1835 Off Flamboro' Head in a gale. Reports unable to save the crew of the vessel Fisher which sank due to the bad weather

Portsmouth 28 Nov 1835 arrived at Spithead Wednesday, from Sheerness, and is expected to sail in the next day or so for South America, having taken on boys and marines as supernumeraries for other vessels on that station..

Portsmouth 5 Dec 1835 sailed from Spithead Monday for Rio de Janeior, passing Plymouth on the 1st.

20 Jan 1836 at Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro 2 Mar 1836 sailed for St Catherine.

11 May 1839 arrived at Halifax.

23 Nov 1839 was reported to be at Bermuda and to be departing shortly for the West Indies..

3 Jan 1840 detained the Portuguese slave vessel Louisa / Louise, with 283 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at Jamaica and was condemned. 19 June 1844 the proceeds arising due for payment.

23 Feb 1840 boarded and inspected the papers of the Spanish vessel Iberia, following which there was an exchange of letters between the 2 governments.

2 Jun 1840 Jamaica sailed for Bermuda;

6 Oct 1840 arrived at Newfoundland, from Quebec.

26 Oct 1840 at Bermuda.

5 Dec 1840 Commander W. W. P. Johnson (of the Winchester), promoted to be Acting Captain of the Crocodile, vice Alexander Milne, to the Cleopatra.

26 Dec 1840 Clerk Henry Hope Chimmo of the Cleopatra : promoted to the rank of purser.

16 Dec 1840 at Barbadoes, having been cruising off Porto Rico. arrived at St. Thomas's on the 26th and resumed her cruise on the 29th.

27 Jan 1841 detained in lat. 18° 5' N. long. 64° 40' W., off St. Thomas's, whilst bound from Rio Pongo to Porto Rico, the Spanish slave schooner Segunda Rosario, F. Peyrano, master, with 288 slaves on board which was sent for adjudication to Mixed the British and Spanish Court at the Havana and on 18 Feb 1841 sentenced to be condemned. See also p. 306 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.

3 Mar 1841, Jamaica, sailed on a cruise.

3 Apr 1841, Second Master ----- Raines (late Winchester), appointed to Cleopatra, (vice James Fowler to Winchester), and promoted to the rank of master. Captain C. Wyvill, to Cleopatra; A. Milne, appointed to Crocodile (late Cleopatra). Master James Fowler, appointed to Winchester (late Cleopatra), vice Robinson. appointed to Columbia.

10 Apr 1841, arrived at Halifax and sailed again on the 17th, in company with the Racer, 16, on a cruise.

18 Sep 1841, Surgeon Mr. T. Kittle, appointed to the Cleopatra

18 Oct 1841, was at Halifax.

1 Aug 1842 detained a slave brig, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at British Guiana, and on 12 Jan 1844 sentenced to be condemned.

12 Apr 1843 detained in lat. 17° 20' S., long. 38° 30' E., in the Mozambique Channel, the slave brigantine Progresso, with 444 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 01 Aug 1843 sentenced to be condemned.

11 Jul 1843 detained the slave vessel Defensivo, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope, and on 29 Sep 1843 sentenced to be condemned.

29 Nov 1843 detained in at lat. 18° 51' S., long. 36° 23' E., between Quillimane and Luabo, in the mouth of the Zambesi, a slave brig, Name Unknown, supposed Silveira, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 12 Jan 1844 sentenced to be condemned.

29 Nov 1843 detained in at lat. 18° 51' S., long. 36° 23' E., between Quillimane and Luabo, in the mouth of the Zambesi, a slave brigantine, Name Unknown, supposed Atilla, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 12 Jan 1844 sentenced to be condemned.

4 Jul 1844 detained the slave vessel Mars, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 28 Sep 1844 sentenced to be condemned.

5 Jul 1844 detained the slave vessel Isabel, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 02 Oct 1844 sentenced to be condemned.

13 Dec 1844 detained a slave brig, Name Unknown, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope, and on 21 Feb 1845 sentenced to be condemned and 7 slaves emancipated.

16 Mar 1845 detained the slave vessel Paquette de Monte Video, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 10 May 1845 sentenced to be condemned.

24 Aug 1845 proceeding to the coast of East Africa from Simon's Town and attempting to get a feel for the attitudes held by the Kings and governors in the region, particularly with regard to the slave trade, and from Consuls regarding how they see trade etc. progressing.

13 Sep 1845 at Zanzibar.

30 Oct 1845 on the Quillemane Coast.

14 Nov 1845 was joined by the Sappho off the mouth of the Quillemane River where signs of the slave trade are only too evident with tribal chiefs on the various rivers in the region ready to stoke the trade and visiting vessels professing to suggest that they are only passing through en route for Goa, but in reality only carry materials as cargo which can be traded with the locals in this particular region.

15 Nov 1845 sailed for Johanna.

14 Jan 1846 arrived at Simon's Bay from Mozambique, being in want of provisions and stores and also caulking. In addition to Mozambique have also paid visits to Zanzibar, Johanna, Mayotta, and Nos-beh. Was able to report that whilst the slave trade appeared to be under control in Mozambique it was expected that there would be an upturn in the trade during the following months, various vessels having been seen on the coast who were preparing the ground for the slaving vessels which would follow shortly, vessels which would be well prepared with a view to deceiving the vessels employed on the anti-slavery patrols.

18 May 1846 whilst patrolling the Angozha River, Mozambique, in the ship's boats, came across a vessel which, on approaching, raised the American colours and was found to be the barque Lucy Penniman, of New York, Matthew Cooper, master, from Rio de Janeiro. Whilst initially happy to leave the Lucy Penniman, since she was flying the American colours, information from the crew suggested that all was not as it appeared and that they had been entrapped into become a part of her crew and that she was intended for the slave trade, and, as they saw the Kentucky, now burning, see next item, they feared for their lives as they expected the 30+ Portuguese crew from that vessel to take over the Lucy Penniman. With a view to obtaining further evidence the Master was landed in the ship's boats in order to contact the Portuguese supercargo, who was said to be ashore. After waiting the agreed 2 hours the ship's boats returned to the shore only to be ambushed by a large number of Arabs and natives, possibly 500-600, who opened a heavy fire with muskets. The boats held their position, about 40 yards off shore, and returned the fire using the boats' guns and muskets, and once the fire from shore had nearly ceased and the Master failed to put in an appearance the boats withdrew to the Lucy Penniman. 4 of the crew were wounded, 1 severely. In the light of the earlier discussion with the mate and crew, and their fears, and what had just taken place, it was decided to take the vessel out of the river and put her under the protection of the Cleopatra. It was estimated that some 2,000-4,000 Arab slave traders and camp followers were occupying an island in the river, which was about 5 miles long and 2 wide. The Lucy Penniman was subsequently sent to Simon's Town where she arrived on about 4 Jul 1846. The remaining crew of the Lucy Penniman were named as follows : Thomas F. Martin (first mate), James Oney (carpenter), James A. Robertson, Andrew McBroom, Louis Cornides, signed, and George Washington Smith made his mark, on a document stating their circumstances.

18 May 1846 still in the Angozha River, in lat. 15° 20' S. long. 39° 58', a ship's boat approached the Brazilian brig Kentucky, fitted for the slave trade, which was set on fire by her crew on the approach of the boats : the slavers then escaped up river. However, it was possible to board the brig for a short period, in order to measure the vessel. The case was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and on 22 Jul 1846 sentenced to be condemned. 14 Mar 1849 the proceeds arising due for payment.

21 May 1846 detained off the River Angozha, those onboard being in fear of their lives, the slave barque Lucy Penniman, Matthew Cooper, master, being sent down to the Cape to be handed over to the American authorities. She was handed over to Mr. Chase, the US Consul, who had her stripped and dismantled whilst he awaited instructions from the US Government.

27 May 1846 off Mozambique.

12 Jul 1846 detained the slave vessel Constante. 14 March 1849 the proceeds arising due for payment.

12 Nov 1846 Captured slaver Improviso, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope, and sentenced to be condemned. 14 Mar 1849 the proceeds arising due for payment.

12 Nov 1846 detained the slave vessel Improviso 20 Dec 1848 Chatham.

24 Apr 1851 At Hong Kong.

30 Aug 1851 East Indies

Jun 1852 At Hong Kong at the time of the Queen's Birthday, when the usual salutes were fired.

31 Jul 1852 It is reported in a copy of the Straits Times, received at Sydney that, with the Semiramis, this vessel is about to leave for Labuan to join the Pluto and from thence proceed to the coast of Borneo, to discover what has happened to the Dolphin.

12 Nov 1852 at Hong Kong.

1860 Chatham