The Cruise of H.M.S. 'Calliope' in China, Australian and East African waters. 1887-1890

Front matter

APIA HARBOUR Skewing the potitimu _>/' the vtssris Ut hut-hint before and afar March h'><h fS89, t+Vh,tu>.<tiuora markedthus are the vriqinal positions ethrt the .storm * * <$>And Mum <it)er tht ttem. il)cAiuort \t)ADL£* (st)OLo* (4 £«_:«. (j) ra* w ton u> vandaua [timptte THE CRUISE OF H.M.S. "CALLIOPE" IN CHINA, AUSTRALIAN AND EAST AFRICAN WATERS. 1887—1890. BY THE REV. A. C. EVANS, M.A., CHAVLAIN E.N. *- 1890. GRIFFIN AND CO., goblisjurs to |jer Pajestg, 2, THE HARD, PORTSMOUTH. Richard Clay and Sons, Limited, LONDON AND BUNGAY

Preface

. The following pages have been thrown together very hurriedly, during the last few weeks, in response to a wish expressed by several of the ship's company that there should be some such record of the Commission. They are not meant to give by any means a complete account of the cruise, but rather a record of the most important events, with a few notes about some of the places visited. My thanks are due to all those who have kindly placed their journals at my disposal, and to Mr. H. W. Richmond, midshipman, R.N., for the plan of Apia Harbour. It has been necessary, not only to write hastily, but also to print hastily, in order to have the journal ready for distribution before the pennant is hauled down and the crew scattered to the four corners of England. In consequence of the want of due revision Preface.

IV it is almost certain that many mistakes will have crept in here and there ; but in spite of all blemishes I hope that the " Cruise of H.M.S. Calliope " may be a useful memento of an eventful and interesting Commission. A. C. E. H.M.S. Calliope, April, 1890. "CALLIOPE." 1887. Commissioning at Portsmouth and Voyage to China via the Cape. January 25th. — Captain H. C. Kane commissioned H.M S. Calliope at Portsmouth for service on the China station. This was ordered to be done with all possible despatch, and a working party of 120 men was sent to assist in drawing stores. The ship commissioned in dry dock, the feathering arrangements of the screw having broken down on trial. The first afternoon was used for drawing sails, getting them ready for bending, and getting on board and stowing provisions.

Dockyard people worked night and day about the screw. As the ship could easily be got ready in other respects before the screw was completed, leave was given each night while in dock, and with the satisfactory result that no one broke it. 26</i. — Completed the drawing and stowing of stores and bent sails. B " Calliope." 21th. — Screw completed at 10 A.M. Floated out of dry dock, proceeded to Spithead and swung for adjust ment of compasses. Powder lighters came alongside ; took in powder and shell. Midnight, ready for sea. 28th.— Admiral Sir George O. Willes, K.C.B., came on board and inspected the ship at general and fire quarters, &c. 29th. — Dense fog, which lifted a little at 11 A.M. Weighed and proceeded towards St. Helen's, but fog coming down again, anchored off that place. Issued arms and accoutrements. 30th. — Dense fog, which lifted about 1 p.m. Started on a week's commissioning cruise. olst. — Cruising in the Channel, stationing the ship's company, exercising them at quarters night and day, fire stations, making sail, shortening sail, working ship under sail, &c. Sighted H.M.S. Cordelia, which had also commissioned on January 25th, and put to sea shortly before the Calliope.

February 2nd. — Began steam trial at 10 A.m., but barometer falling rapidly and sea getting up, discon tinued it after two hours : the speed attained was fourteen knots. Anchored at 10 p.m. in Portland Roads. Weather outside very thick and blowing hard. 5th. — Weather moderating, proceeded to sea. Made sail and exercised tacking, wearing, &c. Bore up for St. Catherine's (6th), and reached Spithead the following morning. 1th. — Proceeded up harbour, and remained till Feb ruary 24th. The dockyard during that time made good defects. Drew stores to complete for the China station — viz., extra sails, ropes, &c. Result of Tried Trip. 3 20th.— H.M.S. Cordelia sailed for China. 22nd. — Her Majesty the Queen arrived at Portsmouth in H.M. yacht Alberta, on her way to Windsor, and landed at Clarence Yard.

Dressed ship with masthead flags, manned yards, full guard of marines. The Commander in-Chief inspected the ship, i.e., mustered the ship's company and walked round the ship. 23rd. — Commander-in-Chief inspected ship with regard to gunnery arrangements. 24<A. — Proceeded out of harbour and worked up for full-speed trials by the Steam Reserve. After half an hour at full speed, obliged to stop and repack gland of piston-rod. Ran a three hours' trial, two hours with natural draught, and one hour with forced draught, with the following results : — n„_„„, , f Forward . . . 18 ft. 4 in. Draught. . . . |Aft 21ft. 3in. Natural Draught. Forced Draught. Steam in Boilers 84'5 .... 8575 ,r ( Forward 25 '25 . . . . 26 0 Vacuum (Ast 23.g. _ _ 24.5 Revolutions per minute 79 '85 . . . . 86 '48 Mean Pressure -f Hi§h ■■•■•■ 35-08 ... . 43-05 Mean 1-ressure | Low 11-87 ... . 1537 t t . a u t. ("High 1412-3 . . . .1875-61 Indicated H. P. j 1409-53 .. . .1972-95 Total I.H.P 2821-83. . . .384856 Speed 13-67 .... 14'52 .

Anchored at Spithead after trial. 25th. — Swung for adjustment of compasses, and anchored off Cowes. 26th. — Weighed at 8 A.M. and proceeded down Channel, working up for full speed trial, and worked up to 13'5, but the packing of high-pressure piston-rod B " Calliope." 4 gave out, so trial ceased at 3.15 p.m. Made fast to buoy in Plymouth Sound at 10 p.m. 21th and 28th.— At Plymouth, getting in a capstan engine for H.M.S. Leander, and having it secured by the dockyard authorities. March 1st. — A further steam trial being deemed un necessary, the time came to say " Good-bye " to England, and at 5 p.m. the ship started on her voyage to China rid the Cape. 2nd to 11th. — The weather crossing the Bay was all that could be desired, water smooth, wind from the N.E. After passing Cape Finisterre, encountered a considerable S.E. swell and light winds from that direction, till lat. 41° 30' N. was reached, when the wind backed to N.E. and blew fresh for twenty-four hours.

Then getting into the S.W. the wind remained ahead but light, till Madeira was reached on the morning of the 11th. During the cruise sail was used whenever possible without getting off the course. A considerable amount of drill was got through, making and shortening sail, up and down top-gallant masts, working ship, general quarters, fire stations, &c. It appears that the ship steams well in smooth water and with little or no wind, but any head sea at once brings down the speed con siderably. She is lively, but rolls with an easy motion. 11th. — Arrived at Funchal and went through the customary salutes, completed with coal, &c. H.M.S. Wye arrived from Bermuda during the night en route for England. 13th. — Proceeded to sea in the evening; just able to carry fore and aft sail to a stiff breeze. 20th. — Arrived at St. Vincent, and coaled.

Here a Crossing the Line. 5 curious hill, whose outline is supposed to resemble the profile of Washington's face, is pointed out to the visitor, and certainly forms a remarkable feature in the landscape. The Calliope Cricket Club here played their first match, which resulted in a victory for the St. Vincent eleven. 22nd. — Sailed at 7 A.M., and arrived on the evening of the next day at Porto Praya in St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verde islands, in time for a grand f&te in honour of the birth of a son and heir to the Crown Prince of Portugal ; — the young Prince Luiz Filippe, born March 1st, 1887, is now himself Crown Prince in consequence of the succession of his father to the throne. 24th. — Weighed about 8 A.M., and began the long passage to the Cape, steering to cross the line in about 26° W. longitude, the trade-wind blowing with a force of three to four. 25th to 31st. — The trade gradually got lighter till in lat. 4° N. it was altogether lost, and steam was raised about 250' from the equator.

Crossed the line on March 31st, in long. 26° W. There were a goodly number on board who had never crossed the line before, and it must no doubt have been a source of satisfaction to them that Father Neptune did not make his appearance, for these visits, although much appreciated by those who have no longer to submit to the shaving-brush, are not quite so amusing to the uninitiated. The first of the S.E. trade was picked up on the afternoon of the 31st, but very light, and steam was not dispensed with till the following day. April 1st to 30th. — Carried the S.E. trade to about lat. 20° S., that is, till abreast the island of Trinidad. " Calliope." 6 After passing about 100' to the westward of Trinidad very light and variable winds were encountered, chiefly from the E. and N.E., the weather remaining fine on the whole.

The ship's company were exercised on most even ings, and the watch as requisite for trimming, making, shortening sail, &c, and also firing at general quarters. Thus passed the month of April without any incident of note to break the monotony of routine and sea-life. On April 30th the Cape was still 840' distant. Although now in lat. 37° S. there was no sign of the expected favourable westerly wind. May 5th to 16th. — Dropped anchor in Simon's Bay about 10.30 p.m. on May 5th, forty-two days out from Porto Praya. The order " let go the starboard anchor " sounded very pleasantly in everybody's ears after such a long spell of sea-time. The Cape was new ground to the majority of the ship's company, and therefore in addition to the pleasure of once more setting foot on shore, there was the interest of seeing a new place ; but a more im mediate pleasure was even more welcome, viz., that of once more receiving letters and papers after so long a silence.

A boat from the flag-ship, H.M.S. Raleigh, was soon alongside with six bags of mails, which at once gave full employment to all hands. The ships in harbour were H.M.S. Raleigh, Flora, and Wrangler. The days spent in Simon's Bay were fully occupied with coaling, refitting, and victualling ship, and in giving leave. General leave was given to the starboard watch on May 9th, and t'o the port watch on May 10th, and was no doubt as much appreciated as it was deserved. On May 15th Admiral Sir W. Hunt-Grubbe, Commander in-Chief at the Cape, visited the ship. A "Milky Sea." 7 16th. — On Monday, May 16th, the anchor was weighed at 8.30 A.M., and the long sailing passage to New Anjer began. The track chosen took the ship well to the southward, but although lat. 42° 50' S. was reached no strong steady winds were experienced, and in consequence the passage proved a long one.

Throughout the passage drills and routine were carried out. 28th.— In lat. 42° 48' S., and long. 52° E., the thermometer suddenly fell 10° F., and shortly afterwards a large iceberg was observed on the port bow, but at a considerable distance. All through the westerly winds, and to near lat. 30° S., the ship was followed by vast quantities of albatross, Cape pigeon, &c, but by far the most interesting event during this trip was the sight of a rather rare and very curious phenomenon known as a " milky sea." On June 21st at dusk, the ship was found to be sailing in very phosphorescent water which, as dark ness closed in, became quite white, and when contrasted with the overhanging clouds presented a very weird and ghostly appearance. It seemed as if the water had by some magic been changed into a vast plain of freshly fallen snow, stretching as far as the eye could reach.

This appearance lasted throughout the night ; by day nothing unusual was observed in the condition of the water. This phenomenon is no doubt due to the presence in the water of myriads of luminous "infusoria." The ship at the time was in lat. 16° S., long. 107° E. A "milky sea" has frequently been observed in the Indian Ocean by ships making passages from Aden to Bombay, or vice versa. aOn long sea trips like the present the canteen is a " Calliope." 8 great boon to the ship's company, as it enables them to enjoy rather more varied fare than when they are reduced to "pure navy." What devices are resorted to when the resources of the canteen are exhausted may be gathered from the following extracts from a blue jacket's journal : — " Receipt for Navy Plum Z>«__f.— Procure about twelve pounds of flour, according to the number of men to be fed, each man allowed one pound, and about two pounds of raisins.

Stand about four yards from the kettle in which you are going to mix your duff, and pitch them into it ; all that goes outside you eat. Add one pound of salt suet cut up into lumps, some salt, and half a gallon of water : mix up together. Then procure a canvas bag to boil it in — I have seen towels utilized for this purpose. When it is cut it looks just like a huge india-rubber ball with brown spots few and far between*. It is as heavy as lead. I pity any one who may fall overboard after a good feed of this delicacy. " Many. — This is a very unintelligible name, and I am sorry to say that none of these dishes will be found in any book of cookery. Mang, however, is made by a very simple process, viz.: Procure a quantity of biscuit, pound it into a powder, and it is ready for use. This is gene rally mixed with pea-soup.

The next triumph of the culinary art is Hum Durgan — alias humnry dum. It is made as follows : — Procure some small pieces of bis cuit, place them in a frying-pan with some fat, and when the biscuit has become soft, add salt and pepper. This is very nice. " The next is Pow Sow. Of course it will be seen that this biscuit being hard is also brittle, therefore New Anjer and the Volcano of Krakatoa. 9 there is a great deal of dust. This dust can be returned to the ship's steward, and you can have whole biscuit in lieu of it, or else, as is generally the case, it is utilized to make pow sow. You place the dust and small biscuit in a kettle, leave it to soak till quite soft, then mix it with flour, raisins, and sugar. Bake it in a dish. This is found to be very acceptable for tea." June 25th. — About 2.30 p.m. Christinas Island was sighted on the port bow.

This island, situated about 220 miles south of Java Head, is about nine miles in length and nearly square : it is covered with trees, principally limes and cocoa-nuts, the tops of which may be seen from a distance of thirty miles in clear weather. 21th. — At daylight the entrance to Sunda Strait was sighted, and the same evening the ship anchored off New Anjer, forty-two days out from the Cape. Sunda Strait, through which passes a large part of the trade of Singapore, Batavia, and other ports in the China and Java seas, separates the large islands of Java and Sumatra. There are several islands in the Strait, but the most conspicuous and most interesting of these is Krakatoa. The following short account of this vol cano and its eruptions is taken from the China Sea Directory : — • " The volcano of Krakatoa Island was in eruption in the year 1 680, and although included within the cate gory of active volcanoes, it remained in a state of comparative inactivity for upwards of 200 years.

" In the year 1883, on May 20th, the volcano burst into eruption, accompanied by earthquakes, which were severely felt at Batavia, and at the same time vast showers of pumice and ashes were projected to a great " Calliope." distance. This eruption was observed from the Imperial German ship Elizabeth, and on the following day, when 100 miles from Krakatoa, a shower of dust was experienced which was estimated to become a layer one inch in thickness in twenty-four hours, and dust was observed to be still falling when the vessel had gained a position 300 miles south-west of Sunda Strait. On 26th August, 1883, Krakatoa again burst into eruption, and of such a terrible nature that miles of coast on both sides of the strait were wholly devastated, and multitudes of people perished. On the 27th August a succession of earth quake waves swept the shores of the strait, utterly destroying the towns of Anjer, Merak, Tyringin, and Telok Betung, together with some of the lighthouses on both shores.

This remarkable disturbance of the sea made itself felt in various parts of the world upon the same date, notably in Australia and Southern Africa, also at Karachi in India. The vast amount of pumice which lay upon the surface of the sea, in some places many feet in thickness, ga.ve an appearance as if the ocean bed had appeared above water." New Anjer is the name of the town built to replace Anjer, which was destroyed in 1883. June 28th. — Weighed at 6 A.M., and proceeded for Singapore through Banka Strait. Arrived at Singapore about 2 p.m. on July 2nd, and communicated with H.M.S. Orion. Here everybody expected to get a few days in harbour after so much sea-work ; but this ex pectation was not to be fulfilled, for the very unwelcome orders were received to coal at once and proceed to Hong-Kong at ten knots.

The ship at once went alongside the Tanjong Pagar wharf, and coaling began, Hong-Kong. 11 and was carried on vigorously far into the night. Under these circumstances very little could be seen of the town and neighbourhood. The China Station. At daylight on July 3rd sailed for Hong-Kong. The passage was a quick and pleasant one, and occupied only six days. Anchor was dropped in Hong-Kong harbour about 10 A.M. on July 9th. The entrance to Hong-Kong harbour is very beautiful, and the harbour itself is one of the finest and most picturesque in the world. The lofty hills on the mainland look soft and mysterious with their alternations of light and shade, but are very bare of trees. The island of Hong-Kong lies off the mouth of the Canton river ; it is separated from the mainland by the fine harbour and the narrow passes which afford entrance to it at each end.

The British colony consists of the island of Hong-Kong and the peninsula of Kowloon, where there is a good dock. Hong-Kong was ceded to England in 1841, and Kowloon in 1860. The island is about eleven miles long, and varies from two to five miles in breadth ; it is very hilly, the highest point — Victoria Peak — being over 1,800 feet. The hills have been well planted with trees, which have much improved the climate as well as the appearance of the island. The principal town — Victoria — faces the harbour, and lies between the water's edge and the high hills which rise almost immediately behind it. It is a large and important place of over 130,000 inhabitants, a large proportion of whom are Chinese. The town contains some good " Calliope." streets and many fine buildings ; and both the town and its surroundings, it is said, have been much improved of late years.

A very fine aqueduct recently completed forms an excellent roadway as well as a waterway. As it winds round the hills a succession of beautiful views of the harbour are obtained, which it would be difficult to surpass. Other objects of interest are the beautiful and carefully-kept Gardens, the Cathedral, the Naval Hospital, the Happy Valley, a cemetery where for once nature and art have combined to banish all that is ugly and depressing, and to introduce everything beautiful and consoling. The Happy Valley has a strange neigh bour ; only separated from it by the main road is the racecourse. A tramway, since completed, was in course of construction for conveying passengers and goods from the town as far as the Gap, that is, the greater part of the way to the Peak, where most of the Europeans have houses.

The journey up to the present has usually been made in a chair carried by four Chinamen, as the hill is far too steep to admit of the "jinricksha." But although shut out from the Peak, the jinrickshas have their own way in the town, and afford a most convenient and very cheap mode of conveyance. Hong-Kong is the great meeting place for the trade of the East ; in 1888 shipping to the extent of nearly six and a half million tons entered the port. This of course means that a very large number of seamen of all nations are constantly passing through, and provide abundant work for the chaplain of the Seamen's Mission, whose pretty church is situated at West Point, close to the Sailors' Home. Chinese Life in Hong-Kong. 13 The few days spent at Hong-Kong were fully occupied with coaling, refitting and provisioning ship, preparatory to the cruise to meet the Admiral in Japanese waters.

General leave was given to both watches ; a day and a half on shore among the strange sights and sounds of Hong-Kong was a delightful change after so much cruising. Some of the impressions produced may be gathered from the following extract taken from the journal referred to above : — Hong-Kong by Night. " Hong-Kong by night presents a vastly different appearance to the same town by day. Nearly all the shops are lit up by gas, whilst coloured lanterns of all kinds hang outside, giving the street quite a festive look. The shops are well stocked, the gilt labels marked with Chinese characters, which show, I suppose, the worth of the goods, glitter and shine on the shelves and give the place quite a gay look. Here and there a long-tailed celestial flits noiselessly about the shop seeming very busy ; but in reality he is doing nothing.

In one corner may be seen, squatted on his haunches, the shrivelled proprietor, his small eyes fixed on the entrance, waiting for customers, who are very scarce at some establishments — there he sits, for hours never moving or speaking. At street corners stand the water melon and ice-cream stalls, their owners yelling out some sort of jargon continuously. Numerous customers, young and old, flock round these stalls, eating their cent slices of melon or sipping their ice with great care as if they were afraid of being frozen. I have often " Calliope." wished that I could sketch, so that I might have had portraits of a few of that crowd. Further on you come to an eating-house, but you are able to smell these places afar off. Here they are ; the windows are open. You don't see the juicy sirloin, or the savoury beef pie steaming awajT ; bless you, no !

Instead, you have five or six rows of roast fowls on hooks, hung up to dry. The bodies of these fowls look as if they had been French polished. Inside the window there is a large copper full of soup, boiling away right merrily ; now and again you can see pieces of vegetable rise to the surface followed by something else. The half-naked and greasylooking cooks fly round this copper like flies in a strange house, each one throwing the remains of a well-picked fowl into this combination of mysteries, or else he drops a piece of — well, I don't know what it is ! At any rate, they do a good trade, so I suppose it must be good. I should have to be very drunk before I dined there ; but the Chinese are not particular as a rule what they eat ; they don't mind as long as it fills up and is cheap, and they think you are the same.

We are now in the back slums, few and far between are the gas lamps, throwing a faint light around. All at once you are startled by the figure of a loosely-clad silent individual flitting by you like a ghost ; suddenly he stops, takes a mat from under his arm, lays it out on the pathway, then down he goes on top of it, and goes to sleep. He lives there, you know. They lie scattered about in all directions. I was quietly walking along one of these streets one night, when all at once over I went. ' I beg your pardon,' says I, to a miserably clad object which rose up as if out of the ground. He looked very weird Arrival at Nagasaki. 15 and ghostly. I had serious thoughts of taking to my heels, but he suddenly vanished. I felt a tap on the shoulder, and turned round to confront the tall straight figure of one of the Sikh police, who inquired if there was anything wrong.

I told him about it ; he laughed, and quietly told me that the wretch would have stabbed me if he had not appeared at that moment. The great respect the Chinese have for these tall, fierce-looking Sikhs is quite remarkable. I never saw in all my life such obedience paid to the police ; their word is law ; they scatter a crowd like chaff before the wind. They are the right men in the right place." July 11th. — Hong-Kong in July is unpleasantly warm, in consequence the prospect of getting into a cooler climate was welcome. A start was made on Sunday, July 17th, when about 7 A.M. the Calliope slipped her buoy and proceeded under steam through the Lymoon Pass, to join the Admiral in Japanese waters. A fairly quick passage was made to Nagasaki, which was reached about sunset on July 21st. The entrance to the beautiful harbour was most striking ; although on a much smaller scale than Hong-Kong, the harbour is even more beautiful ; it is ajiproached through a narrow channel winding between hills covered with verdure.

Just off the entrance is the island of Pappen burg, memorable as the spot where, some 300 years ago, native Christians were thrown down from the pre cipitous cliffs on the rocks below. Nagasaki has now a population of about 40,000 ; it is remarkable as having been the only Japanese trading port open to foreigners between the years 1623 and 1857. Formerly "Calliope." it had a large trade, but though much of this has now been turned aside to Yokohama and other ports, yet it is still a place of importance on account of the large supplies of good coal obtained from Takosima. On anchoring, saluted the Japanese flag with twenty one guns, and the American Admiral, who happened to be in port with two ships, with thirteen guns. The reports were echoed and re-echoed from the hills on either side of the narrow harbour, till the whole country seemed saluting.

The narrow streets and quaint Japanese houses, the shops with curious tortoiseshell, metal, and porcelain work, the quaint dresses and charming manners of the people, all combine to interest and amuse. A very fine view of the town and harbour is to be obtained from the Sinto Temple, which is approached by a long flight of steps. A Church of England Mission is at work in Nagasaki, and a well-ordered Sailors' Home supplies needful accommodation for seamen. July 22nd. — The following day was fully occupied with coaling, and at daylight on the 23rd the anchor was weighed, and a start made for Hako-date. July 21th. — Arrived at Hako-date about 9 a.m. on the 27th, after a very calm passage ; expected to find the Admiral here with the fleet, but he was absent on a short cruise. Hako-date is one of the most important towns in Yezo, the northern island of Japan.

It has neither the beauty nor the interest of Nagasaki or Yokohama, but to make up for that it is more out of the track of Europeans. There is a good harbour. The town consists chiefly of long straggling streets, full of The China Squadron. 17 small shops. Immediately behind the town is a high wooded hill which affords a good walk, and a fine view at the top as a reward. Close to the town are some pretty gardens and tea-houses, and not far from these is a museum very neatly kept, though not, as yet, very well stocked. The orderly conduct, good humour, and politeness of the people are very noticeable ; also the care bestowed on the children, who always seem to have a good time. On July 30th 'Admiral Sir R. Vesey Hamilton, K.C.B., arrived with nine ships of the China Squadron, viz., Audacious (flag-ship), Leander, Constance, Heroine, Swift, Linnet, Merlin, Wanderer, and Alacrity.

Later in the day the Cordelia and Satellite also arrived. The former ship was eagerly looked out for by many on board, and at once set down as " chummy ship." The China Squadron are now in the midst of the usual summer cruise in Japanese waters ; they have already visited the inland sea, and Yokohama ; we have there fore lost the opportunity of seeing much that is most interesting. It would have been worth while to have seen the capital of a country which is said to possess a written history extending over 2,500 years, and whose Emperor, the 121st of his race, belongs to a dynasty which stretches down in an unbroken line from the year 660 B.C. August 1st. — Weighed, and proceeded outside for prize-firing, which was cut short by bad weather ; returned on the morning of the 3rd in time to sail with the fleet at 5 p.m. The Leander remained behind to wait for mails.