The Gold Funnel Fleet, Victoria's Colonial Navy

[Novice]

Welcome back Rodondo, and a very beautiful little ship.

[Rodondo]

Such words from someone as accomplished as you! Thanks Novice

[Charybdis]

Very nice work. It takes real skill to represent boats of that size at this scale.

[Rodondo]

Sorry I missed your compliment Charybdis :s Thank you!


Not a Victorian ship but a close relative of the Nepean and Lonsdale, another colonial naval force ship, the Defender Class(1880's to 1900's), arguably New Zealand's first organised naval assets but their lives were rather quiet, having rusted badly in the first 3 years of service and eventually they were disposed of, barely a footnote. Today only the bow and relics of the HMS Defender remains in a museum. There is a mid-life refit drawing enroute as well, here it is as built (first two units)(flag has been omitted until anyone more knowledgable in New Zealand's flag and ensign history is able to inform me of what the flag may have been in 1883/1884)



As TB191, HMQS Mosquito and the Acheron class are based on the same design as the Defenders, I'll be adding them as soon as I get my laptop back

[Wizard]

Beautiful job on the little TB. But I beg to differ on your comments.

The four Australian boats; TB191 (Tasmania and later South Australia), Nepean and Lonsdale (Victoria) and Mosquito (Queensland) are sisters and are distinguishable from their Kiwi cousins by having one funnel where the four Kiwi boats had two. All eight of these boats were designed and built by Thornycroft in England.

Avernus and Acheron (New South Wales) are of a completely different design and were built in Sydney. Contemporary plans of Acheron can be found here: http://www.old-print.com/mas_assets/ful ... 879374.jpg

[Rodondo]

Ah, you are entirely correct, I had drawn the Kiwi funnels different to the Australians, though, Nepean and Lonsdale are ~3/4 ft longer than the others IIRC. The NSW boats, are as you brilliantly demonstrated different, how is it that after days of searching, I seem to miss those sources that you find?

[Wizard]

I don't know mate. I seem to have a knack for finding stuff on the www.

I had seen a diagram of Acheron in the past http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/images ... T19864.jpg and when I was preparing my previous post I found the beautiful plan set above which I had never seen before.

It was a good catch.

[Rodondo]

It was indeed a good catch! You have once again provided me with huge source bonus, thank you!

[xt828]

(flag has been omitted until anyone more knowledgable in New Zealand's flag and ensign history is able to inform me of what the flag may have been in 1883/1884)

The quote from the New Zealand Gazette is as follows:

Whereas by a Proclamation bearing date the 10th day of January One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Seven the letters NZ were temporarily appointed as the badge of New Zealand; And whereas it is expedient to adopt a permanent device; Now therefore I Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the Governor of the colony of New Zealand, do hereby appoint that the seal and badge in future to be worn, in accordance with the Queen's Regulations, as the distinctive badge of the colony, by all vessels belonging to or permanently employed in the service of the Colonial Government of New Zealand, shall be the Southern Cross, as represented in the Blue Ensign by four five-pointed red stars in the fly, with white borders to correspond to the colouring of the Jack; in the Jack by four five-pointed white stars on the red ground of the St George's Cross; and in the pendant by four stars near the staff similar to those in the Ensign. And I do further order that the temporary badge consisting of letters NZ at present in use in colonial vessels shall from and after this date be discontinued.
Wellington. 23rd October 1869. W.Gisborne.

This was not altered until the Ensign and Code Signals Bill 1902. There is apparently an image dated 1875 in the Colonial Office file of General Despatches which has the ensign as being akin to the current national flag, but with the stars grouped together fairly tightly, roughly as in this image. Hope this helps.

[Rodondo]

(flag has been omitted until anyone more knowledgable in New Zealand's flag and ensign history is able to inform me of what the flag may have been in 1883/1884)

The quote from the New Zealand Gazette is as follows:

Whereas by a Proclamation bearing date the 10th day of January One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Seven the letters NZ were temporarily appointed as the badge of New Zealand; And whereas it is expedient to adopt a permanent device; Now therefore I Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the Governor of the colony of New Zealand, do hereby appoint that the seal and badge in future to be worn, in accordance with the Queen's Regulations, as the distinctive badge of the colony, by all vessels belonging to or permanently employed in the service of the Colonial Government of New Zealand, shall be the Southern Cross, as represented in the Blue Ensign by four five-pointed red stars in the fly, with white borders to correspond to the colouring of the Jack; in the Jack by four five-pointed white stars on the red ground of the St George's Cross; and in the pendant by four stars near the staff similar to those in the Ensign. And I do further order that the temporary badge consisting of letters NZ at present in use in colonial vessels shall from and after this date be discontinued.
Wellington. 23rd October 1869. W.Gisborne.

This was not altered until the Ensign and Code Signals Bill 1902. There is apparently an image dated 1875 in the Colonial Office file of General Despatches which has the ensign as being akin to the current national flag, but with the stars grouped together fairly tightly, roughly as in this image. Hope this helps.

Thank-you so much! This will be amended in the updated drawing

Meanwhile, the Acheron Class