|
Date: |
|
Description: | The "Renard" visited many of the islands in the Gilbert and Ellice groups. At Apiang in the former group, the captain investigated a charge against a native of shooting a man named Keys. He was condemned and executed by being lashed to the muzzle of a cannonade and blown to pieces. At Auckland, New Zealand, "Renard" was stationed for three months as Senior Naval Officer's ship in absence of the Flagship. At the close of the year 1877 the crew were relieved in Sydney harbour and came home in S.S. "Hankow".
WORKING MODEL OF HM SCHOONER "RENARD" MADE TO SCALE 1/2" TO 1'. The "Renard" was built at Sydney, New South Wales, for H.M.Government to be employed in the regulation of the "Kanaka" traffic in the South Seas. The sailing schooners "Alarcrity" "Beagle" "Conflict" and "Sandfly", manned by Officers and Men of the Royal Navy were employed on the same service. The crews of each of these vessels consisted of thirty-four ranks and ratings. Complement of "Renard":- Commanding Officer: LIEUT. HORACE PUGH. SUB-LIEUT. WILLIAM STOKES-REES. GUNNER J.C.ROCKETT. 2 Chief Petty Officers, 3 1st Class Petty Officers. 2 2nd Class Petty Officers, 1 Carpenter, 2 Leading Seamen, 10 Able Seamen, 10 Ordinary Seamen 1 Ship's Steward's Boy.
The model was made by Quartermaster J.W.OWLETT on board "Renard" whilst serving in that vessel during the years 1875-77, but was not completed until the year following - thus taking three years in construction. It is an exact replica of the original. The model is made principally from New Zealand Kouri Pine and is copper-bottomed with 800 sheets of copper obtained from rifle cartridge cylinders, all nailed on. The sails are made with linen tape 1 inch wide, sewn together with a double seam, roped and fitted with cringles and reef points. All the blocks for running gear have live sheaves.
The model was first exhibited at the Westminster Industrial Exhibition of which the late Duke of Albany was President. The exhibitor was awarded first prize for "Models of Ships and Boats" and the presentation was made by the late Earl Beaconsfield. The model was also exhibited at the Royal Naval Exhibition, Chelsea, 1891, of which the Prince of Wales(afterwards King Edward VII) was President. On that occasion the maker was presented with a Diploma, signed in autograph by His Royal Highness.
Among the many of the South Sea Islands which the "Renard" visited can be named Norfolk Island, formerly one of England's penal settlements but now populated by some of the descendents of the mutineers of H.M.S. "Bounty"; Ovalau in the Fiji group, at which place the son of Thakombau, the notorious cannibal chief came on board. Passing through Somo-Somo Straits the next call was at Rotomah - a solitary island. Here the narrator 'bought' a native mat of the Chief for an old photograph. Leaving Rotomah the "Renard" proceeded to Carlisle Bay in the Santa Cruz Group, this being the first visit there of a man-o'-war after Commodore Goodenough and three bluejackets were killed there in 1875 by natives with poisoned arrows. Samoa, Navigators Islands, was visited where the ship's company played what was probably the first game of cricket the natives had ever seen. Here, some years afterwards, R.L. Stevenson lived and died. Here also, several years later Captain Kane in HMS "Calliope" made a wonderful escape when he steamed out of harbour in the face of a terrific hurricane to the accompaniment of cheering from the American men-of-war which ,unable to escape owing to their not having steam up, were sinking at their anchors. All the islands in the New Hebrides were visited, Erromango (where John Williams, the well-known missionary was killed by natives) Aniteum, Malacolo and Tanna. The harbour at Tanna is named Port Resolution after the ship which the famous navigator, Captain Cook, commanded in his voyage round the world. Whilst here H.M. Schooners "Beagle" and "Renard" investigated a case in which one of the natives shot a white man named Esterbrook. By means of a ruse a number of the natives were enticed on board each ship with the object of holding them hostages until they should surrender the guilty man. This attempt being unsuccessful, the captains of both ships decide to hang a young brother of the murderer - a boy of sixteen years - and the sentence was duly carried out.
Scale: 1:24. Label for the contemporary full hull model of HMS 'Renard' (1873).
CA: AAA.
caption: Record Shot - Do not reproduce. | Publisher: | "http://collections.rmg.co.uk/" | Rights holder: | "Royal Museums Greenwich" | Source: | Royal Museums Greenwich | Identifier: | http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections... | Go to resource |
|
|