HMS Tribune, 1853-1866
HMS
Tribune was a 2,034-tonne steam frigate of the Royal Navy. It was involved in both the Second Opium War and the Crimean War. In 1858, HMS
Tribune and HMS
Pylades were sent, as confirmed in
this despatch, from China to Victoria in order to strengthen the local naval presence, in light
of the increasing population and US tensions over the boundary dispute.
As confirmed in
this despatch,
Tribune arrived in Esquimalt Harbour on February 13th, 1859.
This depatch reports that it transported seven officers and one hundred and sixty non-commissioned
officers and privates of the Royal Marines.
Later that year, under the command of Captain Geoffrey Thomas Phipps Hornby,
Tribune was involved in the diplomatic clashes of the San Juan Island's “Pig War”, evidence
for which can be found in
this despatch, from August 1st, 1859, and
this despatch from August 8th of the same year.
Tribune returned to the Pacific Station for a second commission from 1864-66, after which
it was dismantled.
- 1. Andrew Scott, The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names (Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2009), 602.
- 2. Ibid.
- 3. Ibid.
- 4. Ibid.