South East Coast of America Station

South East Coast of America Station
HMS Retribution, flagship of the South East Coast of America Station
Active	1838 - 1905
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Fleet
Garrison/HQ	Stanley, Falkland Islands

The South East Coast of America Station was a minor fleet of the Royal Navy which existed from 1838 until just after the end of the 19th century.

History

The station was separated from the Pacific Station in 1838^[1][2] in order to combat the slave trade in Brazil.^[3] In its early years it was often referred to as the "Brazils and River Plate Station". In the mid-1840s Rear Admiral Samuel Inglefield took decisive action to keep the Paraná River open so ensuring continuity of trade during the Uruguayan Civil War.^[4]

The station suffered significant ship reductions between 1869 and 1874.^[5] From 1870 it was commanded by a captain, designated the "senior officer",^[6] and comprised just three gunboats^[7] although it had responsibility for the Western Atlantic from Brazil South.^[8] The squadron's only permanent base was a coal station at Stanley on the Falkland Islands.^[9] It was disbanded altogether in 1905.^[10]

In September 1914 Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock was ordered south to re-establish the station in the face of the German threat at the start of the First World War.^[11] His squadron was destroyed at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914.^[12]

Commanders

Commanders included:

• Commodore Thomas Sulivan (1838-1841)^[13]
• Commodore John Purvis (1842-1844)^[14]
• Rear Admiral Samuel Inglefield (1844-1846)^[15]
• Commodore Thomas Herbert (1847-1849)^[16]
• Rear Admiral William Henderson (1851-1854)^[17]
• Rear Admiral William Hope-Johnstone (1854-1857)^[18]
• Rear Admiral Provo Wallis (May 1857 - September 1857)^[19]
• Rear Admiral Stephen Lushington (1858-1860)^[20]
• Rear Admiral Henry Keppel (1860-1861)^[21]
• Rear Admiral Richard Warren (1861-1864)^[22]
• Rear Admiral Charles Elliot (1864-1866)^[23]
• Rear-Admiral George Ramsay (1866-1869)^[24]
• Commodore Charles James Norcock (1898-1999)
• Commodore Robert Leonard Groome (1899-1902)^[25]
• Commodore Frank Finnis (1902-1904)^[26]

• Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock (September 1914-November 1914)^[11]

References

1. "Naval Estimates". Hansard. 16 March 1849. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
2. "Naval Estimates". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 April 1849. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
3. "Ships and Streets" (PDF). Victorian Historical Society. Spring 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
4. "Pax Britannica: The Parana". Retrieved 17 January 2015.
5. Bourne, p. 305
6. "Spun Yarns of a naval officer". p. 178.
7. Preston and Major, p.67
8. O'Hara, chapter 4
9. "Stations, Dockyards". p. 107. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
10. Brown, p. 32
11. "Sir Christopher 'Kit' Cradock, 1862-1914". History of War. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
12. "The battles of Coronel and the Falklands". 20th Century Battles. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
13. "Thomas Ball Sulivan". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
14. O’Byrne, William R. "A Naval Biographical Dictionary - Volume 3". p. 942.
15. "William Henry Haswell". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
16. "Thomas Herbert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
17. "William Willmott Henderson". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
18. "William James Hope-Johnstone". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
19. Heathcote, p. 249
20. "Stephen Lushington". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
21. Heathcote, p. 142
22. "Richard Laird Warren". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
23. Heathcote, p. 71
24. "George Ramsey". William Loney. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
25. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Wednesday, 14 May 1902. (36767), p. 12.
26. "Court Circular" The Times (London). Thursday, 12 June 1902. (36792), p. 12.

Sources

• Brown, David (1987). The Royal Navy and Falklands War. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-0850520590.
• Bourne, Kenneth (2008). Britain and the Balance of Power in North America, 1815-1908. ACLS History E-Book Project. ISBN 978-1597404075.
• Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
• O'Hara, Vincent (2013). To Crown the Waves: the Great Navies of the First World War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1612510828.
• Preston, Antony; Major, John (2007). Send a Gunboat!: 150 Years of the British Gunboat. Conway. ISBN 978-0851779232.