'HECLA'
15th February 1855. On maiden voyage sailing from London with railway equipment for Balaclava, Crimea.
May 1855. Sold to the British Government.
25th June 1855. Renamed ‘WYE’. Converted at Portsmouth with Grant’s patent condensers and distillation as water storage vessel for army in Crimea.
August 1855. In collision with ‘Camperdown’ a new screw was required.
17th February 1856. Arrived in the Mersey to tow awat the new gun boats recently launched at Laird’s shipyard.
9th February 1857. Sailed from Gibraltar. Master Moore.
10/11th February 1857. Encountered heavy gales and lost a quarterboat.
17th February 1857. Arrived at Spithead, from the Mediterranean, Later sailed for Woolwich to be paid off.
July 1858. Refitted and based at Chatham as distilling ship. She distilled water for the use of the fleet, then at Balaklava, where she distilled from 30,000 to 35,000 gallons of water per day, of excellent quality. The crew had no other water, and there was no sickness among them.
1860. To be converted to store ship and commissioned at Woolwich, for West Africa and Ascension stations.
6th April 1861. At Woolwich. Commissioned to be used as a store ship at Sierra Leone.
25th June 1862. Detained the slave schooner ‘Concepcio’ in 6.20S 12.15E, which was subsequently condemned by the court at Freetown.
1864. Store ship at Ascension, West Coast of Africa station.
3rd July 1866. Sold to Royden.
29th December 1866. Sailed from the Skaw (Danzig for Dublin) and not seen since.
