Hans Busk wrote a book entitled “Navies of the World” in 1859. This book was reprinted twice, in the 1950’s and as a facsimile of the original in 1974. It provides possibly one of the best discussions and descriptions of early modern navies, covering as it does the navies in transition from the wooden wall, the ship of the line with a number of broadside cannons to the turreted vessels of the 20th Century. Angus McLellan has provided a summary of the contents of the book and this summary is presented across a number of parts. Note that the Downloads Section of Thomo’s Hole has ALL the parts combined into two PDF files.
This fourth part then deals with the Navies of the Americas and Asia circa 1859. Angus notes that originally he thought this would just be the Americas, but there are two navies in Asia as well.
Hans Busk’s “Navies of the World” was based on the world naval situation in 1859, or on those parts of it that Busk thought would help his case for an even bigger Royal Navy, official support for the volunteer movement and an enlarged Militia. The first two did happen, but it’s unlikely that Busk deserves blame or credit for this turn of events.
If there are any obvious errors, or things that don’t make any sense, please don’t hesitate to ask or to let me know and I’ll pass your comments and questions on to Angus.
The Netherlands East Indies
This isn’t mentioned by Busk but for people who like weird and wonderful wargames, the Netherlands East Indies have lots of potential. There was endemic piracy in the area, some of the pirate fleets being huge, and a brutal war with Atjeh from 1873 onwards.
In addition to the Koninklijke Marine, the Dutch government had a second naval service, the Gouvernements Marine in the Netherlands East Indies. These ships hunted pirates, delivered mail and passengers and generally supported the authorities in the East Indies. Busk doesn’t mention this force but I have a list for 1863. The Netherlands East Indies had naval bases at Soerabaja, Batavia (Djakarta) and Dassoon (somewhere on Java, probably near Tjilatjap). The Gouvernements Marine preferred ships of iron or teak since oak and pine rotted very quickly in tropical waters.
Crew figures are as given in the records of the day, Europeans + Natives.
Name | Guns | Crew | NHP | Built | Hull |
Screw ships | |||||
Hertog Bernhard | 4 | 10+79 | 170 | England, 1851 | Iron |
Java | 6 | 8+53 | 80 | Liverpool, 1854 | Iron |
Draak | – | 7+38 | 80 | Soerabaja, 1859 | Iron |
Paddle ships | |||||
Boni | 8 | 6+33 | 60 | *, 1855 | Iron |
Kapoeas | 7 | 6+33 | 80 | *, 1859 | Iron |
Bronbeek | 6 | 7+35 | 80 | Dassoon, 1860 | Teak |
Telegraaf | 6 | 7+35 | 80 | Ditto, 1860 | Teak |
Dassoon | 6 | 7+35 | 80 | Ditto, 1861 | Teak |
Barito | 5 | 3+21 | 25-30 | *, 1861 | Iron |
Tjinrana | 5 | 3+21 | 25-30 | *, 1861 | Iron |
Sailoos | – | 2+12 | 20 | *, 1861 | Iron |
In addition there were 79 wooden sail gun boats each with 3 guns and a native crew of 20 men each. These were built in 1860-1861, 67 at Dassoon & 12 at Batavia. The ships marked * were built in Dutch yards and reassembled at Soerabaja, except for Bonim which was Mersey-built and reassembled at Sydney. The named ships were all classed as armed ships and probably carried rockets and swivel guns as well as the listed “big” guns.
Hertog Bernhard measured 765 tons and had room for 400 soldiers and their baggage. She appears to have been a flush-decked, clipper-bowed, three-master, possibly a schooner. Sailoos was only 20m long, 3m70 beam, drew less than 1m of water and served on the rivers of Borneo. The three Dassoon paddle ships were 25m20-26m60 long, 4m20-4m55 beam and less than 2m draft. Telegraaf was the largest, and carried 60 tons of coal, the others 40 tons. Telegraaf made 11 knots on trials and was a good sea boat. The engines for these ships were built (probably assembled) at Soerabaja.
British India
The Indian Navy, called the Bombay Marine until 1830 and reformed as such in 1863, was not the only naval service in India. There was also the Bengal Marine, which did not form part of the first Indian Navy formed by the British, but only the Indian Navy is mentioned by Busk.
The main shipyard was at Bombay which built ships as large as 80 guns in the past. There were minor yards elsewhere in India, and a private yard at Moulmein in Burma where timber was much cheaper than in India. Ships in India were built from mainly from teak.
I have added to the descriptions where possible. Armament of the paddle sloops and frigates was on Royal Navy lines: 8-inch 65cwt shell guns and 32-prs. When armed as a sloop, Berenice carried an unknown number of 8-inch 65cwt guns, one picture shows all nine gun ports open but only one muzzle in sight. At the other end of the scale, Indus carried one 4.5-inch 12-pr light field howitzer and one brass 3-pr mountain gun. Nearly all of these ships were built of iron or teak.
All ships not noted as steamers were sailing ships in every case I could check. Tonnage can only be displacement for Assaye, but otherwise is most likely tons burthen (builders old measurement). Berenice was big enough to carry about 900 troops during Persian campaign of 1857.
Guns | Description | |
Acbar | 22 | Sloop |
Anquita | 6 | Tender |
Assaye | 10 | Paddle frigate, 177′ oa x 39’6″, 1800t, 650NHP |
Assyria | 2 | Paddle, river steamer, similar to Indus |
Auckland | 6 | Paddle sloop, over 900t |
Australian | 6 | Screw transport |
Beeas | 2 | Paddle |
Bheemah | 4 | Tender |
Berenice | 2 | Paddle sloop, 756t, 220NHP |
Charlotte | 2 | |
Cheenab | 2 | Paddle |
Clive | 18 | Sloop |
Constance | 3 | |
Conqueror | 2 | Paddle |
Comet | 5 | Paddle gun boat |
Coromandel | Screw transport | |
Dalhousie | Screw transport | |
Elphinstone | 18 | Probably a sailing sloop |
Emily | 2 | Schooner |
Euphrates | 10 | Surveying brig, formerly sloop |
Falkland | 12 | Sloop |
Ferooz | 10 | Paddle frigate |
Frere | 4 | Paddle |
Georgiana | 2 | Schooner |
Goolanair | Paddle yacht | |
Indus | 2 | Paddle, river steamer, 304t, 60NHP |
Lady Canning | 4 | Paddle |
Lady Falkland | 2 | Paddle |
Mahi | 3 | Schooner |
Marie | 2 | Tender |
Napier | 2 | Paddle |
Nerbudda | 2 | Cutter |
Nimrod | 2 | Paddle, river steamer, similar to Indus |
Outram | 2 | Paddle |
Planet | 2 | Paddle |
Pownah | 2 | |
Prince Arthur | Screw transport | |
Punjaub | 12 | Paddle frigate, as Assaye but 7′ longer |
Satellite | 2 | Paddle |
Semiramis | 8 | Paddle frigate, 1143t, 350NHP |
Sir H.Havelock | 2 | Paddle |
Sir W. Lawrence | 2 | Paddle |
Sydney | Screw transport | |
Snake | Paddle | |
Tigris | 6 | |
Victoria | 4 | Paddle |
Zenobia | 10 | Paddle frigate, ex-cargo, aka “the Pig Boat” |
Other large ships which may still have been afloat, although not in commission, included the paddle frigates Sesotris and Moozuffer.
The Bengal Marine had had half a dozen, probably more, iron paddle steamers in the early 1850s. The first of these was the famous Nemesis, 660 tons bm, 184′ x 29′ x 6′, 120 NHP and 8 knots, armed with 2 32-pr, 4 6-pr and a Congreve rocket launcher. Nemesis was sold in the 1850s. A squadron of Bengal Marine iron paddlers in Burma in 1852 included Nemesis, Tennasserim, Phlegeton, Mahanuddy, Prosperine & Enterprise.
Having dealt with Asia as far as possible, and neither Busk nor I know anything about China’s navy, it’s time for the Americas.
Chile
Starting in the south, the Chilean Navy was rather small. Busk lists the following ships:
Guns | |
1 Corvette | 18 |
1 Brig | 14 |
1 Ditto | 10 |
1 Schooner | 4 |
1 Steamer | 20 |
5 Ships | 66 |
The Chilean Navy has a good historical website where most of the ships which have served are listed.
http://www.armada.cl/p4_armada_port/site/edic/base/port/tradicion_historia.html
Either click on Buques de Ayer and pick the letter of the alphabet that interests you or, rather easier if you aren’t an expert on the Chilean Navy, go to the campaign of interest and click through to the ships mentioned. Even if you don’t know any Spanish at all, it’s easy enough to get a rough idea what the story is.
Peru
2 Frigates | 1 of 33 guns, 1 of 46 guns |
2 Steamers | 1 of 10 guns, 1 of 1 gun |
1 Brigantine | 14 guns |
4 Small steamers | |
1 Mail steamer | |
5 Pontoons | |
Total 15 vessels carrying 104 guns |
According to Conway’s and the Peruvians, the 33 (34) gun frigate was actually a screw steamer named Apurimac which is one of the “Buques Historicos” in the History section of the Peruvian Navy website, which is at:
There’s even a picture.
If you want more information on the Peruvian Navy, Juan del Campo has an excellent website at:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/Juan39/PERUVIAN_MARITIME_CAMPAIGNS.html
Brazil
The largest South American navy was Imperial Brazilian Navy. Some ships were bought in Britain and France and there was a navy yard at Rio de Janiero which built most of the ships. Although Brazil was not a major industrial nation, engines for some ships were built in Brazil.
Sailing Vessels
1 Frigate
5 Corvettes
2 Barques
5 Brigs
7 Brigantines
1 (Text missing in book)
4Schooners
2 Gun boats
27 Ships
Steamers
7 Screw
8 Paddle
15 Ships of 1770 NHP
In the Matto Grosso there were another 29 gun boats and there were 3 frigates, 4 corvettes and a steamer under construction. Based on that, it’s possible to put names & figures to some of the ships of the Brazilian Navy in 1859. The armaments which include Whitworth guns are likely to be from the period of the Paraguayan war or after. The 68-pr guns listed are more likely to be 65cwt 8-inch shell guns than 95cwt solid shot guns.
- Constituicao, frigate, launched 1826, 30 32-pr, 2 24-pr & 30 42-pr carronades, 1768t, 53m94 x 7m92
- Amazonas, paddle frigate, launched 1851, 4 32-pr & 4 70-pr Whitworths, 1800t, 56m88 x 9m81, 350hp, 10kt
- Belmonte, screw corvette, launched 1856, 4 32-pr, 2 68-pr & 1 70-pr Whitworth, 602t, 51m20 x 7m46, 120hp, ?kt
- Beberibe, screw corvette, launched 1854, 6 32-pr & 1 68-pr, 559t, 52m42 x 7m62, 30hp, ?kt
- Parnahyba, screw corvette, launched 1858, 602t, ? x ?, 1 70-pr Whitworth, 2 68-pr & 4 32-pr, 120hp, 12kt
- Recife, paddle corvette, launched 1850, ?t, 50m59 x 7m01, 2 30-pr shell guns & 2 30-pr, 150hp, ?kt
- Bahiana, corvette, launched 1849, 24 30-pr shell guns, ?t, 44m80 x 10m36
- Berenice, corvette, bought 1847 from Argentina, 14 30-pr and 8 small, 362t, 35m96 x 9m75
- Carioca, corvette, launched 1824, 18 guns, 818t, 37m49 x 10m05, foundered 13 April 1859 off Sao Paolo.
- Dona Isabel, corvette, launched 1855, 20 30-pr shell guns, 617t, 130′ x 33′ (original says pes, presumably not the same as English feet)
- Ipiranga, steam gun boat, launched 1854, ? guns, 350t, 39m04 x 5m52, 70hp, 9kt
- Araguaia class (Araguaia, Ivahy, Araguary), screw gun boat, launched 1858, 2 32-pr & 8 68-pr, 400t, 44m20 x 7m40, 80hp, 9kt
- Japura, steam gun boat, bought 1855, 1 30-pr shell gun & 6 32-pr, 323t, 36m57 x 7m31, 80hp, ?kt
- Anhambai, steam gun boat, launched 1858, 2 guns, ?t, ? x ?, 40hp, ?kt
- Mearim class (Mearim), steam gun boat, launched 1857, 4 32-pr & 2 68-pr, 415t, 45m72 x 7m01, 100hp, ?kt
- Paraense, paddle steamer, launched 1851, ?t, 59m01 x 9m, 1 70-pr Whitworth, 3 68-pr & 2 9-pr Whitworth, 220hp, 8kt
Mexico and Canada
The Mexican Navy was very small and there was no Canada, let alone a Canadian Navy, which only leaves the United States of America.
The United States of America
The United States Navy, January 1859
Name | Guns | Year |
Present
State |
Station |
Ships of the Line (10) (Sailing) | ||||
Pennsylvania | 120 | 1837 |
–
|
Receiving ship, Norfolk |
Columbus | 80 | 1829 |
Ord.
|
Norfolk |
Ohio | 84 | 1820 |
–
|
Receiving ship, Boston |
North Carolina | 84 | 1820 |
–
|
Receiving ship, New York |
Delaware | 84 | 1820 |
Ord.
|
Norfolk |
Alabama | 84 | – |
Bldg
|
Portsmouth |
Virginia | 84 | – |
Bldg
|
Boston |
Vermont | 84 | 1848 |
Ord.
|
Boston |
New York | 84 | – |
Bldg
|
Norfolk |
New Orleans | 84 | – |
Bldg
|
Sackett’s Harbor |
Frigates (11) (Sailing) | ||||
Independence | 56 | 1814 |
–
|
Receiving Ship, Mare Is. |
United States | 50 | 1797 |
Ord.
|
Norfolk |
Constitution | 50 | 1797 |
Ord.
|
Portsmouth |
Potomac | 50 | 1821 |
Ord.
|
New York |
Brandywine | 50 | 1825 |
Ord.
|
New York |
Columbia | 50 | 1836 |
Ord.
|
Norfolk |
Congress | 50 | 1841 |
Ord.
|
Philadelphia |
Raritan | 50 | 1843 |
Ord.
|
New York |
Santee | 50 | 1855 |
Ord.
|
Portsmouth |
Sabine | 50 | 1855 |
–
|
Coast of Brazil |
St Lawrence | 50 | 1847 |
–
|
Coast of Brazil |
Sloops of War (21) (Sailing) | ||||
Cumberland 2 | 24 | 1842 |
–
|
Coast of Africa |
Savannah 2 | 24 | 1842 |
–
|
Home sqdn |
Constellation 22 | 22 | 1854 |
Ord.
|
Boston |
Macedonian | 22 | 1836 |
Ord.
|
Portsmouth |
Plymouth | 22 | 1843 |
–
|
Naval ordnance ship |
St Mary’s | 22 | 1844 |
–
|
Pacific sqdn |
Jamestown | 22 | 1844 |
–
|
Home sqdn |
Germantown | 22 | 1846 |
–
|
East Indies |
Saratoga | 20 | 1842 |
–
|
Home sqdn |
John Adams | 20 | 1831 |
Ord.
|
Norfolk |
Vincennes | 20 | 1826 |
–
|
Coast of Africa |
Falmouth | 20 | 1827 |
–
|
Brazil Station |
Vandalia | 20 | 1828 |
–
|
Pacific Ocean |
St Louis | 20 | 1828 |
Ord.
|
New York |
Cyane | 20 | 1839 |
–
|
Pacific Ocean |
Levant | 20 | 1837 |
Ord.
|
Boston |
Decatur | 16 | 1839 |
–
|
Pacific Ocean |
Marion | 16 | 1839 |
–
|
Coast of Africa |
Dale | 16 | 1839 |
–
|
Coast of Africa |
Preble | 16 | 1839 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
Brigs (3) (Sailing) | ||||
Bainbridge | 6 | 1842 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
Perry | 6 | 1843 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
Dolphin | 4 | 1836 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
Schooner (Sailing) | ||||
Fenimore Cooper | 3 | 1852 |
–
|
Surveying |
Screw Steamers, First Class (7) | ||||
Franklin | 50 | – |
Bldg
|
Portsmouth |
Merrimac | 40 | 1855 |
–
|
Pacific Ocean |
Wabash | 40 | 1855 |
–
|
Mediterranean |
Minnesota | 40 | 1855 |
–
|
East Indies |
Roanoke | 40 | 1855 |
–
|
Home sqdn |
Colorado | 40 | 1855 |
Ord.
|
Boston |
Niagara | 40 | 1856 |
–
|
Special service, Africa |
Busk adds a note here: “The six frigates … are stated in the official list to mount 40 guns; it is well known, however, that their real armament consists of 12 heavy Dahlgren guns”. This was, of course, only true of the USS Niagara and not of the Merrimack class. | ||||
Screw, Second Class (6) | ||||
San Jacinto | 13 | 1850 |
Ord.
|
New York |
Lancaster | – | – |
Bldg
|
Philadelphia |
Pensacola | – | – |
Bldg
|
Pensacola |
Brooklyn | – | – |
Bldg
|
New York |
Hartford | – | 1858 |
Bldg
|
Boston |
Richmond | – | – |
Bldg
|
Norfolk |
Screw, Third Class (2) | ||||
Massachusetts | 9 | 1841 |
–
|
East Indies |
Princeton | 10 | 1851 |
–
|
Receiving Ship, Philadelphia |
Paddle-Wheel, First Class (3) | ||||
Mississippi | 10 | 1841 |
–
|
East Indies |
Susquehanna | 15 | 1850 |
Ord.
|
New York |
Powhatan | 9 | 1850 |
–
|
East Indies |
Paddle-Wheel, Second Class (1) | ||||
Saranac | 6 | 1848 |
–
|
Pacific |
Paddle-Wheel, Third Class (5) | ||||
Michigan | 1 | 1844 |
–
|
Northern Lakes |
Fulton | 5 | 1837 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
Alleghany | 10 | 1847 |
–
|
Receiving Ship, Baltimore |
Water Witch | 2 | 1845 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
John Hancock | 2 | 1850 |
Ord.
|
Mare Is. |
Steam Tenders (2) | ||||
Despatch | – | 1855 |
–
|
Home sqdn |
Arctic | – | 1855 |
–
|
Special service |
Store-ships (5) | ||||
Relief 6 | 6 | 1836 |
–
|
Home sqdn |
Supply | 4 | 1846 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
Warren | – | 1826 |
Ord.
|
Mare Is. |
Fredonia | 4 | 1846 |
–
|
Valparaiso, Chile |
Release | 2 | 1855 |
–
|
Paraguay Expedition |
The US merchant marine had about 2.5 million tons of shipping registered for foreign trade of which about 100,000 tons were steamers. There were another 2 million tons of lake and river craft of which a huge 770,000 tons were steamers. That’s about half of all the merchant steam tonnage afloat around 1860. US construction of seagoing ships was in long term decline well before 1860 and relatively few large seagoing steamers were built in US yards. Iron was expensive in the US, domestic industry being weak and tariffs high, so few iron ships were being built in US yards. In terms of industry in general, the US was likely the third largest industrial economy in the world in 1859 and the second largest by the middle of the 1860s. By about 1880, the US industrial economy had about tripled in size and reached the level of Britain in 1860.
Of all the navies of the world at this time, the US Navy is probably the best documented on the web and in print so there’s no point adding anything much.
The USA and Britain used the same definitions of inches and pounds (and, so far as ships and guns appear to be concerned, tons and hundredweights too). Where guns were rated by weight of shot there was no confusion. For guns rated in inches the USN used the nominal diameter of the bore and the RN used the nominal diameter of the shot. This meant that a US 8-inch gun would fire about 64-65lb solid shot and a British one 67-69lb solid shot. Hardly a great difference but it’s another demonstration of the fact that every navy did things their own way.
A recommended starting point for the US Navy on the Internet is The Naval Historical Center:
Which contains a wealth of photographs of old vessels. Indeed, for a cultural cross reference between the US Navy, the German Navy, the British Navy and an Australian poet (A. B. “Banjo” Patterson), search the website above for “Calliope, Samoa, Hurricane” and check The Ballad of the Calliope. It will be displayed in Thomo’s Hole soon.
One thought on “Busk’s Navies of the World – 1859 – The Americas and Asia”