H.M.S Nelson .– Jervis Bay 1888

During the 1880’s – 1890’s HMS Nelson was a regualar visitor to Jervis Bay. The large heavily armed war ship would use Jervis Bay for much of it’s training. This involved setting up large floating canvas targets, sometimes stationary, sometimes moving, the men would practice with everything from small arms, to firing her big guns,  and in the case below,  torpedo firing practice.

The torpedos were launched with considerable force from an air gun from the broardside  at a target being towed at full speed by torpedo launches. The torpedos are driven by screw driven compressed air and travel at 24 knots per hour over 600 yards. The torpedos are unarmed and are recovered by a special boat crew. This exercise lasted all day.

As a defence against torpedos,  H.M.S Nelson deploys “torpedo netting” along the sides of the ship, hopefully stopping enemy torpedos before striking the ship.

image from the worldnavalships.com collection.

HMS Nelson was a 126-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 4 1814 at Woolwich.,but then laid up incomplete at Portsmouth until 1854, when work with a view to commissioning her for service in the Crimean War, but this ended before much work had been done, and the ship returned to reserve. In 1865, H.M.S Nelson was given to the colony of Victoria as a training ship, and she was finally outfitted and rigged for £42,000 and sailed for Australia in October 1867. Travelling via the Cape of Good Hope, she arrived in February 1868. She was the first ship to dock in the newly constructed Alfred Graving Dock. Her armament in 1874 was listed as two 7-in RML, twenty 64-lb guns, twenty 32-lb guns and six 12-lb howitzers.

Portsmouth, England. C.1891, Detail view of the bow of the armoured cruiser HMS Nelson  appeared after her 1889 –1891 refit.  Her sailing rig has been reduced and fighting tops containing 3 pounder Hotchkiss anti torpedo boat guns fitted to her fore and mizzen masts.  Three other 3 pounders can be seen around her bows.  The deep embrasure in the hull is to enable end on firing by her 10 inch 18 ton rifled muzzel loading gun. Above it is a 4.7 inch quick firing gun. (Naval History Collection) Public Domain Image.