Pearl-class
An item dated Zanzibar 1st reporting the departure of the cruiser Philomel and the gunboat Widgeon towards the Delagoa Bay, South Africa.
Notes
1. Part of the Pearl-3rd class cruisers consisting of the Pearl, Pandora, Pallas, Pelorus, Persian, Philomel, Phoebe, Phoenix and Psyche, preceded by the Barham-class and succeeded by the Apollo-class. Designed by Sir William White (2 February 1845 Plymouth, Devon, England-27 February 1913 London, England). Laid down at the Naval Dockyard, Devonport, Plymouth, England on 9 May 1889, launched on 28 August 1890, completed in March 1890, commissioned on 10 November 1891, refitted in 1898, laid up between 22 March 1902 and 1907, refitted and decommissioned in February 1908, lent to New Zealand to be used as seagoing training cruiser for the just established New Zealand Naval Forces and decommissioned in 1913, decommissioned in March 1917, decommissioned as depot ship in Willington, New Zealand as support ship for the minesweepers until May 1919, again recommissioned she became a training base at the Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, New Zealand in March 1921, received a training armament, machinery removed for increasing accommodation space in 1925, training base HMZNS Philomel since October 1941, decommissioned and loosing her name on 17 January 1947, as hulk sold to Strongman Shipping Company, Coromandel, New Zealand, grounded in the Coromandel harbour and scuttled near Cuvier Island son 6 August 1949. Part of her timber and fitting used for the new building of the coaster Coromel.
2. Of the Redbreast-class screw steam gunboats consisting of the Magpie, Redbreast, Redpole, Ringdove. Lapwing, Goldfinch, Thursh, Widgeon and Sparrow. Launched by Pembroke Dockyard on 9 August 1899 and finally sold to Castle to be scrapped at Charlton on 15 May 1905.
