HMS Nile was built at HM Dockyard, Plymouth in the early nineteenth century as a two deck second rate sailing line of battle ship. LOA 205 feet, depth 54 feet, weight 4,375 tons. A 92 gun vessel with ten 8 inch guns and eighty two 32 pounders. Built entirely of wood her construction costs were £86,197. Her full complement of men was 850^[1].

The launch of HMS Nile took place at Plymouth Dockyard at 6pm on Saturday 28th June 1839.  On 10th December 1852 the ship returned to Devonport to be converted to a screw ship with engine, propeller and funnel. This took a long time and cost £63,837^[2]. On completion of the conversion in January 1854 she was finally commissioned and later that year joined the Baltic Squadron. HMS Nile engaged the Russian navy on a number of occasions during the Crimean war. After two years away from home, HMS Nile took part in the Spithead Review to mark the end of the Crimean war on 23rd April 1856.

On 19th June 1860 HMS Nile arrived in Halifax as the flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron, carrying the Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne. In the next few years she travelled back and forth between the North American and West Indies stations. Ernest Lionel Carpenter was transferred to HMS Nile on 10th May 1863, whilst she was stationed at Bermuda.

In the period that Ernest Lionel Carpenter was on board the Nile continued the pattern of previous years, sailing between the main naval bases in the region, looking after the interests of British territory whilst the American civil war raged in the background^[3].

The history of HMS Nile’s voyages can be constructed from a number of sources. This summary uses the Ship’s Log (held at the National Archives), the Victualling Lists (held at the National Archives), reports published in the Naval and Military Intelligence columns in The Times and the HMS Conway website.

The log entries taken from the first few days that Ernest would have spent on board at Bermuda in May 1863 give an indication of the routines of life on board. The entry for 14th May 1863 includes mention of the 2nd class boys attending rifle drill one morning, which Ernest would presumably have taken part in.

At 2.40pm on May 22nd 1863 the Nile slipped from her moorings and left Bermuda, just over two weeks after Ernest arrived. Seven days later, at 12.40pm on May 29th 1863 she steamed into Halifax and joined HMS Galatea and HMS Nimble in the harbour. HMS Nile spent the next 3 months in and around Halifax – with the log recording the ship’s steaming around the coast on occasion, before returning to harbour, as for example on 14th August 1863 when the Nile steamed back into Halifax and took up the Flag ships moorings, hoisting the Admirals flag.  The Ship’s Log records very little of note, with the occasional observation or event – such as the comings and goings of an American Federal gunboat on June 30th 1863 and the visit of a French Admiral on 17th September 1863.

On 24th September 1863 the Nile set out on one of the most interesting voyages in her role as the flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron. At 2.10pm she proceeded under steam out of Halifax harbour accompanied by HMS Nimble. By 28th September 1863 she was at single anchor off Sandy Hook lighthouse, at the southern end of the New York harbour and by the following day she was moored off New York city.

The Times reported the arrival of the Nile in New York in the edition of Thursday October 13th 1863^[4] in an article on the Civil War in America:

‘Charleston, the Rapidan and Chiekamanga – all the phases of the war – have for the moment lost their interest in comparison with that excited by the presence in New York harbour of a greater fleet of foreign war vessels than was ever seen in those waters since the discovery of America. Admiral Milne, on board the Nile, arrived yesterday from the West India station, accompanied by the gunboats Immortalité and Nimble.  The French frigate Guerrière has suddenly returned from Halifax with three others; and a Russian fleet of no less than seven war ships been here for nearly a week. No one knows why this rendezvous has been appointed, or what hostile or amicable purposes are at the bottom of it.’

One American General expressed the hope that the Russian fleet was there to ‘sweep the commerce of Great Britain and France from the seas’ but no answers were forthcoming. The Times wrote that

‘there is much wonderment to pierce the mystery of the fleets. As no one can solve it, and as gold is alarmed at the doubt, that tremendous commodity has gone up from 38¾ to a premium of 44 per cent, lest Great Britain, France and Russia should, after all, be in accord, and have severally and conjointly determined to notify to North and South for the commanding position of New York harbour, that the war had lasted a great deal too long, and that it is high time for the North to admit the logic of fact and necessity, and consent to the independence of the South. ‘

The Times reported that the welcome given to the Russian fleet was, at least initially, warmer than that accorded to the British and French which is perhaps unsurprising given the tensions between the countries at the time.  However, by the end of the visit this seems to have changed and the Times gave a full account of the visit to New York in the edition of Friday November 13th 1863^[5]:

‘BRITISH SHIPS OF WAR AT NEW YORK. -After a fortnight’s stay in this port Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne took his departure for Halifax on Wednesday last in his flagship, the Nile ,78, accompanied by the Nimble, 5; the Immortalité. 35, going out at the same time, but shaping her course for Bermuda. It has been a source of some little pride and much gratification to our countrymen here resident to see these ships at anchor in the Hudson; for, if the Nile be a somewhat old-fashioned specimen of the two-decker, and remarkable only for the high order in which she is kept, the Immortalité is in all respects the perfection of her class – as noble and sightly a frigate as ever swam. It would, indeed, be difficult to improve upon her, were it not ordained for the future that Jack is to manoeuvre and fight cooped-up in an iron safe. The jaunty little Nimble looks as though she well merited her name. But we do not allude to this subject for the purpose of pointing out what is obvious to the least experienced eye, even viewed from a distance, and still more to those who have trod the decks of the several vessels, -our object is to pay a little debt of gratitude to the first admiral of the British Navy who, since the days when the United States were parts of a colonial empire, has come hither on friendly errand and cast anchor within these waters. For it required no slight amount of moral courage on the part of Admiral Milne thus to come uninvited, and possibly unwelcomed, into a country which he was well aware was deeply prejudiced against his own. Conscious, however, that he had done his best to soften unhappy asperities, and so to exercise his official authority as to prevent collision among hotheads afloat, the Admiral could see no sufficient reason why he should pass and repass the chief seaport of this republic and yet hold himself systematically aloof from it. He had exchanged international courtesies with American naval officers in all quarters of the globe – why should the harbour of New York be barred to him? Thus prompted by curiosity, and thus arguing in the simple spirit that befits the sailor mind, Sir Alexander wrote home to the Admiralty for permission to carry out his plan. To what extent that mouldy establishment was perturbed by so unusual a demand we have no information; at least, it had the good sense and the good grace to accede to the request. The result of the Admiral’s visit shows this was wise; for it is no flattery to say that he has left behind him a most favourable impression, due to that mixture of kindness, simplicity, straightforwardness, and courteous bearing which immediately win’s  its way to all mens liking. During his two or three days’ stay at Washington the Admiral was the object of very marked attention on the part of the President and the various members of his Cabinet; and we hear from many American sources that the little intercourse, official and social, which then and there took place gave occasion for the most agreeable memories. So has it been here also. The Admiral and the officers of his escort, in the more or less of civilities which they have received, have won the goodwill of all with whom they have come in contact. And now the ice is broken, we trust that hereafter and in happier times the British Admiral commanding on the adjacent station may make frequent visits to this port. But be that as it may, we beg leave, in conclusion, to remind our American no less than our British readers, that we are all indebted to Sir Alexander Milne for something more than the confidence he showed in coming hither, and his pleasant demeanour while among us. Let it be borne in mind that during these past two years, and amid the multitudinous perplexities of blockade running, and searching neutral ships, and naval etiquette, the preservation of peace between two proud and sensitive peoples has been mainly owing to the discretion, tact, forbearance and firmness of the Admiral. What Lord Lyons has been at Washington he has been at Bermuda and Nassau. In the rush of events this great claim to respect may be overlooked. We are glad of an opportunity to put it on record. –New York Albion, Oct. 17.’

The Nile was the focus of much interest during the visit to New York. The Ship’s Log records visits  to the ship from a number of American and Russian Admirals, the Mayor & Corporation of New York, a Russian Minister and the British Ambassador – Lord Lyons. As the reports from the Times demonstrate, there was also a considerable degree of speculation as to the purpose of the visit and there have been suggestions that this was part of an attempt to intervene in the American Civil War^[6].

After a fortnight in New York, the Nile spent a final night moored between Governor’s Point and Battery Point before leaving in the early hours of 14th October 1863^[7].  Three days later and the Nile was at single anchor in Halifax harbour, where she would go on to spend the next month.

The Nile began a final cruise between the stations of the North American squadron that was reported in both the Times^[8] and local newspapers (such as the Bermuda Royal Gazette) before relinquishing her position as flagship and returning to England. In this final cruise the Nile visited Antigua, Barbados, Martinique, Port Royal and Havana before heading back to Bermuda for the last time.

At 9.35am on 17th March 1864 the Nile slipped and proceeded under steam for England. The voyage home was far from comfortable, accompanied by force 9 and 10 gales, before finally arriving at Spithead on 8th April 1864. On her return to England, the Times of Saturday 9th April 1864 reported^[9]:

‘The Nile, screw line-of-battle ship, Capt. Barnard, with Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, K.C.B., late Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty’s Naval Forces in North America and the West Indies, and family on board, arrived at Spithead from Bermuda late on Thursday evening. Yesterday, at 8 a.m., she exchanged the customary salutes with the Victory, flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir M. Seymour, K.C.B., Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, and shortly afterwards Sir A. Milne, accompanied by his staff and Lady Milne and family, disembarked from the Nile and landed at the dockyard from the Fire Queen steam tender, where he visited Sir Michael Seymour, at the Admiralty House.  The Nile coaled yesterday at Spithead, and will sail thence this afternoon for Devonport, where she will be dismantled and paid out of commission. She sailed from Bermuda on the 17th of March, at which time Her Majesty’s ships on the station were the Duncan, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir James Hope, K.C.B., Shannon, Phaeton, Liverpool, Medea, Buzzard, Pylades, Greyhound, Nimble, Cygnet, Spitfire, Onyx, Netley, and Terror. ‘

A later report in the Naval and Military Intelligence column on the same day added:

‘The Nile has been known among the ships’ crews serving on the North America and West Indies station as a “happy ship,” and as such her crew have been envied by those of other vessels serving in the same latitudes.’

The Nile arrived at Plymouth Sound on 11th April 1864, as reported in the Times^[10] a few days later, before sailing onward and arriving at Devonport Yard on 12th April 1864.

‘The screw steamship Nile 90, Capt. Barnard, recently returned from the North America station, which left Portsmouth on Saturday, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Sunday morning. On Monday she discharged her powder and shell, and was to be placed alongside the jetty at the Devonport Dockyard, to be dismantled, preparatory to paying off her crew. She will then be placed by the third division of the steam reserve at Devonport’

A letter included in the final volume^[11] of victualling records for the Nile states that the victualling list ran to the 23rd April 1864, ‘the day on which that ship was paid off’.

Postscript

Unlike many ships of her time HMS Nile survived for many years as a training ship (renamed HMS Conway in 1876) before finally meeting her end in the Menai Strait. The final three years of her life are most succinctly described on the HMS Conway website^[12]:

‘At 8.15am on Wed 14th April 1953 HMS Conway slipped her mooring off Plas Newydd in the Menai Strait and was taken under tow on the first stage of her return to Birkenhead for a refit. A little over two hours later, under the fearful gaze of the thousands who waited to cheer her through Menai Suspension Bridge, she would be driven ashore by an unexpectedly powerful tide, and as that tide fell it would reduce Britain’s last commissioned, massively built floating wooden walled Ship-of-the-Line to a total constructive loss within a matter of hours. For over three years her flooded, broken hull would haunt the banks of the Strait until, in a last fitting blaze of glory, she caught fire in unexplained circumstances and burned to the waterline.’

The HMS Conway website includes a simple chronology of events^[13], supported by over 200 photos^[14], which show the final three years of the ship and analyses what went wrong on that fateful day.