HMS Orpheus (1860) - Background

Background

Orpheus's first journey was in December 1861 flying the pennant of Commodore W F Burnett CB. She sailed from Plymouth Sound, initially for convoy duty off Canada, which delayed her voyage to Sydney. On 31 January 1863, Burnett set out on a mission to New Zealand. The mission was not to reinforce the British ships already taking part in the New Zealand Wars, but to arrange for the withdrawal of two Royal Navy sloops - Miranda, stationed in Manukau harbour, and Harrier. They were to rendezvous in the Waitemata Harbour. Orpheus was behind schedule, and Burnett decided to save some time by cutting through Manukau Harbour rather than going by the intended course of rounding North Cape and sailing down the East Coast of Northland.

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