Channel Squadron (Royal Navy)

History

The Channel Squadron was established as such in 1858, and was occasionally known as the Particular Service Squadron, and the Channel Fleet and one reference has been seen to "Senior Officer in Command of Her Majesty's vessels on the coast of Ireland". For the most part its commander was known as the Senior Officer in Command, but occasional official references are seen to Commander-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral Commanding: in the Navy List for December, 1886, for example, Sir William N. W. Hewett is listed as both "Senior Officer in command of Channel Squadron" and "Vice-Admiral Commanding". Vice-Admiral The Right Hon. Lord Charles Beresford was appointed Vice-Admiral Commanding, Channel Squadron, on 17 April, 1903. On 6 May he was informed by the Admiralty "that for the future the Channel Squadron shall be known as the Channel Fleet."

Composition

1891

• Anson
• Camperdown
• Howe
• Rodney

1896

• Magnificent
• Majestic
• Prince George
• Empress of India
• Repulse
• Resolution
• Royal Sovereign

February, 1900

• Arrogant
• Diadem
• Furious
• Hannibal
• Jupiter
• Magnificent
• Majestic
• Mars (temporarily detached to Cape of Good Hope Station)
• Niobe
• Pactolus
• Prince George
• Pelorus (temporarily detached to Cape of Good Hope Station)
• Repulse
• Resolution

January, 1901

The formation has remained unaltered, but Mars and Pelorus are no longer on temporary detachment.

• Arrogant
• Diadem
• Furious
• Hannibal
• Jupiter
• Magnificent
• Majestic
• Mars
• Niobe
• Pactolus
• Prince George
• Pelorus
• Repulse
• Resolution

Senior Officers in Command

Dates of appointment given:

• Vice-Admiral Sir Charles H. Fremantle, 28 July, 1858 – 10 October, 1860
• Rear-Admiral Robert F. Stopford, 2 October, 1860 – 24 January, 1861
• Rear-Admiral Robert Smart, 29 January, 1861 – 24 April, 1863^[Inference]
• Vice-Admiral Sir Sydney C. Dacres, 24 April, 1863 – 3 December, 1865
• Rear-Admiral Hastings R. Yelverton, 6 July, 1866 – 30 April, 1867  (as Commander-in-Chief, Channel Squadron)
• Rear-Admiral Frederick Warden, 5 April, 1867 – 11 November, 1869
• Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas M. C. Symonds, 10 December, 1868 – 22 June, 1870
• Vice-Admiral Sir Hastings R. Yelverton, 13 July, 1870 – 25 October, 1870
• Vice-Admiral George G. Wellesley, 25 October, 1870 – 25 August, 1871
• Vice-Admiral Geoffrey T. Phipps Hornby, 31 August, 1871 – 30 September, 1874
• Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick B. P. Seymour, 1 October, 1874 – 9 November, 1877
• Vice-Admiral The Rt. Hon. Lord John Hay, 10 November, 1877 – 15 November, 1879
• Vice-Admiral Arthur W. A. Hood, 9 December, 1879 – 10 December, 1881
• Rear-Admiral The Hon. Henry C. Glynn, 1 December, 1881 – 26 April, 1882  (temporary)
• Vice-Admiral Sir William M. Dowell, 10 April, 1882 – 1 December, 1883
• Vice-Admiral H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, 3 December, 1883 – 3 December, 1884
• Admiral Algernon F. R. de Horsey, 4 December, 1884 – 7 May, 1885
• Rear-Admiral William H. Whyte, 7 May, 1885 – 23 July, 1885  (temporary)
• Vice-Admiral Charles Fellowes, 1 July, 1885 – 8 March, 1886
• Vice-Admiral William N. W. Hewett, 18 March, 1886 – 17 April, 1888
• Vice-Admiral John K. E. Baird, 17 April, 1888 – 3 May, 1890
• Vice-Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Bart., 3 May, 1890 – 10 May, 1892
• Vice-Admiral Henry Fairfax, 10 May, 1892 – 11 May, 1894
• Vice-Admiral Sir Robert O'B. FitzRoy, 12 May, 1894 – 27 May, 1895  (requested relief on account of health)
• Vice-Admiral The Rt. Hon. Lord Walter Kerr, 27 May, 1895 – 7 June, 1897
• Vice-Admiral Sir Henry F. Stephenson, 7 June, 1897 – 19 December, 1898  (relinquished command due to ill health)
• Vice-Admiral Sir Harry H. Rawson, 20 December, 1898 – 16 April, 1901
• Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur K. Wilson, 17 April, 1901 – 17 April, 1903
• Vice-Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, 17 April, 1903 – 6 May, 1903  (renamed as Channel Fleet)

Seconds-in-Command

Dates of appointment given:

• Rear-Admiral John E. Erskine, 31 May, 1859 – 2 November, 1861
• Rear-Admiral Henry Chads, 1 October, 1869 – 3 October, 1870
• Rear-Admiral Augustus Phillimore, 1 January, 1876 – 8 November, 1876^[Inference]
• Rear-Admiral William M. Dowell, 16 May, 1877 – 28 May, 1878
• Rear-Admiral Henry Boys, 5 June, 1878 – 7 June, 1879
• Rear-Admiral The Hon. Henry C. Glyn, 20 June, 1881 – 1 December, 1881
• Rear-Admiral Sir Francis W. Sullivan, Bart., 14 August, 1882 – 16 March, 1883
• Rear-Admiral John C. Wilson, 1 April, 1883 – 12 April, 1884
• Rear-Admiral William H. Whyte, 8 May, 1884 – 7 May, 1885
• Rear-Admiral Algernon C. F. Heneage, 3 July, 1885 – 7 August, 1886
• Rear-Admiral The Hon. Edmund R. Fremantle, 9 August, 1886 – 18 August, 1887
• Rear-Admiral Charles J. Rowley, 18 August, 1887 – 1 September, 1888
• Rear-Admiral St. George C. D'Arcy-Irvine, 1 September, 1888 – 12 September, 1889
• Rear-Admiral Richard E. Tracey, 12 September, 1889 – 12 September, 1890
• Rear-Admiral Loftus F. Jones, 12 September, 1890 – 14 September, 1891
• Rear-Admiral Edward S. Adeane, 15 September, 1891 – 16 September, 1892
• Rear-Admiral Edward H. Seymour, 16 September, 1892 – 25 April, 1894^[Inference]
• Rear-Admiral Alfred T. Dale, 25 April, 1894 – 1 May, 1895
• Rear-Admiral Arthur H. Alington, 1 May, 1895 – 30 April, 1896
• Rear-Admiral Armand T. Powlett, 1 May, 1896 – 19 May, 1897
• Rear-Admiral John Fellowes, 19 May, 1897 – 1 June, 1898
• Rear-Admiral John W. Brackenbury, 1 June, 1898 – 1 June, 1899
• Rear-Admiral Arthur D. Fanshawe, 1 June, 1899 – 31 May, 1900
• Rear-Admiral Albert B. Jenkings, 1 June, 1900 – 4 June, 1901
• Rear-Admiral Sir William A. D. Acland, Bart., 4 June, 1901 – 5 June, 1902
• Rear-Admiral The Hon. Assheton G. Curzon-Howe, 5 June, 1902

Bibliography

• Clowes, Sir Wm. Laird (1903). The Royal Navy: A History From the Earliest Times to the Death of Queen Victoria. Vol. VII. London: Sampson Low, Marston and Company Limited.