Hydaspes

The Hydaspes was an iron-hulled sailing vessel owned and operated by Shaw Savill. Under the command of Captain Edward S. Babot, she primarily served routes between the United Kingdom and New Zealand, while also making several voyages to South Australia.

Service History

The vessel operated regular services for Shaw Savill, predominantly on routes between Britain and New Zealand, with occasional voyages to Australian ports under Captain Edward S. Babot.

Notable Voyage to Adelaide

A well-documented voyage began on June 18, 1876, when Hydaspes departed Plymouth, Devon. After an 89-day passage, she arrived at Port Adelaide on September 15, 1876. Upon arrival, passengers were landed at Largs Bay and transported to shore via launch, carrying only their hand luggage. Their heavy luggage was separately offloaded later at Port Adelaide proper. Contemporary accounts note that passengers had to walk from their landing point to their accommodations.

Loss

Hydaspes met her end in 1878 following a collision in the English Channel.

Legacy

In 1982, Commodore Dacre Smythe RAN created a painting of the Hydaspes based on a sketch originally made by the ship's carpenter. The artwork depicts the vessel with the Shaw Savill house flag flying prominently at her masthead.

Key Facts

Specification	Details
Type	Iron-hulled sailing ship
Owner	Shaw Savill
Route	UK to New Zealand, occasional Australian service
Final Fate	Sunk in collision, English Channel, 1878