HMS Dolphin (1751)

The HMS Dolphin was a 22 - gun frigate of the British Navy, which was used as a research vessel in two expeditions to the South Seas.

Built by Fellowes in the Woolwich Dockyard (London), the ship was put into service in 1751. During the Seven Years War, it was part of the fleet of Admiral John Byng, and participated in the Battle of Minorca ( May 20, 1756 ) against the French ships.

First expedition

1764 Dolphin was placed as the flagship of a South Seas expedition under the command of John Byron. On June 21, 1764 sailed the Dolphin and the Tamar - a " sloop " under Captain Mouat - Portsmouth from. Your journey took them to the Canary Islands to South America. Byron contributed to the Falkland Islands, to take them to England in possession, without knowing that the French had previously founded a colony there for a year.

The ship passed through the Strait of Magellan and the first walked the island Mas Afuera (now Alejandro Selkirk ) to - one of the Juan Fernandez Islands.

With Northwestern course it went to Takaroa where Byron despite unfriendly reception ended, to provide themselves with fresh provisions. He found the remains of Roggeveens " Africaansche Galey ," which was dropped in 1721. After being sailed westward through various island groups, the Dolphin landed on June 30, 1765 Tinian (Northern Mariana Islands ), where it stayed for nine weeks. On the way back they took over the Cape of Good Hope and was on May 9, 1766 back in England.

The Dolphin was after this long voyage, still in excellent condition, which was due to the fact that the hull was covered with copper plates - to protect against shipworm. Despite good experience, this method was only from 1783 standard in the British navy.

Second expedition

In 1766 the Dolphin was re- equipped as a flagship for a second expedition to the South Seas. The command of the company was Samuel Wallis. As a Second Lieutenant on board Tobias Furneaux was. Dolphin was accompanied this time by the HMS Swallow under Philip Carteret. On August 26, 1766 Association of Plymouth sailed with the mission to find in the South Pacific country or islands to survey and to map. On 17 December, the ships reached the Strait of Magellan. They fought under four months against headwinds and could run into the Pacific until April 11, 1767. The Swallow was out of sight and every ship on his way alone continued. On June 18, Wallis discovered the island of Tahiti. He stayed there for five weeks, and was unable to establish a friendly relationship with the local population. On 26 July, the ship began its onward journey. About the Society Islands and the Mariana Islands was reached to Batavia, a popular but also malaria- infested port of call. About the Cape of Good Hope the Dolphin went back to England and ran into the Downs on 20 May 1768. ( The Swallow arrived only ten months later. )

The Dolphin was the first ship with a two-time circumnavigation. She remained as a research vessel still in service and was scrapped in 1777.