South East Coast of America Station explained

Unit Name:	South East Coast of America Station
Dates:	1838–1905
Branch:	Royal Navy
Type:	Formation
Garrison:	Stanley, Falkland Islands

The South East Coast of America Station was a formation of the Royal Navy which existed from 1838 until just after the end of the 19th century.

History

The station was separated from the Pacific Station in 1838^{[1] [2]} in order to combat the slave trade in Brazil.^[3] In its early years it was often referred to as the " and River Plate Station". In the mid-1840s Rear Admiral Samuel Inglefield took decisive action to keep the Paraná River open so ensuring continuity of trade during the Uruguayan Civil War.^[4]

The station suffered significant ship reductions between 1869 and 1874.^[5] From 1870 it was commanded by a captain, designated the "senior officer",^[6] and comprised just three gunboats^[7] although it had responsibility for the Western Atlantic from Brazil South.^[8] The squadron's only permanent base was a coal station at Stanley on the Falkland Islands.^[9] It was disbanded altogether in 1905.^[10] Its area of operation, along with that of the Pacific Station, was ultimately absorbed into that of the North America and West Indies Station, with its main base at the Royal Naval Dockyard in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, which was redesignated the America and West Indies Station.^[11]

Commanders

Commanders included:

• Commodore Thomas Sulivan (1838–1841)^[12]
• Commodore John Purvis (1842–1844)^[13]
• Rear Admiral Samuel Inglefield (1844–1846)^[14]
• Commodore Thomas Herbert (1847–1849)^[15]
• Rear Admiral Barrington Reynolds (1849–1851)
• Rear Admiral William Henderson (1851–1854)^[16]
• Rear Admiral William Hope-Johnstone (1854–1857)^[17]
• Rear Admiral Provo Wallis (May 1857 – September 1857)^[18]
• Rear Admiral Stephen Lushington (1858–1860)^[19]
• Rear Admiral Henry Keppel (1860–1861)^[20]
• Rear Admiral Richard Warren (1861–1864)^[21]
• Rear Admiral Charles Elliot (1864–1866)^[22]
• Rear-Admiral George Ramsay (1866–1869)^[23]
• Commodore Charles James Norcock (1898–1899)
• Commodore Robert Leonard Groome (1899–1902)^[24]
• Commodore Frank Finnis (1902–1904)^[25]

Sources

• Book: Brown, David. The Royal Navy and Falklands War. Pen & Sword Books. 1987. 978-0850520590.
• Book: Bourne, Kenneth. Britain and the Balance of Power in North America, 1815-1908. ACLS History E-Book Project. 2008. 978-1597404075.
• Book: Heathcote, Tony. The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword. 2002 . 0-85052-835-6.
• Book: O'Hara, Vincent. To Crown the Waves: the Great Navies of the First World War. Naval Institute Press. 2013. 978-1612510828.
• Book: Antony. Preston. John . Major. Send a Gunboat!: 150 Years of the British Gunboat. Conway. 2007. 978-0851779232.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Naval Estimates. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 16 March 1849. 17 January 2015.
2. Web site: Naval Estimates. The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 April 1849. 17 January 2015.
3. Web site: Ships and Streets. Victorian Historical Society. Spring 2007. 17 January 2015.
4. Web site: Pax Britannica: The Parana. 17 January 2015.
5. Bourne, p. 305
6. Web site: Spun Yarns of a naval officer. 178.
7. Preston and Major, p.67
8. O'Hara, chapter 4
9. Web site: Stations, Dockyards. 107. 17 January 2015.
10. Brown, p. 32
11. Lieutenant-Commander B. Ian D. Stranack, The Andrew and The Onions: The Story of The Royal Navy in Bermuda, 1795–1975. Bermuda Maritime Museum Press; News: Harris . Dr Edward . HERITAGE MATTERS The Royal Gazette:Bermuda Island09 . 10 October 2018 . The Royal Gazette . The Bermuda Press . 3 December 2011 . Bermuda.
12. Web site: Thomas Ball Sulivan. William Loney. 18 January 2015.
13. Book: O’Byrne, William R.. A Naval Biographical Dictionary - Volume 3. 6 February 2012. 942. 9781781502815.
14. Web site: William Henry Haswell. William Loney. 18 January 2015.
15. Thomas Herbert. 2004 . 10.1093/ref:odnb/13051 . 18 January 2015.
16. Web site: William Willmott Henderson . William Loney. 18 January 2015.
17. Web site: William James Hope-Johnstone. William Loney. 18 January 2015.
18. Heathcote, p. 249
19. Web site: Stephen Lushington. William Loney. 18 January 2015.
20. Heathcote, p. 142
21. Web site: Richard Laird Warren. William Loney. 18 January 2015.
22. Heathcote, p. 71
23. Web site: George Ramsey. William Loney. 18 January 2015.
24. Naval & Military intelligence . 14 May 1902 . 12 . 36767.
25. Court Circular . 12 June 1902 . 12 . 36792.