HMS ''Lizard'' was a ''Bramble''-class screw gunboat of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

, built by

Harland & Wolff Harland & Wolff is a British shipbuilding company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It specialises in ship repair, shipbuilding and offshore construction. Harland & Wolff is famous for having built the majority of the ocean liners for the W ...

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

and launched on 27 November 1886.Bastock, p. 115. She commenced service on the

Australia Station The Australia Station was the British, and later Australian, naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.Dennis et al. 2008, p.53. Australia Station was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station, ...

in January 1888, serving in New Zealand waters. Commander John Campbell Watson was appointed in command in July 1899, and served until late 1902. In 1900 she was detached to serve on the

China Station The Commander-in-Chief, China was the admiral in command of what was usually known as the China Station, at once both a British Royal Navy naval formation and its admiral in command. It was created in 1865 and deactivated in 1941. From 1831 to 18 ...

during the Boxer Rebellion, and she stayed in Chinese waters until August 1901, when she returned to the Australia station. She was the first warship to enter

Kiama, New South Wales Kiama () is a coastal town 120 kilometres south of Sydney in the Illawarra. One of the main tourist attractions is the Kiama Blowhole. Kiama features several popular surfing beaches and caravan parks, and numerous alfresco cafes and restaurant ...

. Her crew was paid off in September 1902 and ordered back home on a steamship. She was laid up at Sydney in 1904.

Fate

She was sold in February 1905 for £800 and was broken up at Balmain, Sydney.

Citations

References

*Bastock, John (1988), ''Ships on the Australia Station'', Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia. * 1886 ships Ships built in Belfast Bramble-class gunboats (1886) Ships built by Harland and Wolff {{UK-mil-ship-stub