South East Coast of America Station
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=South East Coast of America Station
|image=HMS Retribution (1891).jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=HMS Retribution, flagship of the South East Coast of America Station
|dates=1838–1905
|country={{UK}}
|allegiance=
|branch=23px Royal Navy
|type=Formation
|role=
|size=
|command_structure=
|garrison=Stanley, Falkland Islands
|ceremonial_chief=
|nickname=
|motto=
|march=
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|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
}}
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{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1849/mar/16/navy-estimates|title=Naval Estimates|work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)|date=16 March 1849|access-date=17 January 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12907126|title=Naval Estimates|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=23 April 1849|access-date=17 January 2015}} in order to combat the slave trade in Brazil.{{cite web|url=http://victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/newsletter11.pdf|title=Ships and Streets|publisher=Victorian Historical Society|date=Spring 2007|access-date=17 January 2015}} In its early years it was often referred to as the "{{not a typo|Brazils}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.personanavalpress.co.uk/articles_barker2.htm#4 |title=Pax Britannica: The Parana|access-date=17 January 2015}}
The station suffered significant ship reductions between 1869 and 1874.Bourne, p. 305 From 1870 it was commanded by a captain, designated the "senior officer",{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Spun_Yarns_of_a_Naval_Officer_1000833700/201|title=Spun Yarns of a naval officer|page=178}} and comprised just three gunboatsPreston and Major, p.67 although it had responsibility for the Western Atlantic from Brazil South.O'Hara, chapter 4 The squadron's only permanent base was a coal station at Stanley on the Falkland Islands.{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/The_British_Navy_1000352639/133|title=Stations, Dockyards|page=107|access-date=17 January 2015}} It was disbanded altogether in 1905.Brown, p. 32 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.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; {{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Dr Edward |title=HERITAGE MATTERS The Royal Gazette:Bermuda Island09 |url=http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20111203/ISLAND09/712039969 |access-date=10 October 2018 |work=The Royal Gazette |publisher=The Bermuda Press |date=3 December 2011 |location=Bermuda}}
Commanders
Commanders included:
- Commodore Thomas Sulivan (1838–1841){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=251|title=Thomas Ball Sulivan|publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Commodore John Purvis (1842–1844){{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFy-BAAAQBAJ&dq=%22South+East+Coast+of+America%22+commodore&pg=PA942|title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary - Volume 3|first=William R.|last= O’Byrne|date=6 February 2012|page=942|isbn=9781781502815}}
- Rear Admiral Samuel Inglefield (1844–1846){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=1302|title=William Henry Haswell|publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Commodore Thomas Herbert (1847–1849){{cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/13051?docPos=5|title=Thomas Herbert|year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/13051 |access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Rear Admiral Barrington Reynolds (1849–1851)
- Rear Admiral William Henderson (1851–1854){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=109|title=William Willmott Henderson |publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Rear Admiral William Hope-Johnstone (1854–1857){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=596|title=William James Hope-Johnstone|publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Rear Admiral Provo Wallis (May 1857 – September 1857)Heathcote, p. 249
- Rear Admiral Stephen Lushington (1858–1860){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=135|title=Stephen Lushington|publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Rear Admiral Henry Keppel (1860–1861)Heathcote, p. 142
- Rear Admiral Richard Warren (1861–1864){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=451|title=Richard Laird Warren|publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Rear Admiral Charles Elliot (1864–1866)Heathcote, p. 71
- Rear-Admiral George Ramsay (1866–1869){{cite web|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowBiog.php?id=209|title=George Ramsey|publisher=William Loney|access-date=18 January 2015}}
- Commodore Charles James Norcock (1898–1899)
- Commodore Robert Leonard Groome (1899–1902){{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=14 May 1902 |page=12 |issue=36767}}
- Commodore Frank Finnis (1902–1904){{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular |date=12 June 1902 |page=12 |issue=36792}}
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book|first=David|last=Brown|title=The Royal Navy and Falklands War|publisher=Pen & Sword Books|year=1987|isbn=978-0850520590|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=et3RAwAAQBAJ&dq=Commander-in-Chief+%22South+East+Coast+of+America%22&pg=PA32}}
- {{cite book|last=Bourne|first=Kenneth|title=Britain and the Balance of Power in North America, 1815-1908|publisher=ACLS History E-Book Project|year=2008|isbn=978-1597404075|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=netrU16-ZU0C&dq=%22South+East+Coast+of+America%22+admiral&pg=PA305}}
- {{cite book|last=Heathcote|first=Tony|title=The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995|publisher=Pen & Sword|year=2002 |isbn=0-85052-835-6}}
- {{cite book|first=Vincent|last=O'Hara|title=To Crown the Waves: the Great Navies of the First World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=2013|isbn=978-1612510828|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2RlFAAAAQBAJ&dq=%22South+East+Coast+of+America%22+royal+navy&pg=PT81}}
- {{cite book|first1=Antony|last1= Preston|first2=John |last2=Major|title=Send a Gunboat!: 150 Years of the British Gunboat|publisher=Conway|year=2007|isbn=978-0851779232|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=80KN6I__JPYC&dq=%22South+East+Coast+of+America%22&pg=PA67}}
{{Admiralty Department|state=collapsed}}
{{Royal Navy fleets}}