HMS Argus (1904)

HMS Argus was a Royal Navy ship built in 1904 for the His Majesty's Coast Guard.[2]

History
Name: SS Argus (1905-17); HMS Argon (1917-20); SS Peninnis (1920-27); SS Riduna (1927-32)[1]
Owner: Admiralty (1905-20); Isles of Scilly Steamship Company (1920-27); Alderney Steam Packet Company (1927-32)[1]
Operator: HM Coast Guard (1905-17); Royal Navy (1917-20); Isles of Scilly Steamship Company (1920-27); Alderney Steam Packet Company (1927-32)[1]
Port of registry:  United Kingdom
Builder: Bow, McLachlan and Company,[1] Paisley, Scotland
Yard number: 176[1]
Launched: 6 December 1904[1]
Completed: 1905[1]
In service: 1905
Out of service: 1931
Fate: scrapped 1932[1]
General characteristics
Type: coastguard cutter & fishery protection vessel; later passenger ferry
Tonnage: 224 gross register tons (GRT)[1]
Length: 130 ft (40 m)[1]
Beam: 23.2 ft (7.1 m)[1]
Draught: 11.5 ft (3.5 m)
Installed power: 65 RHP
Propulsion: Triple expansion steam engine
Speed: 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h)
Armament: Two 6-pounder guns

After launch the steam coastguard cruiser Argus was delivered to Sheerness to replace two sailing cruisers (Adder and Victoria). She was armed with two 6-pounder guns.

In 1905 she captured seven Dutch coopers inside the three-mile limit off the Humber. She seized 2¼ tonnes of tobacco and cigars which were being sold illegally to local fishermen.[3]

In July 1909 she was off Hastings, under the command of Captain Hicks RN, watching the interests of British fishermen and keeping a look out for French boats within the three mile radius.[4]

In 1917 she was renamed HMS Argon.[1]

RMS Peninnis

In 1920 she was sold to the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company[1] for £8,000 (equivalent to £320,000 in 2019)[5][6][lower-alpha 1] and renamed RMS Peninnis. Following the necessary alterations at a cost of £5,000 (equivalent to £200,000 in 2019)[5],[6] she operated between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly until 1926, when she was replaced on that route by the purpose built SS Scillonian.

RMS Riduna

In 1927 she was sold to the Alderney Steam Packet Company and renamed Riduna.[1]

She was sold for breakup in Plymouth in 1931.

Notes
  1. Ships Monthly, Volume 10, 1975 gives an acquisition price of £10,000 (equivalent to £400,000 in 2019)[5]
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References
  1. Cameron, Stuart; Asprey, David. "SS Argus". Clyde-built Database. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2011.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  2. Railway and other steamers, Christian Leslie Dyce Duckworth, Graham Easton Langmuir - 1948
  3. Otago Witness, Issue 2795, 9 October 1907, Page 78
  4. Hastings Mail, 17 July 1909
  5. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  6. "Scillonian III Back in Service after £1,700,000 Refit" in Scilly up to Date, issue 120 (April 1999) Archived 5 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 2011-08-16


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