Bombay to Trincomalee Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Wind WSW force 2 to 3 with

Broken cloud and mist. Barometer 29.78 inches rising to 20.95 at 200 before finishing at

29.94 inches at mid night. Temperature at noon 86F. 0600. Raised steam in 1, 2 and 4 boilers.

800. Received one shackle of cable from testing. 0900. Employed as requisite. 1100.

Preparing for sea. Noon. Wind west force 3. 1400. Preparing for sea. 1540. Slipped and

proceeded as requisite out of harbour. 1545. 85 revolutions. 1600. Quarters. P. Log put over

side. 1630 light vessel abeam.  Altered course to S55W. 1730. Connected hand wheel.

Altered course to S27W. Set Fore staysail and main trysail. Set Fore Try sail. 1930. Altered

course to S10E. 2030. Sounded in 26 fathoms. Exercised Sea boats crews. Exercised “Close

watertight doors”.  Sounded each hour to 35 fathoms by wire. Coal expended not listed.

 Number on sick list 4.

Bombay to Trincomalee. Course S10E at 9.8 knots. Wind SW force 4 with broken cloud and squalls. Slight sea. Barometer 29.94 inches rising to 29.95 at 0800 and then to 30.00 at 1600 before finishing at 30.00 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 87F.  0100. Sounded each hour to 35 fathoms by wire. 0200. Exercised sea boats crews. 0500. Sounded to 35 fathoms by wire. 0900. Divisions. Performed Divine Service. Noon position 15.36N 73.22E. Wind SW force 2. 1215. Altered course to S19E. 1600. Passed BISS (British India steam Ship) heading north. 1700. Quarters. Sounded in 65 fathoms by wire (sand). 1930. Sounded in 45 fathoms by wire. 2200. Sounded in 35 fathoms by wire. Coal expended 21 tons 3 cwt. Number on sick list 5.

Bombay to Trincomalee. Course S19E at 10.7 knots. Wind SW force 2 with broken cloud and a moderate sea. Barometer 29.95 inches falling to 29.93 at noon before finishing at 30.04 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 86F. 0100. Sounded in 35 fathoms. 0200. Sounded in 35 fathoms. Exercised Seaboat crews. Exercised close watertight doors. 0300. Sounded in 35 fathoms. 0400. Sounded in 35 fathoms. Put clock on 5 minutes. 0500. Sounded in 35 fathoms. 0600. Carpenters rigging target. 0900. Divisions and prayers. In fore and aft sails. 1015. Dropped target. 100. Exercised ½ quarterly amount from 6 inch allowance. Speed as requisite. 1105.  Up target. 1130. Proceeded S19E at 85 revolutions. Set fore and aft sails. Noon position 11.46N 74.49E. Wind west force 2 with a slight sea. 1330. Employed as requisite. 1700. Quarters. 1715. Altered course to S25E. Exercised Collison and grounding stations. Read stations for batten down. 1800. Connected up to Number 3 boiler. 1945. Sounded in 100 fathoms by wire. 2030. Exercised sea boats crews. Exercised close watertight doors. Coal expended not shown. Number on sick list 3.

Bombay to Trincomalee. Course S25E at 10.4 knots. Wind SW force 1 with broken cloud and passing showers. Barometer 30.04 inches dropping to 29.98 at 1600 and finishing at 30.07 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 86F. 0100. Sounded in 42 fathoms by wire. 0200. Sounded in 40 fathoms by wire. Exercised sea boats and close watertight doors. 0300. Sounded in 40 fathoms by wire. 0500. Sounded in 40 fathoms by wire. 0700. In fore and aft sails. 0900. Altered course to S54E. 0930. Divisions and prayers. Sounded in 59 fathoms by wire. 1030. Observed land on port beam. 1030. Sounded in 65 fathoms by wire. Put clock on 9 minutes. 1130. Sounded in (?) too faint to read. Noon position 8.22N 76.58E. 10.5 knots. Wind variable with broken cloud and mist. 1240. Light house E ½ N. employed as requisite. 1700. Quarters. 2000. Exercised sea boats crews. 0900. Exercised close watertight doors. Coal expended 23 tons 13 cwt. Number on sick list 4.

Bombay to Trincomalee. Course S54E at 10.4 knots. Wind SW by S force 2 to 4 with broken cloud and mist. Barometer 30.02 inches rising to 30.04 at noon and finishing at 29.99 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon. 84F. 0200. Exercised Close watertight doors. Exercised sea boats crews. 0400. Put clock on 16 minutes. Sounded in 100 fathoms by wire. 0430. sounded in 100 fathoms by wire. 0500. Sounded in 100 fathoms by wire. 0510. Sighted Colombo Light N58E. 0535. Altered course to S26E at 10.5 knots. 0700. Observed land off port beam. 0737. Darburyn Light House (Dondra?) abeam

Dondra Head Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on Dondra Head, Dondra, the southernmost point in Sri Lanka and is Sri Lanka’s tallest lighthouse, and also one of the tallest in South East Asia. Dondra Head lighthouse is operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

800. Altered course to S18E. 0900. Divisions and prayers. 0955. Altered course to S56E. 1030. Altered course to S73E. Employed as requisite. Noon position 55.3 N 80.29E at 10.4 knots. Wind SW force 3. 1230 Altered course to N71E. 1400. Employed as requisite. 1700. Altered course to NE. 1720 Gt. Dasses (?) abeam. Unable to read handwriting. Quarters. unbent fore and aft sails. 1905. South Dasses (?) abeam. Unable to read handwriting. 2045. Altered course N. 2200. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire, Exercised sea boats crews. Exercised close watertight doors. 2245. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. 1130. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. Coal expended 23 tons 16 cwt. Number on sick list 5.

Bombay to Trincomalee. Course North at 9.7 knots. Wind SW force 1 with broken cloud and moderate sea becoming slight by 0800. Barometer 29.95 inches rising to 30.00 at 0800 before falling to 24.91 at noon and then rising to 29.98 at 2000. Finishing at 29.95 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 90F. 0115. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. 0145. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. 0230. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. 0315. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. 0400. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. 0445. Sounded in 60 fathoms by wire. Exercised sea boats crews. Exercised close watertight doors. 0400. Put clock on 8 minutes. Altered course to N42W at 9.2 knots. 0640. Observed land on port beam.   0725. Altered course N48W. Wind west. 0840. Altered course as requisite for harbour. 0900. Divisions and prayers. 100. Employed as requisite. Noon. Speed 10 knots. Proceeding as requisite into harbour. 1230. Came to anchor in 14 fathoms and veered to 4 shackles. HMS Lapwing at anchor.

HMS Lapwing (1889) was a Redbreast-class composite screw gunboat launched in 1889 and sold in 1910.

Ship placed in Quarantine. 1500. Let fires die out. 1600. Laid out stream anchor on port side. 1700. Quarters.  Draught 13 feet 1 inch forward. 15 feet 7 inches aft. Coal expended 13 tons 8 cwt. Coal remaining 155 tons 57 cwt. Number on sick list 5.

At single anchor in Trincomalee Harbour. Wind SW force 2 to 5 with broken cloud. Barometer 29.90 inches rising to 29.93 at noon and finishing at 29.91 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 85F. 0200. Received 118 lbs of fresh beef and 86 lbs of vegetables plus 182 lbs of bread. 0600. Exercised collision and grounding stations. Exercised Abandon ship. . Lost by punt capsizing. Crutches – iron 2 in number. Hook – boat – small 1 in number.  Painting ship. 1700. Quarters. Coal expended 5 cwt. Number on sick list 5.

At single anchor in Trincomalee Harbour. Wind SW force 2 to 4 with broken cloud and some squalls. Barometer 29.87 inches rising to 29.98at noon and finishing at 29.94 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 87F. 0400. Received 118 lbs of fresh beef and 40 lbs of vegetables plus 185 lbs of bread. 0800. Divisions. Performed Divine Service. 100. Ship granted Pratique. Pratique is the license given to a ship to enter port on assurance from the captain to convince the authorities that she is free from contagious disease. Special Leave to port watch and Division of Boys. Discharged one Petty Officer to shore. 1700. Quarters. Coal expended 4 cwt. Number on sick list 4.

At single anchor in Trincomalee Harbour. Wind SW force 2 to 4 with broken cloud and squalls. Barometer 29.88 inches rising to 29.95at 0800 and finishing at 29.91 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 90F. 0400. Received 118 lbs of fresh beef and 40 lbs of vegetables plus 195 lbs of bread. 0600. Exercised – Out bower anchor. 0800. Divisions and prayers. Exercised man and arm boats. Noon. Discharged four men to S.Q. Discharged LAPWING’s furniture to dock yard. 1700. Quarters. 1800. Special leave to starboard watch. Coal expended 4 cwt. Number on sick list 5.

At single anchor in Trincomalee Harbour. Wind SW force 2 to 4 with broken cloud and squalls. Barometer 29.84 inches rising to 29.91 at 0800 before falling to 29.83 at 1400 and finishing at 29.96 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon. 91F. 0400. Received 114 lbs of fresh beef and 57 lbs of vegetables plus 150 lbs of bread. 0600. Read Warrant number 48. 0800. Divisions and prayers. Employed as requisite. PM. Make and mend clothes. Special leave to port watch. Coal expended 5 cwt. Number on sick list 5.

At single anchor in Trincomalee Harbour. Wind SW force 2 with broken cloud. Barometer 29.91 inches rising to 29.95 at noon before falling to 29.89 at 1600 and finishing at 29.96 9nches at midnight. Temperature at noon 87F.  0400. Received 111 lbs of fresh beef and 57 lbs of vegetables plus 145 lbs of bread. 0600. Landed Small Arms Company. 0800. Small Arms Company returned. Painting ship. 1400. Starboard watch at Morris tube practice. Painting ship.  1700. Quarters Read warrant number 49. General leave to starboard watch. Coal expended 4 cwt. Number on sick list 4.