The Bremen ship EUROPA was built at Vegesack/Grohn by Johann Lange, for the Bremen firm of D. H. Wätjen & Co, for 46,250 Taler, and was launched on 25 April 1854. 374 Commerzlasten / 842 tons; 44,6 x 10,2 x 7,3 meters (length x beam x depth of hold).

The EUROPA belonged to D. H. Wätjen & Co from 1854 to 1867, during which period her masters were, in turn, W. Ihno Ariaans, B. von Hagen, and Hermann Sanders. From 1854 to 1857, the EUROPA was engaged in transporting emigrants to North America, returning to Europe with cargoes of tobacco and cotton. In 1857, the EUROPA sailed with a cargo of coal from Cardiff to Bombay, and she remained in East Indian/Asian waters until the beginning of 1860, calling at Calcutta, Bassein, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao, Canton, and Shanghai. In February 1860, she arrived at Sydney with 500 Chinese passengers. From Sydney she sailed for Callao, where she loaded a cargo of guano for Mauritius, where she loaded a cargo of sugar and hemp for Hull. She then returned to the tobacco and cotton trade between Europe and North America, making in addition several voyages from New York to Callao.

In 1867, the EUROPA returned to Germany, where she was sold for 20,000 Taler to Johann Friedrich Arens of Bremen, who owned her until 1884, and who re-rigged her as a bark early in the 1870's. During this period her masters were, in turn, F. W. P. A. Pichler, A. Brinkmann, N. Brinkama, and B. G. Kimme.

In 1884, the EUROPA was sold to Johan Ingemansson, from Elleholm, Sweden, who placed her under the command of Captain Hans Gylfert Kullenberg. On 17 November 1887, the EUROPA, Capt. Söderlund, sailed from Miramichi for Liverpool, but was never seen again.

Source: Peter-Michael Pawlik, Von der Weser in die Welt; Die Geschichte der Segelschiffe von Weser und Lesum und ihrer Bauwerften 1770 bis 1893, Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums, Bd. 33 (Hamburg: Kabel, c1993), p. 225, no. 224.

From Charles Hocking, Dictionary of Diasasters at Sea During the Age of Steam, Including sailing ships and ships of war lost in action, 1824-1962 (London: Lloyds Register of Shipping, 1969), vol. 1, p. 232:

EURYDICE

Royal Navy, training frigate, sail; [built] 1843; [at] Portsmouth Dockyard; 921 tons; 141 x 38 x 8.7 [feet, length x breadth x depth of hold]; 26 guns.

In 1877 the frigate EURYDICE, Capt. M. A. S. Hare, was converted into a training ship for ordinary seamen and sailed from Portsmouth on November 13th, 1877, with a complement of about 300 officers and ordinary seamen. Her destination was the West Indies and she was accompanied by the training brig MARTIN, being joined later at Madeira by H.M.S. LIBERTY from Plymouth, also manned by ordinary seamen.

On March 6th, 1878, the EURYDICE left Bermuda on her homeward voyage, the other ships of the squadron having preceded her. In addition to her crew the vessel now carried a number of military officers and invalids from the West Indies. So far as can be ascertained the number on board totalled 368 persons.

From the time of her leaving Bermuda to her being sighted by the coastguard at Bonchurch, I.O.W., no news of the EURYDICE reached England. At about 3.30 on the afternoon of Sunday, March 24th the vessel was seen bearing for Spithead under all plain sail. A heavy bank of cloud was coming down from N.W. and the glass was falling rapidly. There was an ominous stillness and such wind as there was came from westward, blowing on the port quarter of the ship. At ten minutes to four the wind suddenly veered to the eastward and a gale, accompanied by a blinding fall of snow came from the highlands down Luccombe Chine, striking the EURYDICE just a little before the beam and driving her out of her course, which was heading to the N.E. The ship was then discerned about two and three-quarter miles E.N.E. of Dunnose Head, near Ventnor.

The schooner EMMA was sailing a little behind the EURYDICE and when the squall had passed she was seen to be on course in a normal manner, an evidence of the freakish nature of the wind. This ship picked up only five survivors, three of whom afterwards died. The remaining two were members of the crew, Benjamin Cuddiford of Plymouth, an able seaman, and Sydney Fletcher of Bristol, an ordinary seaman.

The evidence of these men was that sail was taken in at 3.45 p.m. when the weather showed signs of changing. The captain was on deck and ordered the lower studding-sails to be taken in; to let go the topsail halliards and the mainsheet. At this time the water was over the lee netting on the starboard side. Meanwhile extra men had been ordered to the wheel, there being six all told assisted by Sub-Lt. the Hon. Edward Gifford. The men aloft taking in the royals were ordered below. The ship righted for a moment and then turned gradually over from forward and went down. Most of the men and boys were in the forepart and were sucked under when the vessel sank. On the following day it was established that the ship had foundered in 11 fathoms and that her topmasts with all sail set, were plainly visible.

Salvage operations were immediately instituted and the vessel was raised and brought into Portsmouth on September 1st, 1878. She was never in commission again and was shortly afterwards broken up.

For any accounts of the sinking of the H.M.S. EURYDICE published in the Times (London), check Palmer's Index for the first 2 quarters of 1878, under "Shipping News" and "Wrecks". Papers respecting the raising of H.M.S. EURYDICE are among the House of Lords Sessional Papers, 1878 (105) xi.273.