HMS Aetna

Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down in September 1821, Converted to survey ship in 1826. Receiving ship at Portsmouth in 1839. Ordered as part of The Hecla class was a class of bomb vessels of the Royal Navy of the early 19th century. They were designed for use as bomb or mortar ships and were very heavily built. Eight ships were launched; all were converted for use as exploration or survey ships. Four ships of the class are known for the role they played in Arctic and Antarctic exploration.

A bomb vessel was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannons (long guns or carronades)—although bomb vessels carried a few cannons for self-defence—but mortars mounted forward near the bow and elevated to a high angle, and projecting their fire in a ballistic arc. Explosive shells (also called bombs at the time) or carcasses were employed rather than solid shot. Bomb vessels were specialized ships designed for bombarding (hence the name) fixed positions on land.

4 May 1824 Commanded by Commander Williams Sandom, Mediterranean 13 May 1828 Commanded by Commander Stephen Lushington, Mediterranean. Lushington received the orders of St Louis of France and the Redeemer of Greece, for his service in the operations against Morea Castle in the battle of Navarino (now Pylos) in the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire. 27 May 1830 - 10 September 1833 Commanded by Commander Edward Belcher, surveying off the east coast of Africa (including the Arguin shoals on which the French frigate Meduse was wreckedExternal link, then (end of 1832) in the River Douro as part of the British squadron under William Glascock ( Orestes) during the Portuguese civil war, then (1833) surveying in the Mediterranean 21 September 1833 - 23 December 1833 Commanded by Commander William George Skyring surveying on west coast of Africa (until Skyring was killed by natives at Cape Roxo on the Gambia river) 23 December 1833 - 6 October 1834 Commanded by Lieut commander (acting) William Arlett, surveying on west coast of Africa 15 September 1835 - 1838 Commanded by Captain Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal surveying on west coast of Africa 31 January 1839 - 25 April 1842 Commanded by Lieutenant commander John Willson, between Shetland and St Sebastian, and as receiving ship in the Mersey 23 May 1842 Commanded by Lieutenant commander Charles George Butler, Plymouth