The Flying Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron formed at least three times. Its first formation existed from June 1869-November 1870.[1]
First formation, 1869-70
The first Flying Squadron was established in 1869. It was made up, at various times, of ten wooden ships with auxiliary steam power. The squadron sailed from Plymouth on 19 June 1869. It called at Madeira, South America, South Africa, Melbourne, Sydney, and Hobart in Australia, Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttleton in New Zealand, Japan, CanadaHawaii, and Bahia in Brazil, before returning to England on 15 November 1870.[2][3]
The second Flying Squadron was formed in 1870, mostly made up of wooden ships, but including the very new corvetteHMS Volage,[5] which circumnavigated the world to "show the flag".[6] The squadron sailed from England on 3 December 1870 and called at Madeira, Brazil, the Cape of Good Hope, and the East Indies, before crossing the Pacific Ocean and returning to England at the end of 1872.[7]
Third formation, 1896
The third Flying Squadron was a special Royal Navy squadron that operated during 1896.[8]
The Flying Squadron was held in readiness for ten months, and briefly was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet in mid-1896. No war broke out, and the Flying Squadron was disbanded in November 1896.[8]