The Journey of the Herald 1838 - 1842

The Journey of the Herald came during the golden age of the British Empire, when it was at the height of its power and in command of the sea.

Between 1838 and 1842, the crew of the Herald, under Captain Joseph Nias, travelled the world from England to South America, Africa, Asia and into the Pacific. The Herald was a frigate, of the type then mainly employed for gathering intelligence, disrupting enemy trade, and completing solitary or diplomatic missions. As a result, during this journey the crew dealt with slave traders, took part in the First Sino British War, attacked Chinese traders, and saw two new colonies added to the British Empire.

On board, Midshipman Henry Wandesforde Comber (1821-1903), a young lad from Yorkshire, was witness to many remarkable events, and kept a lively account of his experiences. His original journal is housed in the University of Canterbury Library Collections. Here are some of the highlights of his journey.

The Treaty of Waitangi, 1840 The crew of the Herald were to play a major part in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, widely regarded as New Zealand’s founding document. The journey of the Herald is in part the story of the beginning of New Zealand’s journey as a Pacific nation.

The Treaty of Nanking, 1842 In early 1839 China proclaimed an embargo on trade with western merchants in an attempt to break the opium trade. British forces, including the Herald, retaliated with force, and the result was the Treaty of Nanking, and the cession of the island of Hong Kong.

A Journey of Discovery Unlike the voyages of the Astrolabe and the Endeavour, on this journey the Herald had not set out to make scientific discoveries. Nonetheless, Comber’s journal notes with fascination the people, plants and animal life they encountered.

Resources of Pacific Discovery in the age of the HMS Herald from our collection The University Library holds many fascinating accounts of exploration in the Pacific during the 1840s, as well as various treatises on the Treaty of Waitangi and the Sino British war.