HMS Active was a Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 Volage-class corvette

Corvette

A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...

, launched in 1869.

Career

She entered service in 1873, as the Commodore's ship on the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station

South Atlantic Station

The South Atlantic Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formed from the former Cape of Good Hope Station.-History:...

. Her crew served ashore in both the Third Anglo-Ashanti War and Zulu Wars

Anglo-Zulu War

The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...

.

She was rearmed and refitted in 1879, and was selected in 1885 to be the commodore's ship in the Training Squadron. HMS Active is reputed to have been the last square-rigged naval ship to leave Portsmouth Harbour under sail. She was paid off in 1898 and went into reserve, and was sold out of the service in 1906.