Rwanda and Niger issued the same stamp design, which shows us the first cable laid between the U.K. and France. Both stamps show us the cable-layer GOLIATH viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10734&p=14848&hilit=goliath#p14848 and behind her the packet vessel WIDGEON.
Built as a wooden side paddle packet by the Chatham Dry-dock for the Royal Navy.
24 May 1837 ordered.
June 1837 laid down.
12 September 1837 launched under the name WIDGEON. One of the Widgeon class packet ships, designed by William Symonds.
Tonnage 167 ton (bm), displacement 200 ton, dim. 108.1 x 18.0 x 10.7ft, draught 4.5ft, length on deck 96.3ft.
Powered by a Seaward & Capel steam-engine, 191 ihp. Fitted in at Limehouse.
Armed with a 1 – 6pdr. gun.
Crew?
01 July 1837 commissioned, building cost £10,121 including machinery.
Based at Dover for the mail packet service.
1841 Reboilered at Woolwich for £1,588.
01 September 1841 recommissioned under command of Lieut. Thomas Swain Scriven for the packet service.
1846 Again reboilered at Woolwich for £1,807.
Recommissioned 18 October 1847 under Lieut. George Raymond.
November 1848 paid off.
From March 1849 re-classed as a tender, first to OCEAN at the Noire, then to the MONARCH at Sheerness, then to survey the Thanes estuary under command of Capt. Frederick Bullock of Fisgard to December 1850.
In the third week of August 1850 the WIDGEON, made several crossings of the Channel laying flagged buoys that marked the course of the first cross Channel telegraph cable. https://doverhistorian.com/2015/03/21/p ... e-to-1854/
August 1852 stationed in Pembroke as a tug, then to Deptford. 1854 As tender/tug to Fisgard.
1855 Again reboilered at Woolwich.
March 1859 recommissioned under command of Master George Brockman, as a tender to MONARCH at Sheerness.
1865 Tug at Deptford.
1866 Lent to the Royal Victoria Victualling Yard, replacing ASP.
1869 Tender to NANKIN at Pembroke.
1874 Again reboilered.
07 February 1884 for sale and she was sold to Castle & Sons.
March 1884 broken up at Charlton.
Source: British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817-1863 by Rif Winfield.
Rwanda 1977 1l sg 816, scott 812.
Niger 2000 150F sg?, scott?