The first HMS Iron Duke was a British Audacious-class central battery ironclad. She became the flagship of the China Station on 31 August 1871, one of the first large ships to use the Suez canal to reach the Far Easy. In an age of inefficient engines, her full sailing rig made her particularly suitable for operations in the Pacific Ocean. She returned to the UK in 1875 and joined the First Reserve Squadron. The China Station, established in 1865, had as its area of responsibility the coasts of China and its navigable rivers, the western part of the Pacific Ocean, and the waters around the Dutch East Indies. The formation had bases at Singapore (Singapore Naval Base), HMS Tamar (1865-1941 and 1945-1997) in Hong Kong and Wei Hai Wei (1898-1930). This book tells of the story of the HMS Iron Duke's commission in China Station from 1878-83 by a crew member who served aboard her - J.J. Smith, N.S.