Silver casket commemorating the completion of HMS 'Achilles', 1865.

Oblong box, hinged at the back, with press button opening, and the top engraved with a portrait of HMS 'Achilles' under sail and steam.

It is engraved inside the lid: 'Presented by HER MAJESTY'S DOCK YARD CHATHAM to MR, E.J. REED ESQ. SECRETARY OF THE INSTITUTE OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS For his participation in the Design of the IMPREGNABLE ACHILLES on this Day of Completion 26th. November 1864'.

The building of this ship was recorded by Charles Dickens in his essay on Chatham Dockyard in 'The Uncommercial Traveller' series (1861). The single screw iron ship 'Achilles', 9820 tons, length 380 feet, with four masts and two funnels, was launched on 23 December 1863 and completed 11 months later. Her masts were later reduced to three. She was the first iron-hulled man-of-war to be built in a Royal Dockyard. In 1878 under the command of Captain Sir William Hewett, she was one of a squadron of six ships which proceeded through the Dardanelles to Constantinople to protect British interests during the conflict between Russia and Turkey. In 1902 she was renamed 'Hibernia' and became Depot Ship at Malta. In 1904 her name was changed to 'Egmont', and in 1913 she was towed home and in 1916 renamed 'Egremont', finally being sold for breaking up in 1923 (see the shipmodel SLR0941).