on 9 May 1879, she ran aground at the mouth of the Yangtze. She was refloated with assistance 36 hours later. Minor damage was sustained, and she sailed to Hiogo, Japan to be [dry]docked. Iron Duke ran aground on a sandbar entering the Huangpu River in May 1880, after five days, she was pulled free by the American paddlewheel river gunboat with little damage. Princes Arisugawa Taruhito and Arisugawa Takehito visited Iron Duke on 22 July while she was visiting Yokohama, Japan. Several weeks later, Arisugawa Takehito came aboard to serve as a midshipman. The ship struck a rock off the coast of Hokkaido en route to Aniva Bay, Sakhalin Island, on 30 July 1880. She floated off on 1 August after another ship had also grounded while trying to assist; her repairs required a month in drydock in Hong Kong. On 28 January 1881, Coote hauled down his flag and was relieved by Vice-Admiral George Willes, the new Commander-in-chief, of the China Station. On 10 October, the ship was drydocked in Nagasaki, Japan, and then sailed to Woosung, on 26 October. Iron Duke returned home in January 1883 and began a lengthy refit that included the replacement of her boilers. On 16 April 1885, the ship became a member of Admiral Geoffrey Hornby's Particular Service Squadron until August, when she joined the Channel Squadron. After the ironclad broke loose from her anchors in Lisbon on 24 December 1886 during a gale and accidentally rammed and sank the French steamship , Iron Dukes crew manned one boat in search for survivors, although it is uncertain how many they saved. The following year, Iron Duke participated in Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Fleet review on 1 July 1887 at Spithead. She was reduced to reserve in 1890 and was converted to a coal hulk in 1900, serving at Kyles of Bute. The ship was transferred from Fleet Reserve to Dockyard Reserve at Portsmouth in April 1902, and eventually sold for scrap on 15 May 1906 to Galbraith of Glasgow. Notes Citations Bibliography External links Audacious-class ironclads Victorian-era battleships of the United Kingdom Ships built in Pembroke Dock Coal hulks 1870 ships Maritime incidents in September 1875 Maritime incidents in November 1875 Maritime incidents in May 1879 Maritime incidents in May 1880 Maritime incidents in July 1880