HMS Sappho was a Fantome-class sloop, of the Royal Navy, built by Wigram & Sons, Blackwall and launched on 20 November 1873. She was placed under the command of Commander Noel Stephen Fox Digby and commenced service at the Australian station in December 1874. In August 1877, still under Digby, she participated in the search for the missing crew and passengers of the Queen Bee that had run aground on Farewell Spit, New Zealand. She successfully found the missing third mate whom she took to Nelson. While at Nelson, her crew participated in a number of fund raising concerts for those shipwrecked.