58:
23:
482:) on 25 March 1862. The first completed ships had a draught of 11–12 feet (3.4–3.7 m), exceeding the intended 8 feet (2.4 m) by a considerable margin. Since gunvessels were intended to work in shallow water while bombarding the shore, work on the later two batches was suspended.
340:
built for the Royal Navy in the 1860s. They were somewhat unsuccessful; intended for shore bombardment in shallow water, they exceeded their design draft by 50%. Seven of the 13 ships ordered were suspended, with 3 finished or converted as survey ships and the other 4 cancelled.
345:
was wrecked after only 4 years, and those ships that were completed as planned had short operational lives, in some cases less than 10 years. The survey vessels (
1088:
973:
966:
560:
539:
1119:
980:
582:
1008:
936:
654:
1001:
987:
636:
600:
459:
929:
466:), with fitting out to be done in the Royal Dockyards at Chatham (first pair) and Woolwich (last 4). A further batch of 4 ships (
1114:
897:
878:
1124:
922:
858:
864:
446:, that is with three masts, with the fore and main masts square rigged, and the mizzen fore-and-aft rigged.
427:
312:
167:
430:
were also fitted. The 68-pounders were later replaced by a pair of 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns.
414:
The main armament, which was principally intended for shore bombardment, was originally designed with two
399:
945:
1069:
419:
300:
73:
1078:
546:
455:
375:
86:
418:
and two 32-pounder muzzle-loading smoothbore guns. They were finished, however, with a single
383:
239:
1109:
914:
379:
233:
8:
1022:
692:
463:
374:
The first 6 ships had a 2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine provided by
994:
618:
1015:
903:
893:
874:
854:
674:
661:
386:(514 kW) and 689 indicated horsepower (514 kW), giving speeds of about 11
869:
423:
415:
306:
669:
Survey ship in
October 1866. Sold to George Cohen for breaking in August 1889
1103:
907:
387:
278:
853:, Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia.
890:
The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889
63:
22:
382:, driving a single screw. On trials these units developed between 689
506:
was broken up on the slipway in 1865, having cost £6,268 and work to
337:
145:
870:
Send a
Gunboat: The Victorian Navy and Supremacy at Sea, 1854–1904
438:
In common with all other Royal Navy wooden screw gunvessels, the
720:
Cancelled on 16 December 1864 and broken up on 4 November 1865
574:
443:
406:
received a more powerful 200 nhp
Humphreys and Tennant engine.
267:
944:
687:
Survey ship in July 1866. Broken up at
Sheerness April 1880
398:
were completed as survey ships and were powered by 150 nhp
595:
Sold to Castle for breaking at
Charlton on 13 April 1875
1089:
List of gunboat and gunvessel classes of the Royal Navy
494:
were suspended in 1862 or 1863, but were resumed, with
474:) were ordered on 5 March 1860 and another batch of 3 (
454:
The first 6 ships were ordered from commercial yards (
705:
Survey ship in 1884. Sold at Hong Kong in April 1889
357:) lasted longest, with the last ship of the class,
254:
2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine
863:
1101:
765:Cancelled on 12 December 1863 (never laid down)
613:Completed breaking at Plymouth on 14 March 1877
420:7-inch/110-pounder Armstrong breech-loading gun
930:
179:185 ft 0 in (56.4 m) (overall)
1120:Victorian-era gunboats of the United Kingdom
887:
301:7-inch/110-pdr Armstrong breech-loading gun
937:
923:
771:
428:20-pounder Armstrong breech-loading guns
424:68-pounder muzzle-loading smoothbore gun
649:Broken up at Sheerness in October 1867
567:Money Wigram & Sons, Blackwall Yard
1102:
918:
832:
830:
828:
818:
816:
814:
812:
810:
808:
806:
804:
802:
800:
790:
788:
786:
631:Broken up at Sheerness in July 1867
336:) were a class of 4-gun first-class
307:68-pdr muzzle-loading smoothbore gun
313:20-pdr Armstrong breech-loading gun
13:
825:
502:being finished as survey vessels.
14:
1136:
797:
783:
555:Sold on 7 June 1870 at Hong Kong
222:14 ft 0 in (4.3 m)
206:28 ft 4 in (8.6 m)
873:(2nd ed.). London: Conway.
607:C J Mare & Company, Leamouth
589:C J Mare & Company, Leamouth
56:
21:
888:Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004).
449:
892:. London: Chatham Publishing.
851:Ships on the Australia Station
750:Cancelled on 12 December 1863
735:Cancelled on 12 December 1863
214:11–12 ft (3.4–3.7 m)
1:
369:
196: in (50.5 m) (keel)
1115:Gunvessels of the Royal Navy
822:Winfield (2004), pp.222-223.
577:, China, on 4 November 1864
433:
281:(20 km/h) (under steam)
7:
409:
361:, being broken up in 1890.
10:
1141:
1125:Cormorant-class gunvessels
1064:
1033:
959:
643:J Scott Russell, Millwall
625:J Scott Russell, Millwall
364:
135:
35:
20:
517:
136:General characteristics
547:Money Wigram & Sons
456:Money Wigram & Sons
867:; Major, John (2007).
849:Bastock, John (1988),
772:References and sources
426:. A pair of broadside
376:Robert Napier and Sons
836:Winfield (2004) p.218
794:Preston (2007), p.157
514:was never laid down.
400:Humphreys and Tennant
384:indicated horsepower
329:(sometimes known as
953:-) class gunvessel
380:nominal horsepower
1097:
1096:
899:978-1-86176-032-6
880:978-0-85177-923-2
769:
768:
760:Pembroke Dockyard
730:Woolwich Dockyard
715:Pembroke Dockyard
681:Pembroke Dockyard
662:Woolwich Dockyard
628:18 September 1860
460:C J Mare & Co
442:s were rigged as
378:and rated at 200
334:-class gunvessels
327:-class gunvessels
320:
319:
242:(514–665 kW)
166:
83:Succeeded by
1132:
939:
932:
925:
916:
915:
911:
884:
837:
834:
823:
820:
795:
792:
745:Chatham Dockyard
699:Chatham Dockyard
684:20 February 1866
646:27 February 1861
610:15 December 1860
549:, Blackwall Yard
522:
521:
510:cost only £339.
390:(20 km/h).
195:
194:
190:
187:
164:
62:
60:
59:
25:
18:
17:
1140:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1130:
1129:
1100:
1099:
1098:
1093:
1060:
1034:Cancelled ships
1029:
960:Completed ships
955:
943:
900:
881:
865:Preston, Antony
841:
840:
835:
826:
821:
798:
793:
784:
774:
552:9 February 1860
520:
464:J Scott Russell
452:
436:
412:
372:
367:
227:Installed power
192:
188:
185:
183:
57:
55:
31:
12:
11:
5:
1138:
1128:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1075:
1065:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1037:
1035:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1027:
1020:
1013:
1006:
999:
992:
985:
978:
971:
963:
961:
957:
956:
942:
941:
934:
927:
919:
913:
912:
898:
885:
879:
861:
846:
845:
839:
838:
824:
796:
781:
780:
779:
778:
773:
770:
767:
766:
763:
761:
758:
752:
751:
748:
746:
743:
737:
736:
733:
731:
728:
722:
721:
718:
716:
713:
707:
706:
703:
700:
697:
689:
688:
685:
682:
679:
671:
670:
667:
664:
659:
651:
650:
647:
644:
641:
633:
632:
629:
626:
623:
615:
614:
611:
608:
605:
597:
596:
593:
590:
587:
579:
578:
571:
568:
565:
557:
556:
553:
550:
544:
536:
535:
532:
529:
526:
519:
516:
451:
448:
435:
432:
411:
408:
371:
368:
366:
363:
318:
317:
316:
315:
309:
303:
295:
291:
290:
287:
283:
282:
275:
271:
270:
265:
261:
260:
259:
258:
255:
250:
246:
245:
244:
243:
236:
228:
224:
223:
220:
216:
215:
212:
208:
207:
204:
200:
199:
198:
197:
180:
175:
171:
170:
161:
157:
156:
153:
149:
148:
142:
138:
137:
133:
132:
129:
125:
124:
121:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
105:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
84:
80:
79:
71:
67:
66:
53:
49:
48:
42:
38:
37:
36:Class overview
33:
32:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1137:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1105:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1077:Followed by:
1076:
1074:
1072:
1068:Preceded by:
1067:
1066:
1063:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1007:
1005:
1004:
1000:
998:
997:
993:
991:
990:
986:
984:
983:
979:
977:
976:
972:
970:
969:
965:
964:
962:
958:
954:
952:
948:
940:
935:
933:
928:
926:
921:
920:
917:
909:
905:
901:
895:
891:
886:
882:
876:
872:
871:
866:
862:
860:
859:0-86777-348-0
856:
852:
848:
847:
843:
842:
833:
831:
829:
819:
817:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
805:
803:
801:
791:
789:
787:
782:
776:
775:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
753:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
738:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
723:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
708:
704:
701:
698:
696:
695:
691:
690:
686:
683:
680:
678:
677:
673:
672:
668:
666:20 March 1866
665:
663:
660:
658:
657:
653:
652:
648:
645:
642:
640:
639:
635:
634:
630:
627:
624:
622:
621:
617:
616:
612:
609:
606:
604:
603:
599:
598:
594:
591:
588:
586:
585:
581:
580:
576:
573:Wrecked near
572:
570:19 March 1860
569:
566:
564:
563:
559:
558:
554:
551:
548:
545:
543:
542:
538:
537:
533:
530:
527:
524:
523:
515:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
481:
477:
473:
469:
465:
461:
457:
447:
445:
441:
431:
429:
425:
421:
417:
407:
405:
401:
397:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
362:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
339:
335:
333:
328:
326:
314:
310:
308:
304:
302:
298:
297:
296:
293:
292:
288:
285:
284:
280:
276:
273:
272:
269:
266:
263:
262:
256:
253:
252:
251:
248:
247:
241:
238:689–892
237:
235:
231:
230:
229:
226:
225:
221:
219:Depth of hold
218:
217:
213:
210:
209:
205:
202:
201:
181:
178:
177:
176:
173:
172:
169:
162:
159:
158:
154:
151:
150:
147:
143:
140:
139:
134:
130:
127:
126:
122:
119:
118:
114:
111:
110:
106:
103:
102:
98:
95:
94:
91:
89:
85:
82:
81:
78:
76:
72:
69:
68:
65:
54:
51:
50:
46:
43:
40:
39:
34:
30:
24:
19:
16:
1079:
1070:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1023:
1016:
1009:
1002:
995:
988:
981:
974:
967:
950:
946:
889:
868:
850:
755:
740:
725:
710:
693:
675:
655:
637:
619:
601:
592:23 June 1860
583:
561:
540:
528:Ship Builder
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
453:
450:Construction
439:
437:
413:
403:
395:
391:
373:
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
331:
330:
324:
323:
321:
257:Single screw
182:165 ft
160:Tons burthen
152:Displacement
144:First-class
87:
74:
44:
28:
15:
1110:1860s ships
702:5 June 1867
70:Preceded by
1104:Categories
777:References
416:68-pounder
370:Propulsion
338:gunvessels
286:Complement
249:Propulsion
104:In service
64:Royal Navy
1051:Albatross
975:Racehorse
968:Cormorant
947:Cormorant
741:Albatross
562:Racehorse
541:Cormorant
440:Cormorant
434:Sail plan
402:engines.
343:Racehorse
325:Cormorant
264:Sail plan
146:gunvessel
112:Completed
107:1860-1890
99:1860-1867
52:Operators
45:Cormorant
29:Cormorant
1071:Philomel
1056:Guernsey
1041:Tartarus
1024:Myrmidon
908:52620555
756:Guernsey
711:Tartarus
694:Myrmidon
531:Launched
512:Guernsey
504:Tartarus
492:Myrmidon
480:Guernsey
472:Myrmidon
410:Armament
404:Myrmidon
347:Myrmidon
294:Armament
155:877 tons
128:Scrapped
75:Philomel
1046:Pegasus
996:Eclipse
982:Serpent
951:Eclipse
844:Sources
726:Pegasus
620:Eclipse
584:Serpent
508:Pegasus
476:Pegasus
444:barques
332:Eclipse
211:Draught
191:⁄
1080:Plover
1017:Nassau
1010:Sylvia
949:- (or
906:
896:
877:
857:
676:Nassau
656:Sylvia
575:Chefoo
500:Nassau
496:Sylvia
488:Nassau
484:Sylvia
468:Sylvia
422:and a
396:Nassau
392:Sylvia
365:Design
359:Sylvia
355:Nassau
351:Sylvia
277:c. 11
268:Barque
174:Length
88:Plover
61:
1082:class
1073:class
534:Fate
518:Ships
388:knots
279:knots
274:Speed
165:66/94
96:Built
90:class
77:class
47:class
1003:Lily
989:Star
904:OCLC
894:ISBN
875:ISBN
855:ISBN
638:Lily
602:Star
525:Name
498:and
490:and
462:and
394:and
353:and
322:The
311:2 ×
305:1 ×
299:1 ×
232:200
203:Beam
163:694
141:Type
120:Lost
41:Name
27:HMS
240:ihp
234:nhp
1106::
902:.
827:^
799:^
785:^
486:,
478:-
470:-
458:,
349:,
289:90
168:bm
938:e
931:t
924:v
910:.
883:.
193:4
189:1
186:+
184:7
131:8
123:1
115:9
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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