HMS Nymphe (1866)

Summary

HMS Nymphe was an Amazon-class sloop, of the Royal Navy, built at the Deptford Dockyard and launched on 24 November 1866.[3] She served in the East Indies and Australia, and was sold in 1884.

HMS Dryad at anchor, with sails airing
HMS Nymphe's sister-ship, HMS Dryad
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Nymphe
BuilderDeptford Dockyard
Laid down1865[1]
Launched24 November 1866
Commissioned1867
FateSold in December 1884
General characteristics
TypeScrew Sloop
Displacement1,574 tons
Length187 ft (57 m)
Beam36 ft (11 m)
Draught17 ft (5.2 m)[2]
Installed power
Propulsion
  • Three-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine
  • Single screw
Sail planBarque-rigged
Speed13 knots (24 km/h)
Complement150 (170 after armament converted)
Armament
  • As built:
  • 2 × 7-inch (6½-ton) muzzle-loading rifled guns
  • 2 × 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns
  • After conversion:
  • 9 × 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns[1]

Design edit

Designed by Edward Reed,[1] the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction, the hull was built of oak, with teak planking and fir decks, and she was equipped with a ram bow.[1]

Propulsion edit

Propulsion was provided by a three-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine by Maudslay, Sons & Field driving a single 15 ft (4.6 m) screw.[1]

Sail Plan edit

All the ships of the class were built with a barque rig.[1]

Armament edit

The class was designed with two 7-inch (180 mm), 6½-ton muzzle-loading rifled guns mounted on slides on centre-line pivots, and two 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns on broadside trucks. Dryad, Nymphe and Vestal were rearmed in the early 1870s with an armament of nine 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns, four each side and a centre-line pivot mount at the bow.[1]

History edit

She initially commenced service on the East Indies Station in 1867, before returning to England in 1871 for paying off. Nymphe was refitted, re-armed and placed in reserve. She started service on the Australia Station in March 1875.[3] She left the Australia Station in August 1878, returned to England and was paid off in 1879.

Fate edit

She was sold from Chatham Dockyard in February 1885 to Castle and Sons, Vauxhall, Surrey for £3,745. She was taken to Vauxhall and broken up.[3][4]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Winfield (2004) p. 290
  2. ^ a b "Cruisers at Battleships-Cruisers website". Retrieved 17 September 2008.
  3. ^ a b c Bastock, p. 64.
  4. ^ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. No. 31372. London. 17 February 1885. col C, p. 5.

References edit

  • Bastock, John (1988), Ships on the Australia Station, Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia. ISBN 0-86777-348-0
  • Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555.