Beagle-class sloop

A photograph of Nymphe, visually identical to the Beagle class
Class overview
NameBeagle-class sloop
Operators Royal Navy
Built1889
In commission1889–1920
Completed2
Lost0
General characteristics
TypeScrew steel sloop
Displacement1170 tons[1]
Length195 ft (59 m) pp[2]
Beam30 ft (9.1 m)[3]
Draught13 ft (4.0 m)[3]
Installed power2,000 ihp (1,500 kW)[2]
Propulsion
  • 3-cylinder horizontal triple-expansion steam engine
  • 2 screws
Sail planBarquentine rig
Speed14.5 kn (26.9 km/h)[2]
Endurance3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h)[2]
Complement138[2]
Armament
ArmourProtective deck of 1 to 1+1⁄2 in (2.5 to 3.8 cm) steel over the machinery and boilers[2]

The Beagle class was a two-ship class of 8-gun screw steel sloops[4] built for the Royal Navy in 1889.

Design

Beagle and Basilisk were constructed of copper-sheathed steel to a design by William White, the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction. They were powered by a twin-screw three-cylinder horizontal triple-expansion steam engine developing 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and carried a barquentine sail rig.[2] They were essentially the same design as the preceding Nymphe class, but built of steel rather than of composite wood-and-steel.[2]

Operational use

In common with other designs of Royal Navy sloop of the period, the Beagle class were not intended or designed to fight a modern fleet action; they were intended to patrol Britain's extensive maritime empire, and this is how they were employed. Beagle conducted three foreign commissions between 1890 and 1900, at least two of which were on the South Atlantic Station.[1] She was refitted in 1900, during which her 5-inch (130 mm) breech-loading guns were replaced with quick-firing guns. Basilisk also spent all or part of her career on the South Atlantic Station.[5]

Ships

Name Ship Builder Launched Fate
Beagle Portsmouth Dockyard 28 February 1889 Sold for breaking on 11 July 1905[1][2][4]
Basilisk Sheerness Dockyard 6 April 1889 Became coal hulk C7 and sold as Maggie Grech in 1905[2][4][5]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c "HMS Beagle at Naval Database website". Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Winfield (2004) p.277
  3. ^ a b "HMS Basilisk at Battleships-Cruisers website". Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  4. ^ a b c "Naval Sloops at battleships-cruisers.co.uk". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  5. ^ a b "HMS Basilisk at Naval Database website". Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.

References