HMS Phoenix (1832)
Encyclopedia
HMS Phoenix was a 6-gun steam paddle vessel of the Royal Navy
, built in a dry dock at Chatham in 1832. She was reclassified as a second-class paddle sloop
before bring rebuilt as a 10-gun screw sloop in 1844-45. She was fitted as an Arctic storeship in 1851 and sold for breaking in 1864.
, and built in a drydock at Chatham Dockyard
. She was engined by Maudley, Sons & Field with a two-cylinder side lever steam engine developing 220 nominal horsepower. She was armed with a single 10-inch (84cwt) pivot-mounted gun, an 8-inch (52cwt) pivot-mounted gun and four 32-pounder (17cwt) carronade
s.
On 22 March 1831, before the keel was laid down, the ship was renamed Charon, but the name Phoenix was restored less than a fortnight later.
. Captain Lord John Hay commanded her on the same duty from 1836 to 1837, and from 1839 she spent her life in the Mediterranean, firsty under Commander Robert Robinson
, and then, from 1840, under Commander Robert Stopford. Stopford was in command when she took part in the Bombardment of Acre in 1840. She paid off on 1 January 1842, having been commanded by Commander John Richardson for nearly a year.
to a design by Oliver Lang. She received a John Penn & Son 260-nominal horsepower two-cylinder vertical single-expansion steam engine driving a screw propeller. The conversion was finished by February 1845, and the 489 ihp developed by her new engine, combined with the more efficient screw propulsion, gave her a speed under steam of about 8.8 knots (17.2 km/h). A further benefit of screw propulsion was the loss of the large paddle boxes, which allowed more of her deck to be used for guns; a further four carronades were fitted, making her a 10-gun ship. She was re-docked at Deptford on 1 April 1844 to be fitted with "Mr Steinman's patent submarine propeller".
The conversion from paddle propulsion to screw propulsion in 1843 cost £18,663. The redundant paddle engine from Phoenix was re-used in 1844 in HMS Firefly.
Fitted for Arctic service, she commissioned at Deptford under Captain Edward Inglefield
in February 1853 and was used to supply Sir Edward Belcher
's expedition at Beechey Island. Inglefield carried the news of the discovery of the north-west passage by Robert McClure
back to England in October 1853. Inglefield remained in command when she recommissioned at Woolwich on 21 February 1854, and she returned to Beechey Island to re-supply Belcher. Inglefield brought home the ship's company of HMS Investigator
, which had become trapped in the ice.
As an Arctic storeship, she was ideal for employment in the Russian Arctic during the Russian War
of 1853 - 1856. She was commanded by Captain John Hayes, including service in the White Sea
, from 10 February 1855 until she paid off at Sheerness.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, built in a dry dock at Chatham in 1832. She was reclassified as a second-class paddle sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
before bring rebuilt as a 10-gun screw sloop in 1844-45. She was fitted as an Arctic storeship in 1851 and sold for breaking in 1864.
Design
The vessel was designed by Robert SeppingsRobert Seppings
Sir Robert Seppings FRS was an English naval architect.Seppings was born at Fakenham, Norfolk, and in 1782 was apprenticed in Plymouth dockyard...
, and built in a drydock at Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
. She was engined by Maudley, Sons & Field with a two-cylinder side lever steam engine developing 220 nominal horsepower. She was armed with a single 10-inch (84cwt) pivot-mounted gun, an 8-inch (52cwt) pivot-mounted gun and four 32-pounder (17cwt) carronade
Carronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
s.
On 22 March 1831, before the keel was laid down, the ship was renamed Charon, but the name Phoenix was restored less than a fortnight later.
Service as a paddle sloop
From September 1835 to June 1838 she was commanded by Commander William Henderson, including service off coast of Spain during the First Carlist WarFirst Carlist War
The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833-1839.-Historical background:At the beginning of the 18th century, Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, promulgated the Salic Law, which declared illegal the inheritance of the Spanish crown by women...
. Captain Lord John Hay commanded her on the same duty from 1836 to 1837, and from 1839 she spent her life in the Mediterranean, firsty under Commander Robert Robinson
Robert Spencer Robinson
Admiral Sir Robert Spencer Robinson KCB was a British naval officer, who served as two five-year terms as Controller of the Navy from February 1861 to February 1871, and was therefore responsible for the procurement of warships at a time when the Royal Navy was changing over from unarmoured wooden...
, and then, from 1840, under Commander Robert Stopford. Stopford was in command when she took part in the Bombardment of Acre in 1840. She paid off on 1 January 1842, having been commanded by Commander John Richardson for nearly a year.
Conversion to screw sloop
In April 1844 Phoenix was converted to a screw sloop by Curling & Young's at LimehouseLimehouse
Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff to the west and Millwall to the east....
to a design by Oliver Lang. She received a John Penn & Son 260-nominal horsepower two-cylinder vertical single-expansion steam engine driving a screw propeller. The conversion was finished by February 1845, and the 489 ihp developed by her new engine, combined with the more efficient screw propulsion, gave her a speed under steam of about 8.8 knots (17.2 km/h). A further benefit of screw propulsion was the loss of the large paddle boxes, which allowed more of her deck to be used for guns; a further four carronades were fitted, making her a 10-gun ship. She was re-docked at Deptford on 1 April 1844 to be fitted with "Mr Steinman's patent submarine propeller".
The conversion from paddle propulsion to screw propulsion in 1843 cost £18,663. The redundant paddle engine from Phoenix was re-used in 1844 in HMS Firefly.
Service as a screw sloop
Between 1845 and 1847 she served on the Home Station and then the Mediterranean Station under the command of Commander James Dennis. On 6 February 1846 she was docked at Woolwich to have a false keel fitted to reduce her excessive rolling motion. From 1849 Commander George Wodehouse took her to the West coast of Africa, and she served there under Commander Thomas Lysaght from 1850 until she paid off on 15 August 1851.Fitted for Arctic service, she commissioned at Deptford under Captain Edward Inglefield
Edward Augustus Inglefield
Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield was a Royal Naval officer who led one of the searches for the missing Arctic explorer John Franklin during the 1850s. In doing so, his expedition charted previously unexplored areas along the northern Canadian coastline, including Baffin Bay, Smith Sound and...
in February 1853 and was used to supply Sir Edward Belcher
Edward Belcher
Admiral Sir Edward Belcher, KCB , was a British naval officer and explorer. He was the great-grandson of Governor Jonathan Belcher. His wife, Diana Jolliffe, was the stepdaughter of Captain Peter Heywood.-Early life:...
's expedition at Beechey Island. Inglefield carried the news of the discovery of the north-west passage by Robert McClure
Robert McClure
Sir Robert John Le Mesurier McClure was an Irish explorer of the Arctic.In 1854, he was the first to transit the Northwest Passage , as well as the first to circumnavigate the Americas.-Early life and career:He was born at Wexford, in Ireland, the posthumous son of one of Abercrombie's captains,...
back to England in October 1853. Inglefield remained in command when she recommissioned at Woolwich on 21 February 1854, and she returned to Beechey Island to re-supply Belcher. Inglefield brought home the ship's company of HMS Investigator
HMS Investigator (1848)
HMS Investigator was a merchant ship purchased in 1848 to search for Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. She made two voyages to the Arctic and had to be abandoned in 1853 after becoming trapped in the ice. Her wreckage was found in July 2010 on Banks Island, in the Beaufort Sea...
, which had become trapped in the ice.
As an Arctic storeship, she was ideal for employment in the Russian Arctic during the Russian War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
of 1853 - 1856. She was commanded by Captain John Hayes, including service in the White Sea
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
, from 10 February 1855 until she paid off at Sheerness.