HMS Sparrowhawk was a Vigilant-class

Vigilant class gunvessel

The Vigilant-class gunvessel of the Royal Navy was an enlarged version of the Arrow-class gunvessel of 1854. Both classes were designed for shallow-water operations in the Baltic and Black Seas during the Crimean War. Fourteen of the class were completed, but were ready too late to take part in...

 second-class despatch/gunvessel launched on 9 February 1856 at Limehouse

Limehouse

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....

, England and served at various stations in the Far East

Far East

The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...

. By the spring of 1865, her rig was a converted to that of a three-masted barque

Barque

A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...

. She was sold in 1872 and was eventually lost in a typhoon.

Design

Her class were designed as second-class despatch and gunvessels. They were intended to operate close inshore during the Crimean 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...

 and were essentially enlarged versions of the Arrow-class gunvessel

Arrow class gunvessel

The Arrow class comprised six second-class screw-driven vessels built as despatch vessels for the Royal Navy in 1854, mounting 6 guns. In 1856 they were redesignated as second-class gunvessels.-Design:...

, which has been designed by the Surveyor’s Department in 1854.

Propulsion

A two-cylinder horizontal single expansion steam engine by Humphries, Tennant & Dyke provided 726 ihp through a single screw, and gave a top speed of about 11 knots.

Armament

Although designed with a pair of 68-pounder Lancaster muzzle-loading rifles, the Vigilant class were finished with one 7 inches (177.8 mm)/110 pounds (49.9 kg) Armstrong breech-loading gun, one 68 pounds (30.8 kg) Lancaster muzzle-loading rifled gun

68-Pounder Lancaster gun

68-Pounder Lancaster guns were a rifled muzzle-loading cannon that fired a 68 pound shell. They were fitted in pairs to the Arrow-class gunvessel. The cannon was designed with an oval bore and had a range of about 6500 yards. The gun suffered from a tendency to burst....

 and two 20-pounder breech loaders.

Service history

Porcher Island

Porcher Island

Porcher Island is an island in Hecate Strait, British Columbia, Canada, near the mouth of the Skeena River and southwest of the port city of Prince Rupert.- Geography :...

, near Prince Rupert, British Columbia

Prince Rupert, British Columbia

Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...

, is named after Edwin Augustus Porcher (1821–1878), who served as captain of HMS Sparrowhawk at Esquimalt Naval Base

CFB Esquimalt

Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....

, Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...

, from the spring of 1865 until he returned to England in autumn 1868. While serving with the North Pacific Squadron

Pacific Station

The Pacific Station, often referred to as the Pacific Squadron, was one of the geographical divisions into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities...

, Commander Porcher made four summertime voyages to the North Coast of British Columbia

British Columbia Coast

The British Columbia Coast or BC Coast is Canada's western continental coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The usage is synonymous with the term West Coast of Canada....

; in 1866, 1867 and twice in 1868.