Arrow-class gunvessel

The Arrow class comprised six second-class screw-driven vessels built as dispatch vessels for the Royal Navy in 1854, mounting six guns. In 1856 they were re-designated as second-class gunvessels. A seventh vessel was built for the Argentine Navy in 1875.

HMS Beagle and Wrangler by Sir Oswald Brierly, 1855
Class overview
Name	Arrow class
Builders	C J Mare & Company, Leamouth R & H Green, Blackwall Yard Messrs. Rennie, Greenwich
Operators	Royal Navy Japanese Army Argentine Navy
Cost	£21,234 (Arrow) £24,860 (Wrangler)
Built	1854
In commission	1854–1866, 1875-1902
Completed	7
Lost	0
General characteristics
Displacement	586 tons
Tons burthen	476 68⁄94 bm
Length	160 ft (48.8 m)
Beam	25 ft (7.6 m)
Draught	11 ft 8 in (3.6 m) (aft)
Depth of hold	13 ft 3 in (4.0 m)
Installed power	160 nhp 460–673 ihp (343–502 kW)
Propulsion	Single 2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine Single screw
Sail plan	Barque-rigged
Complement	65
Armament	2 × 68-pounder (95 cwt) Lancaster MLR on pivots 4 × 32-pounder (25 cwt) guns

Construction

Design

The Crimean War sparked a sudden need for shallow-draught, manoeuvrable vessels for inshore work in the Baltic and the Black Sea. The Arrow class of six wooden-hulled screw steamers were built during 1854 to a design by the Surveyor's Department. Construction was undertaken at two commercial yards on the Thames, R & H Green at Blackwall Yard and C J Mare & Company, at Leamouth. Two further designs of Crimean War gunvessel were ordered during 1855, the Intrepid class and the Vigilant class, and in 1856 the six Arrow-class dispatch vessels were re-classed as second-class gunvessels.

Propulsion

A two-cylinder horizontal single expansion steam engine provided 160 horsepower (119 kW) through a single screw.

Sail plan

All Arrow-class gunvessels were barque-rigged.

Armament

The Arrow class were provided with two 68-pounder Lancaster muzzle-loading rifles weighing 95 long cwt (4,800 kg) on pivot mounts, and four 32-pounder 25 long cwt (1,300 kg) guns.

Ships

Name	Ship builder	Launched	Fate
Arrow	C J Mare & Company, Leamouth	26 June 1854	Hull sold to Marshall on 19 May 1862
Beagle	C J Mare & Company, Leamouth	20 July 1854	Sold at Hong Kong on 16 July 1863, became the Japanese Kanko. Broken up 1889
Lynx	C J Mare & Company, Leamouth	22 July 1854	Sold to Marshall on 19 May 1862 for breaking at Plymouth
Snake	C J Mare & Company, Leamouth	6 September 1854	Sold to Marshall, Plymouth in 1864
Viper	R & H Green, Blackwall Yard	23 July 1854	Sold to Marshall on 19 May 1862 for breaking at Plymouth
Wrangler	R & H Green, Blackwall Yard	19 June 1854	Broken up by Castle at Charlton in May 1866
Bermejo	Messrs. Rennie	19 June 1875	For Argentine Navy.

Operational lives

Wrangler was sent to the Baltic on completion, and the others of the class to the Black Sea where they took part in the Crimean War. The Lancaster guns were not entirely successful, and the class had their armament reduced, being employed in their original designation as dispatch vessels.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• 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.