The Fantome class was a six-ship class of 4-gun screw composite sloops [2] built for the Royal Navy during 1873 and 1874.
 HMS Egeria
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fantome-class sloops |
| Builders | |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Eclipse class |
| Succeeded by | Osprey class |
| Cost |
|
| Built | 1873–1874 |
| In commission | 1873–1911 |
| Completed | 6 |
| Scrapped | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Screw composite sloop |
| Displacement | 949 long tons (964 t) |
| Tons burthen | 727 bm |
| Length | 160 ft (48.8 m) (p/p) |
| Beam | 31 ft 4 in (9.6 m) |
| Draught | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Depth | 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m) |
| Installed power | 836–1,011 ihp (623–754 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Sail plan | Barque rig |
| Speed | 10–11 knots (19–20 km/h; 12–13 mph) |
| Range | 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 140 |
| Armament |
|
Design
editConstruction
editFantome and her sister ships were constructed of an iron frame sheathed with teak and copper (hence 'composite').
Propulsion
editA two-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine provided by Humphrys, Tennant & Co. powered an 11-foot (3.4 m) diameter screw. Steam was provided by three cylindrical boilers working at 60 pounds per square inch (4.1 bar). The indicated horsepower varied from 836 to 1,011 ihp (623 to 754 kW). Daring was fitted with a trunk engine provided by John Penn & Sons.[1]
Sailing rig
editAll the ships of the class were provided with a full barque rig.
Armament
editThe Fantome class carried two 7-inch (180 mm) and two 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifles, all mounted on pivots.
Evaluation
editBuilt at a time of great technological change in naval architecture, these composite sloops were obsolete before they were completed. Nevertheless, they served a useful function on the far-flung stations of the British Empire, including participation in minor wars, such as the Perak War. They were also used for hydrography, and for this reason Egeria was retained until 1911.
Ships
edit| Name | Ship Builder | Launched | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fantome | Pembroke Dock | 26 March 1873 | Sold 1889[2][3] |
| Albatross | Chatham Dockyard[1] | 24 July 1873 | Scrapped 1889[2][4] |
| Daring | Blackwall Yard, London | 4 February 1874 | Sold 1889[2][5] |
| Egeria | Pembroke Dock | 1 November 1873 | Sold 1911 [2][6] |
| Flying Fish | Chatham Dockyard[1] | 27 November 1873 | Sold 1888[2][7] |
| Sappho | Money Wigram & Sons, Blackwall Yard[1] | 20 October 1873 | Sold 1887[2][8] |
Notes
edit- ^ a b c d e Winfield (2004)
- ^ a b c d e f g "Naval Sloops at battleships-cruisers.co.uk". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "HMS Fantome at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "RN Ships (A) at William Looney website". Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "RN Ships (D) at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "HMS Egeria at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "HMS Flying Fish at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "HMS Sappho at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
Bibliography
edit
- Ballard, G. A. (1939). "British Sloops of 1875: The Smaller Composite Type". Mariner's Mirror. 25 (April). Cambridge, UK: Society for Nautical Research: 151–61.
- Roberts, John (1979). "Great Britain and Empire Forces". In Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M. (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
- 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.