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Royal Navy, "Pax Britannica", 1815-1914

 

AT THE ADVENT OF THE IRONCLAD: THE STRENGTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE ROYAL NAVY 1861


by Dr Graham Watson, retired from History Dept, Cardiff University

HMS Warrior (Cyber Heritage, click to enlarge)

return to "Pax Britannica", 1815-1914


A Note on Sources by Graham Watson

I have used the Navy List, dated 20 June 1861 to illustrate the strength and distribution of the Royal Navy on that date. In contrast to other lists, I have included two types of listings

(1) ship types with an alphabetical list in each, and

(2)  the usual geographic distribution list.

This is because of the inability to associate particular ship names with a particular class or type of ship.






My thanks to Graham for making this work available.

I hope the images I have chosen are correct. For me, the Victorian Navy is a new world to explore.

Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net.





Abbreviations

2F - Flagship, 2nd in command
Dkyd F - Dockyard Flagship
F - Flagship
NAWI - North American & West Indies Station
SO - Senior Officer

Contents

1. At The Advent of the Ironclad, 1861

2. Alphabetical Listing of Steam Warships by Type
Steam Battleships
Screw Guardships and Blockships
Screw Frigates
Paddle Frigates
Screw Corvettes
Paddle Corvettes
Screw Sloops
Paddle Sloops
Screw Gun-Vessels
Paddle Gunboats

3. Alphabetical Listing of Sailing Warships by Type and Status
Ships of the Line
Frigates
Sloops

4. Allocation of Principal Vessels to Each Fleet, Squadron and Station
Channel Squadron
Nore Command
Portsmouth Command
Plymouth Command
Coast Guard
Particular Service
Mediterranean Fleet
North America & West Indies
West Africa
Cape of Good Hope  
South-East Coast of America
East Indies and China  
Australia
Pacific

5. Building, as Described in Navy List






1. AT THE ADVENT OF THE IRONCLAD, 1861




HMS Resistance  (Photo Ships)
 
In June 1861, the Navy List records the names of four frigates then fitting out for service which became the first sea-going ironclad warships in the Royal Navy. They were WARRIOR [at Blackwall], BLACK PRINCE [at Glasgow]; DEFENCE [at Jarrow] and RESISTANCE [at Millwall]. They signalled the demise of the wooden warship. Below is an outline of the strength and distribution of that final generation of wooden warships.

The majority of warships in service in 1861 were wooden-hulled and driven by steam. Few pure sailing ships remained on active service, although many were to be found in the home ports either on harbour duty or laid up 'In Ordinary' [the then term for reserve].

The Royal Navy's warships were categorised by function and by mode of propulsion:

Ships of the Line were described as 'Screw Steam Ships' or simply as 'Ships' if propelled solely by sail.

Cruising vessels were described as 'Screw Steam Frigates' or 'Frigates'.

Below them came the 'Screw Steam Corvettes' followed by

'Screw Steam Sloops', Paddle Wheel Sloops', 'Screw Steam Gun Vessels' and Sloops - if sailing only.

The terms frigate, corvette, and sloop referred to the relative size and gun-power of vessels which were essentially all for patrol, commerce protection, and colonial policing.

The following table provides a broad picture of Royal Navy strength in 1861. The descriptions are elaborated to conform to the descriptions found in 'Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905' [pages 3, 43-44, and 108] which are wider in their description of the various types of warship than those employed in the Navy List. The demise of the sailing is obvious, and that of the paddle warship is forecast by the lack of new construction.

Type
Active Harbour service In Ordinary Building Totals
Engined
Screw Steam Ships
25
3 27
15 70
Screw Guardships*
8
1

9
Screw Frigates 18 1 20 [4-mortar] 7 46
Paddle Frigates 6
3
9
Screw Corvettes 19
6 7 32
Paddle Corvettes
4

3
7
Screw Sloops 19
14 17 50
Paddle Sloops 18
18
36
Screw Gun-Vessels 27
17 3 47
Sub-total
144
5
108
49
306
Sail
Ship's of the Line 15
12
27
Sailing Frigates
1
8
28
37
Sailing Sloops 3
1
24
28
Sub-total
19
9
64
-
92
TOTALS
163
14
172
49
398

* Screw guardships - these were the earliest attempts to install steam and screws into old 74-gun ships. They were relegated to harbour defence duties as guardships after the Crimean War - moored in various harbours and not expected to go to sea.


French Navy

The only navy of any strength which could challenge the Royal Navy was that of France. According to tables published by Hans Busk in 1859 ('Navies of the World'), the strength of that navy was:

Engined
Screw Ships of the Line [Fast]       9
Screw Ships of the Line with auxiliary screws 24
Screw Frigates  [Fast] 6
Screw Frigates with auxiliary screws 9
Steam Frigates [Paddle] 19
Screw Corvettes 7
Screw Corvettes with auxiliary screws 2
Steam Corvettes [Paddle] 9
Sub-total
85
Sail
Line of Battleships [Sailing] 13
Frigates [Sailing] 29
Corvettes [Sailing] 15
Sub-total 57
TOTALS 142

Busk identifies the home port of each vessel - Cherbourg, Brest, Lorient, Rochfort or Toulon - but does not reveal the status of each - in service and where, harbour duties, in reserve or hulked.

Royal Navy

Ships on active service were allocated to one of the following:

Channel Squadron
Coast Guard
Mediterranean Fleet
North America & West Indies Station
West Coast of Africa Station
South East Coast of America Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
East Indies & China Station
Australia Station
Pacific Station

Ships not allocated to one of the above were described as being on 'Particular Service', which could include use as troopships.

Ships out of service were allocated to one of the home commands:

Nore
Portsmouth
Devonport
with some on miscellaneous duties such as RNR training. 

Normally the flagship of each command - and a small number of other vessels - were described as being in commission although never expected to go to sea.

The main disruption to the pattern of deployment was the despatch of a substantial force to North American waters to protect British interests after the outbreak of civil war in the United States. This is indicated by an extra table on the North American & West Indies Station in November 1861.

Two main sets of tables are provided to enhance knowledge of a relatively unfamiliar period of Royal Navy strength and organisation. There seems to have been very little effort to allocate related names to specific types of classes of warship in the manner of the 20th century Royal Navy:

Sections 2 & 3 - Alphabetical listing of ships by type - steam and sail

Sections 4 - Composition of the main fleets and stations.






2. ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF STEAM WARSHIPS BY TYPE

This list will include names, date of completion or conversion, status and location on 22nd June 1861


STEAM BATTLESHIPS


HMS Aboukir (Cyber-Heritage)

HMS Defiance going to breakers 1935
(Navy Photos)


HMS Revenge (Cyber-Heritage)

There were two categories - First Rates with 3 decks, and Second Rates with 2 decks.
The small number of First Rates are indicated by the [1] after the relevant name.

Name Built or Undocked as Screw Ship Status
Aboukir
Agamemnon
Algiers
Anson
Atlas
Brunswick
Caesar
Centurion
Colossus
Conqueror
Cressy
Defiance
Donegal
Duke of Wellington [1]
Duncan
Edgar
Exmouth
Frederick William
Gibraltar
Goliath
Hannibal
Hero
Hood
Howe
Irresistible
James Watt
Lion
London
Majestic
Marlborough [1]
Mars
Meeanee
Nelson
Neptune
Nile
Orion
Prince Regent
Prince of Wales
Princess Royal
Queen
Renown
Revenge
Rodney
Royal Albert [1]
Royal George [1]
Royal Sovereign [1]
Royal William
Sans Pareil
St George
St Jean D'Arc
Trafalgar
Victor Emanuel
Victoria
Waterloo
Windsor Castle [1]
1858
1852
1854
1860
1860-never completed
1855
1853
1855
1848
1855
1853
1861
1858
1852
1859
1858
1854
1860
1860
1857
1854
1858
1859
1860
1859
1853
1859
1860
1853
1855
1855
1857
1860
1859
1854
1854
1861
1860
1959
1859
1857
1859
1860
1854
1853
1857
1859
1851
1854
1853
1859
1855
1859
1854
1858
Channel Squadron
Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Mediterranean
Channel Squadron
Coast Guard, Portland
Channel Squadron
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Channel Squadron
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Channel Squadron [2F]
Mediterranean
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Chatham/Ordinary
Mediterranean [2F]
Channel Squadron
-
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Mediterranean
Devonport/Ordinary
Mediterranean
Coast Guard, Liverpool
Portsmouth for Med.
Mediterranean
-
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Mediterranean [F]
NAWI [F]
Mediterranean
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Channel Squadron [F]
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Coast Guard, Ireland
NAWI
Mediterranean
Channel Squadron
Mediterranean
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary


SCREW GUARDSHIPS AND BLOCKSHIPS


HMS Ajax (HMS Ajax Organisation)

HMS Blenheim in 1825 (Wikipedia)

Name
Undocked as Screw Ship
Status
Ajax
Blenheim
Cornwallis
Edinburgh
Hastings
Hawke
Hogue
Pembroke
Russell
1846
1837
1855
1846
1855
1855
1850
1855
1855
Coast Guard, Kingstown
Coast Guard, Milford
Coast Guard, Humber
Coast Guard, Queensferry
RNR Liverpool
Coast Guard, Queenstown
Coast Guard, Greenock
Coast Guard, Harwich
Coast Guard, Falmouth


SCREW FRIGATES


HMS Doris (Cyber-Heritage)

Name
Built or Undocked as Screw Ship Status
Amphion
Arethusa
Ariadne
Arrogant
Bacchante
Chesapeake
Constance
Curacoa
Dauntless
Diadem
Doris
Emerald
Euryalus
Forte
Galatea
Glasgow
Immortalitee
Imperieuse
Leander
Liffey
Melpomene
Mersey
Narcissus
Newcastle
Octavia
Orlando
Phaeton
Phoebe
Severn
Shannon
Sutlej
Termagent
Topaze
Tribune
Undaunted
1846
1861
1859
1848
1859
1855
1862
1854
1847
1856
1857
1856
1853
1858
1862
bldg
1860
1852
1861
1856
1857
1858
1859
bldg
bldg
1861
1859
1859
1856
1855
1855
1847
1858
1853
bldg
Mediterranean
Sheerness/Ordinary
NAWI
West Africa [SO]
Pacific [F]
East Indies
Devonport/Ordinary
South America
Coast Guard, Southampton
Channel Squadron
Mediterranean
For Cape [F]
Portsmouth/Ordinary
South America [F]
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Channel Squadron
East Indies [F]
Sheerness/Ordinary
Mediterranean
Mediterranean
NAWI
Cape
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Chatham/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Pacific
Pacific
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary


SCREW MORTAR FRIGATES

Name
Built
Status
Eurotas
Forth
Horatio
Seahorse
1856
1856
1850
1856
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary


PADDLE FRIGATES


HMS Valorous (Cyber-Heritage)

Name
Built
Status
Furious
Leopard
Magicienne
Odin
Penelope
Retribution
Sidon
Terrible
Valorous
1850
1850
1849
1846
1843
1844
1846
1845
1851
East Indies
South America
Devonport/Ordinary
East Indies
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Cape
Mediterranean
NAWI


SCREW CORVETTES


HMS Cadmus  (Cyber-Heritage)

Name
Built
Status
Archer
Barrosa
Brisk
Cadmus
Challenger
Charybdis
Clio
Cossack
Encounter
Esk
Highflyer
Jason
Miranda
Niger
Orestes
Orpheus
Pearl
Pelorus
Pylades
Racoon
Satellite
Scout
Scylla
Tartar
Wasp
1849
1861
1851
1856
1858
1859
1858
1854
1846
1854
1851
1859
1851
1846
1861
1861
1855
1857
1854
1857
1855
1856
1856
1854
1850
West Africa
Sheerness/Ordinary
Cape
NAWI
NAWI
East Indies
Pacific
Cape
East Indies
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
NAWI
Australia
Australia
Sheerness/Ordinary
Chatham/Ordinary
East Indies
Australia
Pacific
Mediterranean
Devonport/Ordinary
East Indies
Mediterranean
Pacific
Cape


PADDLE CORVETTES


HMS Cyclops (Photo Ships)

Name
Built
Status
Centaur
Cyclops
Dragon
Firebrand
Gladiator
Sampson
Vulture
1845
1839
1845
1842
1844
1844
1843
East Indies
Sheerness/Ordinary
Particular Service
NAWI
NAWI
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary


SCREW SLOOPS


HMS Peterel (Cyber-Heritage)

Name
Built
Status
Alert
Ariel
Cameleon
Chanticleer
Conflict
Cordelia
Cruizer
Curlew
Desperate
Falcon
Fawn
Gannet
Greyhound
Harrier
Hornet
Icarus
Lyra
Malacca
Mutine
Pantaloon
Pelican
Peterel
Phoenix
Plumper
Racer
Rapid
Renard
Rifleman
Rinaldo
Rosario
Sharpshooter
Swallow
Zebra
1856
1854
1860
1860
1846
1856
1852
1854
1849
1854
1856
1857
1859
1854
1856
1858
1857
1853
1859
1859
1860
1860
1832
1848
1857
1861
1856
1846
1860
1860
1846
1854
1860
Pacific
Cape
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Australia
Portsmouth/Ordinary
South America
NAWI
West Africa
Australia
Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Australia
East Indies
Sheerness-active
Cape
Sheerness/Ordinary
Pacific
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Pacific-survey
NAWI
Sheerness/Ordinary
East Indies
Deptford/Ordinary
NAWI
Sheerness/Ordinary
West Africa
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary


PADDLE SLOOPS


HMS Salamander (Photo Ships)

Name
Launched
Status
Alecto
Antelope
Ardent
Argus
Barracouta
Basilisk
Bulldog
Buzzard
Dee
Devastation
Driver
Fury
Geyser
Gorgon
Hecate
Hecla
Hermes
Hydra
Inflexible
Medea
Oberon
Prometheus
Rhadamanthus
Rosamund
Salamander
Scourge
Sphynx
Spiteful
Stromboli
Styx
Trident
Triton
Vesuvius
Virago
Vixen
Volcano
1839
1846
1841
1849
1851
1848
1845
1849
1832
1841
1840
1845
1841
1837
1839
1839
1835
1838
1845
1833
1847
1839
1832
1843
1832
1844
1846
1842
1839
1841
1845
1846
1839
1842
1841
1836
West Africa
Woolwich/Ordinary
South America
Sheerness-active
NAWI
Woolwich/Ordinary
Portsmouth-active
Devonport/Ordinary
Trooping
Woolwich/Ordinary
NAWI
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport-active
Cape
Pacific
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
NAWI
Devonport/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
South America
West Africa
trooping
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Deptford/Ordinary
Mediterranean
East Indies
NAWI
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness-active
Woolwich/Ordinary
Deptford/Ordinary
Chatham/Ordinary
Woolwich/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary


SCREW GUN-VESSELS
listed as sloops in Navy List
All built 1854-56


HMS Cygnet (Cyber-Heritage)

Name
Status
Alacrity
Algerine
Arrow
Assurance
Beagle
Coquette
Cygnet
Dart
Espoir
Foxhound
Griffon
Intrepid
Landrail
Lapwing
Leven
Lynx
Mohawk
Mullet
Nimble
Nimrod
Osprey
Pandora
Penguin
Philomel
Pioneer
Plover
Ranger
Ringdove
Roebuck
Slaney
Snake
Snipe
Sparrow
Sparrowhawk
Speedwell
Steady
Surprise
Teazer
Torch
Victor
Vigilant
Viper
Wanderer
Wrangler
Mediterranean
East Indies
Devonport/Ordinary
Mediterranean
East Indies
Portsmouth/Ordinary
NAWI
Sheerness/Ordinary
West Africa
Mediterranean
Sheerness/Ordinary
Mediterranean
NAWI
Mediterranean
East Indies
Devonport/Ordinary
Mediterranean
Deptford/Ordinary
NAWI
East Indies
Woolwich/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Cape
West Africa
East Indies
Sheerness/Ordinary
West Africa
East Indies
East Indies
East Indies
East Indies
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Woolwich/Ordinary
NAWI
Devonport-active
Woolwich/Ordinary
West Africa
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness-active
West Africa


PADDLE GUNBOATS
listed as steam vessels in Navy List
no dates for building


Jackal-class, including Lizard (Photo Ships/Wikipedia)

Name
Status
Avon
Bloodhound
Caradoc
Coromandel
Firefly
Harpy
Jackal
Lizard
Locust
Merlin
Otter
Porcupine
Recruit
Spitfire
Weser
Devonport-tender
West Africa
Woolwich/Ordinary
East Indies
Mediterranean
Greenock-tender
Scottish Coast
Sheerness-tender
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Particular Service
Mediterranean
Woolwich/Ordinary
Mediterranean







3. ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF SAILING WARSHIPS BY TYPE and STATUS

* Listed by Conway's and by Busk as 'effective'

According to Conway's, those not on the effective list "did not constitute a fighting force in 1860. Some were in the process of being converted to screw ships-of-the-line, but most were being reduced to harbour service, converted into coal hulks, convict ships, training or drill ships, being on the sale list, etc., and would have had most of their guns removed".


SAILING SHIPS OF THE LINE



HMS Calcutta, 2nd Rate, as gunnery
training ship at Devonport from 1865

HMS Ganges, 2nd Rate, at Falmouth
in 1886 (all Navy Photos)

HMS Victory, 1st Rate, at Portsmouth

Name
Status
Asia*
Boscawen*
Britannia
Calcutta*
Canopus
Clarence*
Cumberland*
Egmont
Excellent
Formidable*
Foudroyant
Ganges *
Hibernia
Hindostan
Implacable
Impregnable
Indus
Monarch*
Powerful
Princess Charlotte
Royal Adelaide
St Vincent
Superb
Thunderer*
Vanguard*
Victory
Wellesley
Wellington
Portsmouth-guardship
Devonport/Ordinary
Portsmouth-training ship
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness-guardship
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth-guardship
Sheerness-Flagship
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Malta-Flagship
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport-training ship
Devonport-Flagship
Devonport-guardship
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Hong Kong-receiving ship
Devonport-depot
Portsmouth-depot
Chatham/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth-Flagship
Chatham-guardship
Devonport-guardship


FRIGATES


Listed as Amazon, but uncertain -
a reminder of heavy weather sailing

HMS Indefatigable as training ship
(both Photo Ships)

Name
Status
Active*
Africaine
Amazon
Amphitrite
Andromeda
Brilliant
Cambrian
Cerberus
Chichester*
Circe
Clyde
Daedalus
Diana
Fisgard
Flora
Hamadryad
Indefatigable*
Lancaster
Latona
Leda
Leonidas
Madagascar
Maeander
Melampus
Mercury
Nankin*
Nemesis
Pique
Portland
Southampton
Stag
Sybille
Thisbe
Trincomalee
Vernon
Winchester
Worcester
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
RNR, London
East Indies
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
RNR, Bristol
Sheerness/Ordinary
Woolwich-depot
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Rio de Janeiro-storeship
Ascension-storeship
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness-guardship
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Devonport-depot
RNR Sunderland
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary


SLOOPS


HMS Frolic after action with slaver,
believed 1842 (Photo Ships)

Name
Status
Actaeon*
Amethyst
Andromache
Arab
Arachne
Atalante
Calypso*
Carysfort
Comus
Creole
Crocodile
Daphne
Diamond
Electra
Elk
Eurydice*
Fantome
Frolic
Grecian
Hazard
Juno
Larne
Mariner
Modeste
Niobe
Persian
Pilot
Siren
Terpsichore
China-survey
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Pacific
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Tower-receiving ship
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary
Woolwich/Ordinary
Devonport/Ordinary
Cape
Devonport/Ordinary
Portsmouth/Ordinary
Sheerness/Ordinary







4. ALLOCATION OF PRINCIPAL VESSELS TO EACH FLEET, SQUADRON AND STATION
 

4.1 HOME WATERS


THE CHANNEL SQUADRON

Ships of the Line
Revenge [F]
Edgar [2F]
Aboukir **
Centurion
Conqueror
Donegal **
Hero **
Trafalgar
Screw frigates
Diadem **
Immortalite **

  ** to North America by November 1861
 
 
NORE COMMAND

Formidable [F]
Guardships, Sheerness-
Cumberland
Southampton
Guardship, Chatham
 Wellesley
Depot, Woolwich
Fisgard 
Paddle sloop
Argus
Screw sloops
Flying Fish
Icarus
converting to steam ships
Bombay [Chatham]
Collingwood [Sheerness]
Steam Vessels in Ordinary
Sheerness & Chatham Woolwich & Deptford
Steam Ships
Anson
Atlas
Cressy
Goliath [Chatham]
Hood
Irresistible
Meeanee
Rodney
Waterloo
Screw Frigates
Arethusa
Eurotas
Galatea
Horatio
Leander
Phaeton**
Severn
Undaunted
  ** in NAWI by 11.61

Paddle Frigate
Cyclops

Screw Corvettes
Barrosa
Orestes
Orpheus
Screw Sloops
Cameleon
Cormorant
Eclipse
Hermes
Lily
Malacca [Chatham]
Rosario
Serpent
Star
Swallow
Wanderer
Zebra
 
Paddle Sloop
Virago
Volcano

Screw Gun-Vessels
Dart
Griffon
Plover
Snipe
Sparrow

Paddle Gun-vessels
Lizard [tender]
Locust
Otter
Paddle Sloops
Antelope
Basilisk
Devastation
Salamander [Deptford]
Triton
Vesuvius [Deptford]
Vixen

Screw Sloop
Rapid
Rifleman

Screw Gun-vessels
Mullet [Deptford]
Osprey
Speedwell
Teazer
 
Paddle Gun-Vessels
Caradoc
Spitfire
Sailing ships in Ordinary
  Sheerness
Ships of the Line     
Ganges
Monarch
Powerful
Vanguard
Frigates  
Active  
Africaine  
Chichester
Clyde
Diana
Leonidas
Mercury
Nankin
Vernon
Winchester
Worcester
Sloops
Amethyst
Arab
Atalante
Comus
Daphne
Diamond
Electra
Elk
Fantome
Frolic
Larne
Mariner
Terpsichore
                  


PORTSMOUTH COMMAND


Victory [F]
Guardships
Asia
Illustrious [Dkyd F]
Training ships
Britannia
Excellent [gunnery]
Reserve depot ship
St Vincent
Mercury [tender]
Steam Vessels in Ordinary
Steam Ships
Duke of Wellington
Duncan
Frederick William
Nelson
Prince Regent
Prince of Wales
Royal Sovereign
Victoria
Screw Frigates
Euryalus
Glasgow
Octavia
Shannon
Sutlej
Tribune

Paddle Frigates
Penelope
Retribution

Screw Corvettes
Esk
Highflyer

Paddle corvettes
Sampson
Vulture
Screw Sloops
Chanticleer
Pelican

Paddle Sloops
Fury
Medea
Rosamund
Stromboli
Screw Gun-Vessels
Coquette
Pandora
Sparrowhawk
Vigilant
Sailing Vessels in Ordinary
Ship of the Line
Egmont
Frigate
Melampus
 Sloops
 Carysfort
 Eurydice
 Hazard
 Juno
 Siren
             


PLYMOUTH COMMAND

  Impregnable [F]
Guardships
Indus 
Wellington [F-Dky]

Paddle sloop
Geyser
Training ships
Implacable
Cambrian [gunnery]

Depot, Pembroke
Saturn
Reserve depot ships
Royal Adelaide
Thisbe

Converting to steam ship
Albion [Devonport]
Steam Vessels in Ordinary
Steam Ships
Brunswick
Defiance
Gibraltar
Howe
Lion
Princess Royal
Royal Albert
Royal George
Royal William
Windsor Castle
Screw Frigates
Aurora
Constance
Forth
Orlando**
Phoebe
Seahorse
** in NAWI 11.61

Paddle Frigate
Magicienne

Screw Corvette
Satellite
Screw Sloops
Conflict
Cruiser
Pantaloon
Peterel

Paddle Sloops
Buzzard
Hecla
Inflexible
Styx

Screw Gun-Vessels
Arrow
Lynx
Viper

Paddle Gun-Vessels
Avon [tender]
Merlin
Royal
Sailing ships in Ordinary
Ships of the Line
Boscawen
Calcutta
Canopus
Clarence
Foudroyant
Hindostan
Thunderer
Frigates
Amazon
Amphitrite
Andromeda
Cerberus
Circe
Flora
Hamadryad
Indefatigable
Lancaster
Leda
Nemesis
Pique
Portland
Stag
Sybille
Sloops
Andromache
Arachne
Creole
Grecian
Niobe
Pilot



COAST GUARD

PARTICULAR SERVICE

Screw ships
Colossus      
Majestic      
Portland
Liverpool
Sans Pareil preparing for service at Queenstown

Screw guardships

Ajax        
Blenheim     
Cornwallis     
Edinburgh     
Hawke       
Hogue      
Pembroke     
Russell
Kingstown
Milford
Humber
Queensferry
Queenstown [F Irish Coast]
Greenock
Harwich
Falmouth


Screw frigate

Dauntless      Southampton

Paddle gun-vessels
Harpy
Jackal
[both Scotland]
Paddle corvette
Dragon    at Sheerness

Paddle sloops

Bulldog   
Dee    
Rhadamanthus
Atlantic cable
trooping
trooping

Paddle gun-vessel

Porcupine


RNR TRAINING SHIPS
Brilliant   
Castor   
Trincomalee
Hastings  
RNR London
RNR North Shields
RNR Sunderland
RNR Liverpool






4.2 OVERSEAS


MEDITERRANEAN FLEET


Ships of the Line
Neptune [FF]
Hannibal [2F]
Agamemnon **
Algiers
Caesar
Exmouth
James Watt
London
Marlborough -at Portsmouth for Med.
Mars
Orion
Queen
Renown
St Jean D'Arc
Victor Emmanuel

Harbour Flagship, Malta-
Hibernia
Screw frigates
Amphion
Doris
Liffey **
Melpomene **

Paddle frigate
Terrible

Screw corvettes
Racoon
Scylla

Screw sloops
Gannet
Greyhound

Paddle sloop
Firefly
Scourge
Trident - at Sheerness for Med.

Screw gun-vessels
Alacrity
Assurance
Foxhound
Intrepid
Lapwing
Mohawk
Surprise - at Devonport for Med.
Wanderer - at Sheerness for Med.

Paddle gun-vessels
Firefly
Recruit
Weser

** to NAWI by November 1861


NORTH AMERICA & WEST INDIES

pre-November 1861
November 1861
response to American Civil War
Ships of the Line
Nile [F]
St George

Hulk
Imaum  [F] Receiving Ship, Jamaica
Screw frigates
Ariadne
Mersey

Paddle frigate
Valorous

Screw corvettes
Cadmus
Challenger
Jason

Paddle corvettes
Firebrand
Gladiator

Screw sloops
Desperate
Racer
Rinaldo

Paddle sloop
Barracouta
Driver
Hydra
Spiteful

Screw gun-vessel
Cygnet
Landrail
Nimble
Steady
Ships of the Line
Nile [F]
Aboukir
Agamemnon
Conqueror - lost 29.12.61
Donegal
Hero
St George
Sans Pareil
Screw Frigates
Ariadne
Diadem
Liffey
Immortalite
Melpomene
Mersey
Orlando
Phaeton

Screw Corvettes
Cadmus
Challenger
Jason
Orpheus

Screw Sloops

Desperate
Greyhound
Racer
Rinaldo

Paddle Sloops
Barracouta
Bulldog
Hydra
Medea
Spiteful

Screw Gun-vessels
Cygnet
Landrail
Plover
Sturdy



WEST AFRICA CAPE OF GOOD HOPE   SOUTH-EAST COAST OF AMERICA
Screw frigate
Arrogant [SO]

Screw corvette
Archer

Screw sloop
Falcon
Sharpshooter

Paddle sloops
Alecto
Prometheus

Screw gun-vessel
Espoir
Philomel
Ranger
Torch
Wrangler

Paddle gun-vessel
Bloodhound
Screw frigates
Emerald [to be F]
Narcissus [F]

Paddle frigate
Sidon

Screw corvettes
Brisk
Cossack
Wasp

Screw sloops
Ariel
Lyra

Paddle sloop
Gorgon

Sailing sloop
Persian

Screw gun-vessel
Penguin
Screw frigates
Forte [F]
Curacoa

Paddle frigate
Leopard

Sailing frigate
Leonidas

Screw sloop
Curlew

Paddle sloops
Ardent
Oberon
 


EAST INDIES AND CHINA   AUSTRALIA PACIFIC
Screw frigates
Imperieuse [F]
Chesapeake

Paddle frigates
Furious
Odin

Sailing frigate
Cambrian

Screw corvettes
Charybdis
Encounter
Pearl
Scout

Paddle corvette
Centaur

Screw sloops
Hornet
Renard

Paddle sloop
Sphinx

Screw gun-vessels
Algerine
Beagle
Leven
Nimrod
Pioneer
Ringdove
Roebuck
Slaney
Snake

Paddle gun-vessel
Coromandel
Sailing frigate
Iris

Screw corvettes
Pelorus [F]
Miranda
Niger

Screw sloops
Cordelia
Fawn
Harrier
Screw frigates
Bacchante [F]
Termagent
Topaze
 
Screw corvettes
Clio
Pylades
Tartar

Screw sloops
Alert 
Mutine
Plumper

Paddle sloop
Hecate

Sailing sloop
Calypso







5. BUILDING, AS DESCRIBED IN NAVY LIST


Screw Steam Ships



HMS Caledonia (Cyber-Heritage)

Achilles
Black Prince
Bulwark
Caledonia
Defence
Hector
Ocean
Repulse
Robust
Royal Alfred
Royal Oak
Triumph
Valiant
Warrior
Zealous
Chatham
Glasgow
Chatham
Woolwich
Newcastle
Glasgow
Devonport
Woolwich
Devonport
Portsmouth
Chatham
Pembroke
Millwall
Victoria Dock
Portsmouth


Screw Frigates


HMS Bristol (Photo Ships)

HMS Newcastle (Photo Ships)

Belvidera
Bristol
Dartmouth
Endymion
Ister
Newcastle
Tweed
Chatham
Woolwich
Woolwich
Deptford
Devonport
Sheerness
Pembroke


Screw Corvettes


HMS Favourite (Photo Ships)

HMS Wolverine (Australian War Memorial

Alligator
Favourite
Ganymede
Guernsey
Menai
North Star
Wolverine
Woolwich
Deptford
Chatham
Pembroke
Chatham
Sheerness
Woolwich


Screw Sloops


HMS Nassau, gun vessel (Cyber-Heritage)

Africa
Circassian
Columbine
Cynthia
Dryad
Enterprise
Harlequin
Myrmidon
Nassau
Pegasus
Perseus
Rattler
Reindeer
Sappho
Shearwater
Sylvia
Tartarus
Devonport
Deptford
Deptford
Devonport
Portsmouth
Deptford
Portsmouth
Chatham
Pembroke
Woolwich
Pembroke
Deptford
Chatham
Deptford
Pembroke
Woolwich
Pembroke


Screw Gun-Vessels

Newport
Portia, cancelled 1863 (Wikipedia)
Rattlesnake
Pembroke
Deptford
Chatham

revised 16/9/15