HMS Wild Swan (1876)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Wild Swan.
Wild Swan's sister-ship, Cormorant c.1878
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Wild Swan
Namesake: Swan
Builder: Robert Napier & Sons, Govan, Glasgow
Cost: Hull £39,643, machinery £11,853
Laid down: 14 September 1874
Launched: 28 January 1876
Completed: 23 August 1876
Decommissioned: Hulked, 1 May 1904
Renamed: HMS Clyde, 1 May 1904; HMS Columbine, July 1913
Fate: Sold for scrap, 4 May 1920
General characteristics
Class & type: Osprey-class screw composite sloop
Displacement: 1,130 long tons (1,150 t)
Length: 170 ft (51.8 m) (p/p)
Beam: 36 ft (11.0 m)
Draught: 15 ft 9 in (4.8 m)
Depth: 19 ft 6 in (5.9 m)
Installed power:
  • 797 ihp (594 kW)
  • (later c. 950 ihp (709kW))
Propulsion:
Sail plan: Barque rig
Speed: 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Range: 1,120 nmi (2,070 km; 1,290 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 140
Armament:

HMS Wild Swan was an Osprey-class sloop built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1870s. She was launched in 1877 and became a base ship in 1904, being renamed Clyde. She was renamed Columbine in 1913 and was sold for breaking in 1920.

Design and construction

Main article: Osprey-class sloop

Wild Swan was an Osprey-class sloop-of-war, with a composite hull design.[1] The ship had a displacement of 1,130 tons, was 170 feet (52 m) long, had a beam of 36 feet (11 m), and a draught of 15 feet 9 inches (4.80 m).[2][1] An R & W Hawthorn two-cylinder horizontal returning-rod steam engine fed by three cylindrical boilers provided 797 indicated horsepower to the single 13 ft (4.0 m) propeller screw.[1] This gave Wild Swan a top speed of 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph), which failed to meet the required contract speed. After the first commission the engine was replaced by a Devonport Dockyard two-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine. She had a maximum range of 1,480 nautical miles (2,740 km; 1,700 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1] In addition to the steam-driven propeller, the vessel was also barque rigged.[1] The standard ship's company was between 140 and 150.[1]

Armament consisted of two 7-inch (90cwt) muzzle-loading rifled guns, four 64-pound guns, four machine guns, and one light gun.[1] Wild Swan and her sister-ship Pelican were re-armed later with two 6-inch (81cwt) BL guns and six 5-inch (35cwt) BL guns.[1]

Wild Swan was built by Robert Napier and Sons, of Govan, Scotland. The vessel was laid down on 14 September 1874 as yard number 341.[1] She was launched on 28 January 1876, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 23 August 1876.[1] Construction costs included £39,643 for the hull, and £11,853 for machinery and equipment.[1]

Service history

Wild Swan was decommissioned and placed on the list of Admiralty vessels for sale in 1900. She was withdrawn from the list and re-fitted in late 1901 as a training ship in Kingstown Harbour for men of the Royal Navy Reserve and coastguards of the North of Ireland stations.[3] She also served as tender to HMS Melampus, coast guard ship at Kingstown.[4]

Fate

Wild Swan became a base ship on 1 May 1904 and was renamed Clyde. She was renamed again in July 1913, becoming Columbine. She was sold for breaking to the Forth Shipbreaking company on 4 May 1920.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ The horizontal returning-rod steam engine by R & W Hawthorn failed to meet the contract speed and was replaced after the first commission by a Devonport Dockyard 2-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Winfield, pp.291-292
  2. ↑ "Naval Sloops at battleships-cruisers.co.uk". Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  3. ↑ "Naval & military intelligence" The Times (London). Tuesday, 17 September 1901. (36562), p. 9.
  4. ↑ "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Thursday, 19 December 1901. (36642), p. 7.


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