HMS Pelican (1877)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Pelican.
Pelican's sister-ship, Cormorant c.1878
Career (United Kingdom)
Name: HMS Pelican
Namesake: Pelican
Builder: Devonport Royal Dockyard
Cost: Hull £41,282, machinery £14,939
Laid down: 8 March 1875
Launched: 26 April 1877
Completed: 29 November 1877
Decommissioned: 1899
Fate: Sold to the Hudson's Bay Company, 22 January 1901; scuttled, 1953
General characteristics
Class and 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:1,056 ihp (787 kW)
Propulsion:
  • 1 × 2-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine
  • 3 × cylindrical boilers
  • 1 × screw
Sail plan:Barque rig
Speed:12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range:1,480 nmi (2,740 km; 1,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:140
Armament:

Later re-armed:

HMS Pelican was an Osprey-class sloop built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1870s. She was launched in 1877 and was sold to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1901. She was scuttled in 1953.

Design and construction

Pelican 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] A Humphrys, Tennant and Co. two-cylinder two-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine fed by three cylindrical boilers provided 1,056 indicated horsepower to the single 13 ft (4.0 m) propeller screw.[1] This gave Pelican a top speed of 12.2 knots (22.6 km/h; 14.0 mph). 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] Pelican and her sister-ship Wild Swan were re-armed later with two 6-inch (81cwt) BL guns and six 5-inch (35cwt) BL guns.[1]

Pelican was built by Devonport Royal Dockyard. The vessel was laid down on 8 March 1875.[1] She was launched on 26 April 1877, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 29 November 1877.[1] Construction costs included £41,282 for the hull, and £14,939 for machinery and equipment.[1]

Fate

Pelican was sold as a supply ship on 22 January 1901[1] to the Hudson's Bay Company. She was scuttled in 1953.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 Winfield, pp.291-292
  2. "Naval Sloops at battleships-cruisers.co.uk". Retrieved 2008-08-30.

Bibliography