HMS ''Sparrowhawk'' was a ''Vigilant''-class second-class despatch/gunvessel launched on 9 February 1856 at Limehouse, England and served at various stations in the Far East. By the spring of 1865, her rig was a converted to that of a three-masted barque. She was sold in 1872, converted to a sailing barque in mercantile service, and was later a coal lighter in Australia.

Design

Her class were designed as second-class despatch and gunvessels. They were intended to operate close inshore during the Crimean War and were essentially enlarged versions of the ''Arrow''-class gunvessel, which has been designed by the Surveyor’s Department in 1854.Winfield (2004) p.220

Propulsion

A two-cylinder horizontal single expansion steam engine by

Humphrys, Tennant and Dykes Humphrys, Tennant and Dykes (later named Humphrys, Tennant and Co.) was a British engineering company based in Deptford, London, England. History The company was founded in 1852 by Edward Humphrys, formerly chief engineer of Woolwich Dockyard, ...

provided through a single screw, and gave a top speed of about 11 knots.

Sail plan

All ''Vigilant''-class gunvessels were barque-rigged.

Armament

Although designed with a pair of 68-pounder Lancaster muzzle-loading rifles, the ''Vigilant'' class were finished with one / Armstrong breech-loading gun, one Lancaster muzzle-loading rifled gun and two 20-pounder breech loaders.

Service history

Porcher Island, near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, is named after Edwin Augustus Porcher (1821–1878), who served as captain of HMS ''Sparrowhawk'' at Esquimalt Naval Base, Vancouver Island, from the spring of 1865 until he returned to England in autumn 1868. While serving with the

North Pacific Squadron The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval s ...

, Commander Porcher made four summertime voyages to the North Coast of British Columbia - in 1866, 1867 and twice in 1868.

Sale and further service

''Sparrowhawk'' was sold by auction at Esquimalt on 20 November 1872, for about £4,000, to Corbett (or Corbitt) and Company of Portland, Oregon. Her engines were used to power a sawmill owned by Sewell Moody at Moodyville, British Columbia. In 1873 the ship was registered as a 3-masted sailing barque at the port of Victoria, British Columbia with

Official Number Official numbers are ship identifier numbers assigned to merchant ships by their flag state, country of registration. Each country developed its own official numbering system, some on a national and some on a port-by-port basis, and the formats hav ...

64142. In 1876 ''Sparrowhawk'' was sold to William Morley of Melbourne, Victoria for his coastal coal trade, but was put up for sale with the rest of his business after his death in 1877. In June 1878 the business was bought by Huddart Parker and Company of

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...

and in 1881 ''Sparrowhawk'' was reduced to coal lighter. On 7 April 1892, while berthed at Melbourne, ''Sparrowhawk'' was run into by the steamship ''Flinders'' and sank in the Yarra River. She was raised, repaired, and later in service with Jeremiah O'Sullivan of West Melbourne. In 1917 ''Sparrowhawk''s registration was closed as "dismantled and broken up in

Saltwater River Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of solvation, dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brack ...

, at date unknown".

Citations

References

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External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sparrowhawk, HMS Vigilant-class gunvessels Victorian-era gunboats of the United Kingdom Ships built in Limehouse 1856 ships Pre-Confederation British Columbia