The ''Vigilant''-class gunvessel of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

was an enlarged version of the ''Arrow''-class gunvessel of 1854. Both classes were designed for shallow-water operations in the Baltic and Black Seas during the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...

. Fourteen of the class were completed, but were ready too late to take part in that conflict. ''Cormorant'' was sunk in action at the

Taku Forts The Taku Forts or Dagu Forts, also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River (Peiho River) estuary in the Binhai New Area, Tianjin, in northeastern China. They are located southeast of the Tianjin urban center. History The ...

, ''Osprey'' was wrecked on the coast of Africa in 1867 and the rest were all sold during the 1860s, with ''Sparrowhawk'' lasting until 1872.

Design

The class were designed as second-class despatch and gunvessels. They were intended to operate close inshore during the

and were essentially enlarged versions of the ''Arrow''-class gunvessel, which has been designed by the Surveyor’s Department in 1854.

Propulsion

A two-cylinder horizontal single expansion steam engine produced (varying between vessels) between and 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.

Ships

Citations

References

* * {{Vigilant class gunvessel Gunboat classes Vigilant