HMS Britannia (launched as Prince of Wales, 1860)
HMS Britannia (launched as Prince of Wales, 1860)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameBritannia (launched as Prince of Wales, 1860)Explanation
TypeFirst rate TypeThree-decker
Launched25 January 1860 Converted to screwon the stocks
HullWooden Length252 feet
PropulsionScrew Men1100
Builders measure3994 tons   
Displacement6201 tons   
Guns121   
Fate1916 Last in commission-
Class    
Ships bookADM 135/64   
Career
DateEvent
 Never fitted for sea.
25 January 1860Launched at Portsmouth Dockyard.
3 March 1869Renamed Britannia, boys training ship, Dartmouth, replacing 1st rate sailing ship Britannia (1820-1869).
1 January 1875Commanded by Captain William Graham, training ship for Naval cadets, Dartmouth
31 August 1877
- 30 August 1880
Commanded by Captain Henry Fairfax, training ship for Naval cadets (including Princes Albert Victor and George), Dartmouth
5 July 1883
- 16 September 1886
Commanded by Captain Nathaniel Bowden-Smith, training ship for Naval cadets, Dartmouth
17 September 1886
- 7 September 1889
Commanded by Captain Frederick George Denham Bedford, training ship for Naval cadets, Dartmouth
7 September 1889
- 7 September 1892
Commanded by Captain Noel Stephen Fox Digby, training ship for Naval cadets, Dartmouth
17 April 1894
- 21 April 1897
Commanded by Captain Arthur William Moore, training ship for Naval cadets, Dartmouth
21 April 1897
- 19 February 1900
Commanded by Captain Assheton Gore Curzon-Howe, training ship for Naval cadets, Dartmouth
September 1909Hulk
13 September 1914Sold to J.B. Garnham for breaking up.
July 1916Resold to Hughes Bolckow and arrived for breaking up at Blyth.
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Sa 8 December 1849

Portsmouth, Dec. 6.

In Port and Fitting

In the Harbour. - The Victory and Illustrious flag-ships, the Excellent gunnery ship; the Blenheim steam-guard-ship; the Eurydice, stripping to pay off; the Contest, fitting out; the Rolla apprentices' brig, laying up for the winter; the Fairy and Elfin, and Portsmouth yachts; the Flamer packet from Holyhead, and the Echo tug.
In Dock. - The Britannia, 120; the Dauntless, 24; the Fantome, 16; the Lily, 16; the Fox, 42; the Devastation, and the Birkenhead steam frigates.
In the Basin. - The Princess Charlotte, 104; the Actaeon, 26; and the Sprightly and the Bee steam-vessels.
In the Steam Basin, - The Ajax, 60; the Penelope, 22; the Sidon, 26; the Victoria and Albert royal yacht; the Urgent , the Pike, the Asp, and the Blazer.
Building. - The Royal Frederick, 120 [subsequently cancelled and later completed as Frederick William]; the Prince of Wales, 120; the Princess Royal, 90; the Argus, and the Furious steam sloops.
Tu 11 September 1860The following vessels comprise the four classes of the steam reserve at Portsmouth, the list corrected to this date :-
First Class.- Duke of Wellington, 131 guns, 700 horsepower; Princess Royal, 91 guns, 400 horse-power; Shannon, 51 guns, 600 horse-power ; Immortalité, 51 guns, 600 horse-power; Volcano, 6 guns, 140 horse-power; Philomel, 6 guns, 80 horse-power; and gunboats Brazen, Beaver, Snapper, Traveller, Grinder, and Blazer, of two guns each, and 60 horse-power.
Second Class.- Royal Sovereign, 131 guns, 800 horse-power; Victoria, 121 guns, 1,000 horse-power; Prince of Wales, 131 guns, 800 horse-power ; Duncan, 101 guns, 800 horse-power; Nelson, 91 guns, 500 horse-power; the Sutlej, 51 guns, 500 horse-power ; the Harrier, 17 guns, 100 horse-power; the Rinaldo, 17 guns, 200 horse-power; the Medea, 6 guns, 350 horse-power; the Stromboli, 6 guns, 280 horse-power; the Coquette, 6 guns, 200 horse-power; and the gunboats Cracker, Fancy, Swinger, Pincher, and Badger, of 60 horse-power each, and 2 guns.
Third Class.- The Tribune, 31 guns, 300 horse-power; the Rosamond, 6 guns, 280-horse power; the Vigilant, 4 guns, 200 horse-power; the Vulture, 6 guns, 470 horse-power; the Cygnet, 5 guns, 80 horse-power; and the gunboats Cheerful, Rambler, Pet, Daisy, Angler, Chub, Ant, Pert, and Decoy, of two guns each and 21 horse-power.
4th Class.- The screw transport Fox, 200 horse-power; the Erebus, 16 guns, 200 horse-power; the Meteor, 14 guns, 150 horse-power; and the Glatton, 14 guns, 150 horse-power.

The foregoing - not including the gunboats and mortar vessels in Haslar-yard - consist of seven line-of-battle ships, four frigates, two corvettes, nine sloops, three floating batteries, 20 gunboats, and one troop steamer. They give a total force of 1,150 guns, propelled by 11,420 horse-power (nominal). The Fox steam troopship is given in this return as not carrying any guns, but in the official Navy List she still carried "42" attached to her name.



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