These tables show all vessels carried on the books of the Royal Navy in the period 1840-1880.
Name: Follow links in this column for more information, and for details of the career of unarmoured wooden screw vessels (or for snippets for other vessels in service in the period 1840-1880).
Launched: '1800a' means acquired in 1800; '1800r' means renamed in 1800 to name shown in 'Name' column; see 'Note' column for original name, under which entry other details are given.
Fate: year of sale, breaking up or loss; if lost or sold for reuse see details in 'Note' column.
H(ull): C = composite, I = iron, S = steel, W = wood.
P(ropulsion): H = hydraulic, P = paddle, S = screw, W = sail.
B.M. = burthen
, builders measure (tons).
Disp. = displacement (tons); during this period displacement was replacing burthen as a measure of the 'size' of vessels.
Guns = initial number of guns (may have been different later in career). TT = torpedo tubes.
SB = ships book in the National Archives, London: ADM 135/xxx (giving the history of the maintenance of the ship - hull, machinery and armament - from construction to disposal).
Note: '1800 = Nnnnnn' means renamed to Nnnnnn in 1800; '1850 screw 1000 bm' means converted to a screw ship of 1000 tons burthen in 1850. c.h. = coal hulk; d.s. = depot ship.; h.s. = harbour service; r.s = receiving ship; t.s. = training ship; MV = mortar vessel; WV = watch vessel; YC = yard craft. Merchant ship names in italics. Data in red are alternate data when sources disagree.
The data are mainly derived from
these sources. For vessels not given here, try Paul Benyon's
Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels. For earlier vessels, go to Mike Phillip's
Ships of the Old Navy.
Name | Launched | Fate | H. | P. | Type | B.M. | Disp. | Guns | S.B. | Note |
Quail | 1830.09.30 | 1859 | W | W | Cutter | 108 | | 4 | | To Liberian govt |
Quail | 1856.06.02 | 1861 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 379 | |
Queen | 1839.05.15 | 1871 | W | W | First rate | 3104 | | 110 | 380 | Laid down as Royal Frederick. 1859 screw 86 guns 3249 bm |
Queen Charlotte | 1810.05.17 | 1892 | W | W | First rate | 2289 | | 104 | | 1859 = Excellent, gunnery ship |
Queen Charlotte | 1859r | | | | | | | | | See: Boyne 1810 |
Racehorse | 1830.05.24 | 1901 | W | W | Sloop | 438 | | 18 | | 1860 c.h. |
Racehorse | 1860.03.19 | 1864 | W | S | Gunvessel | 695 | 877 | 3 | | 1864.11.04 wrecked Chefoo (modern Yantai), China |
Racer | 1833.07.18 | 1852 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 431 | | 16 | | |
Racer | 1857.11.04 | 1876 | W | S | Sloop | 579 | 868 | 11 | 381 | |
Racoon | 1857.04.25 | 1877 | W | S | Corvette | 1467 | 2306 | 21 | 382 | |
Rainbow | 1856.03.08 | 1888 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 383 | 1857 survey vessel. 1872 drill ship |
Raleigh | 1806.12.24 | 1841 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 383 | | 18 | | 1839 target |
Raleigh | 1845.05.08 | 1857 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1939 | | 50 | | 1857.04.14 wrecked near Macao |
Raleigh | 1873.03.01 | 1905 | I | S | Unarmoured frigate | 3215 | 5200 | 22 | 384 | |
Rambler | 1856.02.21 | 1869 | W | S | Gunboat | 212 | | 2 | 385 | Laid down as Ramble |
Rambler | 1880.01.26 | 1907 | C | S | Gunvessel | | 835 | 3 | | 1884 = survey vessel |
Ramillies | 1785.07.12 | 1850 | W | W | Third rate | 1670 | | 74 | | 1831.06 h.s. |
Ranger | 1835.07.25 | 1867 | W | W | Packet brig | 363 | | 8 | | 1860 hulk |
Ranger | 1859.11.26 | 1869 | W | S | Gunvessel | 428 | 570 | 5 | 386 | |
Ranger | 1880.02.12 | 1947 | C | S | Gunvessel | | 835 | 3 | | Sold 1892 as salvage vessel |
Rapid | 1840.06.03 | 1856 | W | W | Brig | 319 | | 8 | | |
Rapid | 1860.11.29 | 1881 | W | S | Sloop | 672 | 896 | 11 | | |
Rattler | 1843.04.12 | 1856 | W | S | Sloop | 888 | 1112 | 11 | | Laid down as Ardent |
Rattler | 1862.03.18 | 1868 | W | S | Sloop (1862: Corvette) | 950 | 1280 | 17 | 387 | 1868.09.24 wrecked China station |
Rattlesnake | 1822.03.26 | 1860 | W | W | Sixth rate | 503 | | 28 | | |
Rattlesnake | 1861.07.09 | 1882 | W | S | Corvette | 1705 | 2431 | 21 | | |
Raven | 1829.10.21 | 1859 | W | W | Survey cutter | 108 | | 4 | | 1848 quarantine ship. 1850 Coastguard |
Raven | 1855.04.19 | 1856 | W | W | Mortar vessel | 155 | | 1 | | 1855.10 = MV.13 |
Raven | 1856.03.08 | 1875 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 388 | |
Ready | 1856.05.12 | 1864 | W | S | Gunboat | 233 | | 2 | 389 | |
Ready | 1872.09.24 | 1920 | W | S | Gunvessel | 462 | 610 | 4 | 390 | 1894 tank vessel. 1916 = Drudge |
Recruit | 1846.06.10 | 1849 | I | W | Brig | 462 | | 12 | | Only RN iron sailing ship. Resold and converted to Harbinger, screw |
Recruit | 1855.01a | 1869 | I | P | Gunboat | 540 | 468 | 6 | | ex-Prussian Nix, launched 1851 |
Redbreast | 1805.04.27 | 1850 | W | W | Gun-brig | 178 | | 12 | | 1815 Customs hulk |
Redbreast | 1817.02.18 | 1850 | W | W | Schooner tender | 81 | | 12 | | |
Redbreast | 1855.05.05 | 1865 | W | W | Mortar vessel | 155 | | 1 | | 1855.10 = MV.19 |
Redbreast | 1856.03.11 | 1864 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | | |
Redoubtable | 1815.01.26 | 1841 | W | W | Third rate | 1759 | | 74 | | |
Redpole | 1855a | 1872 | W | P | Tug | 360 | | 0 | 391 | ex-Racehorse, launched 1853.05.09 |
Redwing | 1837.04a | 1849 | W | P | Packet | 139 | | | | Transferred from Post Office, ex-Richmond |
Redwing | 1855.03.19 | 1878 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 3 | 392 | 1857 h.s. |
Refuge | 1850.02a | 1879 | W | W | Discovery vessel | 424 | | 0 | | ex-"Ptarmigan", purchased. 1850.03 = Resolute. 1855 abandoned in the Artic and later salved |
Reindeer | 1829.09.29 | 1847 | W | W | Packet brig | 230 | | 8 | | 1841 h.s. |
Reindeer | 1866.03.29 | 1876 | W | S | Sloop (1862: Corvette) | 953 | 1365 | 17 | 393 | |
Renard | 1828r | | | | | | | | | See: Reynard 1821 |
Renard | 1856.04.23 | 1866 | W | S | Gunvessel | 682 | 850 | 4 | 394 | |
Renard | 1873.01.16 | 1883 | W | W | Schooner | 120 | | 1 | | |
Renira | 1847a | 1850 | W | W | Schooner tender | 86 | | | | |
Rennie | 1813.03.18 | 1863 | W | W | | 40 | | | | 18?? tank vessel |
Renown | 1857.03.28 | 1870 | W | S | Second rate | 3319 | 5500 | 91 | 395 | Sold North German Confederation navy |
Repulse | 1855.09.27 | 1899 | W | S | Second rate | 3087 | 4814 | 91 | 493 | 1855 = Victor Emanuel. 1873 r.s. |
Repulse | 1868.04.25 | 1889 | W | S | Central battery ironclad | 3749 | 6190 | 12 | 396 | 1881 guard ship |
Research | 1863.08.15 | 1884 | W | S | Central battery ironclad sloop | 1253 | 1741 | 4 | | Laid down as Trent, Cameleon class wooden screw sloop |
Resistance | 1805.08.10 | 1858 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1081 | | 38 | | 1842 troopship |
Resistance | 1861.04.11 | 1900 | I | S | Broatside ironclad frigate | 3710 | 6070 | 18 | 397 | 1885 target. 1898 sold. 1899.03.05 foundered in Hollyhead Bay, raised and broken up |
Resolute | 1805.04.17 | 1852 | W | W | Gun-brig | 181 | | 12 | | 1814 tender. 1816 diving bell vessel. 1844 convict hulk |
Resolute | 1850r | | | | | | | | | See: Refuge 1850 |
Resolute | 1855.02.19 | 1877 | I | S | Storeship | 1593 | | | 4 | 1857 Adventure, troopship |
Retribution | 1844.07.02 | 1864 | W | P | 1st class frigate | 1641 | | 10 | | Laid down as Watt |
Revenge | 1805.04.13 | 1849 | W | W | Third rate | 1954 | | 74 | | |
Revenge | 1859.04.16 | 1923 | W | S | Second rate | 3322 | 5260 | 91 | | 1872 base ship. 1890 = Empress, t.s. |
Reynard | 1821.10.26 | 1857 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 237 | | 10 | | 1828 = Renard. 1841 mooring vessel |
Reynard | 1848.03.21 | 1851 | W | S | Sloop | 516 | 656 | 8 | | 1851.05.31 wrecked Pratas Schoal, China |
Rhadamanthus | 1832.04.16 | 1864 | W | P | 2nd class sloop | 813 | 1086 | 5 | | |
Rhin | 1806.07a | 1884 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1080 | | 38 | | 1806.07.27 captured, French |
Rifleman | 1846.08.10 | 1869 | W | S | Gunboat | 486 | 592 | 9 | 398 | |
Rifleman | 1872.11.20 | 1890 | W | S | Gunvessel | 462 | 610 | 4 | 399 | |
Rinaldo | 1860.03.26 | 1884 | W | S | Sloop (1862: Corvette) | 951 | 1365 | 17 | | |
Ringdove | 1833.06 | 1850 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 429 | | 16 | | |
Ringdove | 1856.02.22 | 1866 | W | S | Gunvessel | 674 | | 4 | 400 | |
Ringdove | 1867.09.04 | 1882 | W | S | Gunvessel | 666 | 774 | 3 | 401 | |
Ripple | 1856.06.02 | 1866 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 402 | |
Rochester | 1833 | 1877 | W | | Dockyard craft | | | | | |
Rocket | 1842.07 | 1850 | I | P | Tender | 70 | | | | |
Rocket | 1855.05.05 | 1865 | W | W | Mortar vessel | 156 | | 1 | | 1855.10 = MV.20 |
Rocket | 1856.04.21 | 1864 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | | |
Rocket | 1868.04.08 | 1888 | C | S | Gunvessel | 464 | 584 | 4 | 403 | |
Rodney | 1833.06.18 | 1884 | W | W | Second rate | 2590 | | 92 | 404 | 1860 screw 91 guns |
Roebuck | 1856.03.22 | 1864 | W | S | Gunvessel | 868 | | 6 | | |
Rolla | 1829.12.10 | 1868 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 231 | | 10 | | |
Romney | 1815.02.24 | 1845 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1227 | | 58 | | 1820 troopship. 1837 depot for freed slaves |
Rosamond | 1846r | | | | | | | | | See: Infernal 1843 |
Rosario | 1860.10.17 | 1884 | W | S | Sloop | 673 | 927 | 11 | | |
Rose | 1821.06.01 | 1851 | W | W | Sloop | 398 | | 18 | | |
Rose | 1856.04.21 | 1868 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 405 | |
Rose | 1857.05a | 1864 | W | W | Survey cutter | 37 | | | | Stranded |
Rover | 1832.07.17 | 1845 | W | W | Sloop | 590 | | 18 | | |
Rover | 1853.06.21 | 1862 | W | W | Brig | 560 | | 16 | | Never commissioned. Sold to Prussian navy |
Rover | 1874.08.12 | 1893 | I | S | Corvette | | 3490 | 18 | | |
Royal Adelaide | 1828.07.29 | 1905 | W | W | First rate | 2446 | 4122 | 104 | | Laid down as London. 1860 d.s. |
Royal Adelaide | 1833.12 | 1877 | W | W | Yacht | 50 | | | | On Virginia Water for use of Prince of Wales |
Royal Albert | 1854.05.13 | 1884 | W | S | First rate | 3726 | 5517 | 121 | 406 | |
Royal Alfred | 1864.10.15 | 1885 | W | S | Central battery ironclad | 4068 | 6707 | 18 | 407 | 1874 h.s. |
Royal Escape | 1792.11.29 | 1877 | W | W | Transport | 110 | | | | 1816? dockyard service. By 1866 = YC.4 |
Royal George | 1809.07 | 18?? | W | W | Sloop | 340 | | 20 | | 1814 = Niagara |
Royal George | 1817.07.17 | 1905 | W | W | Yacht | 330 | | | | 1843 h.s. |
Royal George | 1827.09.22 | 1875 | W | W | First rate | 2616 | | 120 | 408 | Laid down as Neptune. 1853 screw |
Royal Oak | 1809.03.04 | 1850 | W | W | Third rate | 1759 | | 74 | | 1825 h.s. |
Royal Oak | 1862.09.10 | 1885 | W | S | Broadside ironclad frigate | 4056 | 6366 | 35 | | |
Royal Sovereign | 1786.09.11 | 1841 | W | W | First rate | 2175 | | 100 | | 1825 = Captain h.s. |
Royal Sovereign | 1804.05 | 1849 | W | W | Yacht | 278 | | | | |
Royal Sovereign | 1857.04.25 | 1885 | W | S | First rate | 3765 | 6071 | 131 | 409 | 1864 ironclad turret ship, 5080 disp, 5 guns |
Royal William | 1833.04.02 | 1899 | W | W | First rate | 2694 | | 120 | | 1860 screw 89 guns. 1885 = Clarence, t.s. 1899.07.26 burnt by accident in the Mersey |
Royalist | 1841.07a | 1895 | W | W | Brig | 249 | | 6 | | ex-Mary Gordon, purchased.1856 police hulk |
Royalist | 1861.12.14 | 1875 | W | S | Sloop | 669 | 918 | 11 | | |
Ruby | 1842.07 | 1846 | I | P | Tender | 73 | | | | Expended in gunnery trials |
Ruby | 1854.10.07 | 1868 | W | S | Gunboat | 216 | | 4 | 410 | |
Ruby | 1878.08.09 | 1921 | C | S | Corvette | 1864 | 2120 | 12 | | 1904 c.h. |
Rupert | 1872.03.12 | 1907 | I | S | Ironclad turret ram | | 5440 | 4 | 411 | |
Russell | 1822.05.22 | 1865 | W | W | Third rate | 1751 | | 74 | | 1855 screw blockship 60 guns |