Basilisk was designed by Oliver Lang to the same lines as the screw sloop Niger and ordered on 23 March 1846 from Woolwich Dockyard. She was laid down in November of the same year and launched on 22 August 1848.[1]
Propulsion
She was fitted with paddlewheels driven by a Miller, Ravenhill & Salkeld two-cylinder oscillating steam engine rated at 400 nominal horsepower and developing 1,033 indicated horsepower (770 kW).[1]
Armament
Basilisk was fitted with a single 68-pounder (95 cwt) smoothbore muzzle-loading gun on a pivot mount, a single 10-inch (84 cwt) shell gun and four 32-pounder (42 cwt) smoothbore muzzle-loading guns on truck mountings.[1]
Propulsion trials
Basilisk, paddle sloop, towing stern-to-stern with Niger, screw sloop
She participated in 1849 in trials in the English Channel with the screw sloop Niger. Basilisk had started life as her sister ship when both were designed as sailing sloops, but while Niger received screw propulsion, Basilisk was fitted with paddles.[2] Although previous trials, including a similar comparison between Rattler and Alecto in 1845, had shown that screw propulsion was broadly superior, the 1849 trials pitted two near-identical ships against each other. Since both ships had the same lines and steam engines developing almost identical power, the results confirmed the superiority of screw propulsion over the paddle-wheel once and for all.[2][3] On 7 April 1853, Basilisk ran aground off Southsea, Hampshire due to a flag being hoisted showing it was safe to enter Portsmouth Naval Base when there was insufficient water to do so. Two or three of her crew were injured. She was later refloated and taken in to Portsmouth.[4]
Crimean War service
After the trials she served in the Baltic Sea during the Crimean War in 1854–1855, participating in the blockade of Courland. She attacked and sank 10 Russian transports carrying grain on 14 June 1855 and sank some salt boats on 13 July. She also participated in the action of 17 July in the Gulf of Riga, with HMS Desperate against Russian gunboats and shore batteries.[2]
She undertook hydrographic surveys around New Guinea with Captain Moresby and made a number of discoveries. She was later used for anti-blackbirding operations in the South Pacific.[2]
She left the Australia Station in 1874 and returned to England.[2]
HMS 'Basilisk', anchored in Threshold Bay, New Guinea, 28 May 1874
Fate
Basilisk was paid off and broken up at Chatham in 1882.[2]
Notes
^A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £5,847,600 in today's money.
^She was built 5 inches greater in the beam than designed.[1]
^Channon, R. A. (2013). HMS Basilisk ('Barnes Miller, Ravenhill and Co.)(PDF). pp. 135–136. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
^"Naval Intelligence". The Times. No. 21398. London. 9 April 1853. col A, p. 6.
^ abW.F. Newton (1967). The Early Population of the Ellice Islands. The Journal of the Polynesian Society, 197-204.
^"Naval Disasters Since 1860". Hampshire Telegraph. No. 4250. Portsmouth. 10 May 1873.
References
Bastock, John (1988), Ships on the Australia Station, Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia. ISBN0-86777-348-0
Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555.
May 29, 2023
basilisk, 1848, other, ships, with, same, name, basilisk, hmas, basilisk, basilisk, first, class, paddle, sloop, royal, navy, built, woolwich, dockyard, launched, august, 1848, basilisk, left, merchantman, queen, anne, right, historyunited, kingdomnamehms, bas. For other ships with the same name see HMS Basilisk and HMAS Basilisk HMS Basilisk was a first class paddle sloop of the Royal Navy built at the Woolwich Dockyard and launched on 22 August 1848 2 Basilisk left and the merchantman Queen Anne right HistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS BasiliskOrdered26 March 1846BuilderWoolwich DockyardCost 54 745 1 Note 1 Laid downNovember 1846Launched22 August 1848CommissionedJuly 1852FateBroken up at Chatham in 1882General characteristics 1 TypeFirst class paddle sloopDisplacement1 710 tonsTons burthenDesigned 1 00124 94 bm As built 1 031 bm Note 2 Length190 ft 0 in 57 9 m gundeck 166 ft 1 in 50 6 m keel Beam34 ft 0 in 10 4 m Depth of hold21 ft 6 in 6 6 m Installed power400 nominal horsepower 1 033 ihp 770 kW Propulsion2 cylinder oscillating steam engine Paddle wheelsSail planBarqueComplement145Armament1 68 pounder 95 cwt pivot gun 1 10 inch 84 cwt gun 4 32 pounder 42 cwt guns Contents 1 Design and construction 1 1 Propulsion 1 2 Armament 2 Propulsion trials 3 Crimean War service 4 Foreign service 5 Fate 6 Notes 7 Citations 8 ReferencesDesign and construction EditBasilisk was designed by Oliver Lang to the same lines as the screw sloop Niger and ordered on 23 March 1846 from Woolwich Dockyard She was laid down in November of the same year and launched on 22 August 1848 1 Propulsion Edit She was fitted with paddlewheels driven by a Miller Ravenhill amp Salkeld two cylinder oscillating steam engine rated at 400 nominal horsepower and developing 1 033 indicated horsepower 770 kW 1 Armament Edit Basilisk was fitted with a single 68 pounder 95 cwt smoothbore muzzle loading gun on a pivot mount a single 10 inch 84 cwt shell gun and four 32 pounder 42 cwt smoothbore muzzle loading guns on truck mountings 1 Propulsion trials Edit Basilisk paddle sloop towing stern to stern with Niger screw sloop She participated in 1849 in trials in the English Channel with the screw sloop Niger Basilisk had started life as her sister ship when both were designed as sailing sloops but while Niger received screw propulsion Basilisk was fitted with paddles 2 Although previous trials including a similar comparison between Rattler and Alecto in 1845 had shown that screw propulsion was broadly superior the 1849 trials pitted two near identical ships against each other Since both ships had the same lines and steam engines developing almost identical power the results confirmed the superiority of screw propulsion over the paddle wheel once and for all 2 3 On 7 April 1853 Basilisk ran aground off Southsea Hampshire due to a flag being hoisted showing it was safe to enter Portsmouth Naval Base when there was insufficient water to do so Two or three of her crew were injured She was later refloated and taken in to Portsmouth 4 Crimean War service EditAfter the trials she served in the Baltic Sea during the Crimean War in 1854 1855 participating in the blockade of Courland She attacked and sank 10 Russian transports carrying grain on 14 June 1855 and sank some salt boats on 13 July She also participated in the action of 17 July in the Gulf of Riga with HMS Desperate against Russian gunboats and shore batteries 2 Foreign service EditAfter the Crimean War she served on the North America and West Indies Station and afterwards on the China Station and in Japan 5 On 27 July 1868 she was driven ashore on the coast of China Repairs cost 1 777 6 In March 1871 she commenced service on the Australia Station The Basilisk under Captain John Moresby visited the Ellice Islands in July 1872 5 She undertook hydrographic surveys around New Guinea with Captain Moresby and made a number of discoveries She was later used for anti blackbirding operations in the South Pacific 2 She left the Australia Station in 1874 and returned to England 2 HMS Basilisk anchored in Threshold Bay New Guinea 28 May 1874Fate EditBasilisk was paid off and broken up at Chatham in 1882 2 Notes Edit A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately 5 847 600 in today s money She was built 5 inches greater in the beam than designed 1 Citations Edit a b c d e f Winfield 2004 p 161 a b c d e f g Bastock p 57 58 Channon R A 2013 HMS Basilisk Barnes Miller Ravenhill and Co PDF pp 135 136 Retrieved 26 May 2018 Naval Intelligence The Times No 21398 London 9 April 1853 col A p 6 a b W F Newton 1967 The Early Population of the Ellice Islands The Journal of the Polynesian Society 197 204 Naval Disasters Since 1860 Hampshire Telegraph No 4250 Portsmouth 10 May 1873 References EditBastock John 1988 Ships on the Australia Station Child amp Associates Publishing Pty Ltd Frenchs Forest Australia ISBN 0 86777 348 0 Winfield R Lyon D 2004 The Sail and Steam Navy List All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815 1889 London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 032 6 OCLC 52620555 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Basilisk 1848 amp oldid 1139672109, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
