Clown-class gunboat

The Clown-class gunboat was a class of twelve gunboats ordered by the Royal Navy in January 1856 for use in the Crimean War, although by the time they were completed, later that year, the Crimean War was over and some of these gunboats were sent to the Far East and took part in the Second Opium War.

A typical 'Crimea gunboat'
Class overview
Name	Clown class
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Cheerful class
Succeeded by	Algerine class
Built	1856
In commission	1856 – 1871
Completed	12
Lost	2
General characteristics [1]
Type	'Crimean' gunboat
Tons burthen	232 80⁄94 tons bm
Length	110 ft (34 m) (gundeck) 95 ft 5.25 in (29.0894 m) (keel)
Beam	21 ft 10 in (6.65 m)
Draught	4 ft 0 in (1.22 m)
Depth of hold	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Installed power	40 nominal horsepower (Woodcock 145 ihp (108 kW))
Propulsion	1-cylinder horizontal direct-acting single-expansion steam engine Single screw
Speed	7.5 kn (13.9 km/h)
Crew	30
Armament	1 × 68-pounder, 1 × 32-pounder SBML guns

Design

The Clown class was an improved version of the preceding Cheerful class designed by W.H. Walker. The ships were wooden-hulled, with steam power as well as sails, and of particularly shallow draught (design draught 4 ft (1.2 m)) for coastal bombardment in shallow waters.^[1]

Sail plan

Ships of the class were provided with a typical "gunboat rig" of three gaff rigged masts with a total sail area of 4,889 sq ft (454.2 m²).^[1]

Propulsion

One-cylinder horizontal direct-acting single-expansion steam engine built by John Penn and Sons, with two boilers, provided 40 nominal horsepower through a single screw, sufficient for 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph).^[1]

Armament

Ships of the class were armed with one 68-pounder and one 32-pounder smooth bore muzzle loading cannons.^[1]

Ships

Name	Ship builder[1]	Launched[1]	Fate[1]
Fenella	W & H Pitcher, Northfleet	19 May 1856	Became a dredger at Woolwich in March 1867, renamed YC3 in 1868. Broken up on 14 November 1878
Garnet	W & H Pitcher, Northfleet	31 May 1856	Breaking completed 25 May 1864
Handy	W & H Pitcher, Northfleet	31 May 1856	Sold at Lagos in May 1868
Hunter	W & H Pitcher, Northfleet	7 June 1856	Only partially fitted, never completed for sea. On the sale list in June 1869 but not sold till 1884
Drake	Pembroke Dockyard	8 March 1856	Sold at Hong Kong on 9 February 1869
Janus	Pembroke Dockyard	8 March 1856	Coal lighter December 1869, renamed YC.6. Sold in 1871
Clown	William Cowley Miller, Toxteth Dock, Liverpool	20 May 1856	Became coal lighter YC.1 at Hong Kong in 1867. Renamed YC.6 in December 1869. Wrecked in a typhoon at Hong Kong on 2 September 1871
Kestrel	William Cowley Miller, Toxteth Dock, Liverpool	26 May 1856	Sunk at the Battle of Taku Forts in June 1859, but salved. Sold on 16 March 1866 to Glover & Co., Yokohama, then resold to Japanese owners
Ready	Briggs & Company, Sunderland	12 May 1856	Fitted for reserve. Breaking completed on 25 January 1864
Thrush	Briggs & Company, Sunderland	12 May 1856	Breaking completed on 14 March 1864
Watchful	T & W Smith, North Shields	4 June 1856	Sold at Hong Kong on 1 February 1871
Woodcock	T & W Smith, North Shields	6 June 1856	Sold at Hong Kong on 1 February 1871