HMS Orion (1854)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Orion.

HMS Orion was the lead ship of her class of 91-gun second rate ships of the line built for the Royal Navy in the 1850s. Completed in 1855, the ship played a minor role with the Baltic Fleet during the Crimean War of 1854–1855. She was sold for scrap in 1867 and subsequently broken up.

History
United Kingdom
Name	Orion
Ordered	30 March 1848 (sailing ship) 30 October 1852 (screw propelled)
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	1 February 1850
Launched	6 November 1854
Completed	By 29 March 1855
Out of service	1861
Honours & awards	Baltic 1855
Fate	Broken up in 1867
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	91-gun second-rate Orion-class ship of the line
Tons burthen	3,281 bm
Length	238 ft 2 in (72.6 m) (gundeck)
Beam	55 ft 10 in (17.0 m)
Draught	26 ft 10 in (8.2 m)
Depth of hold	24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power	2,329 ihp (1,737 kW)
Propulsion	1 screw; 1 trunk steam engine
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Complement	860
Armament	91 muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: Lower deck: 34 × 8 in (203 mm) shell guns Upper deck: 34 × 32 pdrs Quarter deck & Forecastle: 22 × 32 pdrs; 1 × 68 pdr

Description

Orion measured 238 feet 2 inches (72.6 m) on the gundeck and 202 feet 9 inches (61.8 m) on the keel. She had a beam of 55 feet 10 inches (17.0 m), a depth of hold of 24 feet (7.3 m),^[1] a deep draught of 26 feet 10 inches (8.18 m)^[2] and had a tonnage of 3281 tons burthen. The ship was fitted with a two-cylinder trunk steam engine built by John Penn and Sons that was rated at 600 nominal horsepower and drove a single propeller shaft. Her boilers provided enough steam to give the engine 2,329 indicated horsepower (1,737 kW) that was good for a speed of 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph). Her crew numbered 860 officers and ratings.^[3]

The ship's muzzle-loading, smoothbore armament consisted of thirty-four 8 in (203 mm) shell guns on her lower gundeck and thirty-four 32-pounder (56 cwt) guns^{[Note 1]} on her upper gundeck. Between her forecastle and quarterdeck, she carried twenty-two 32-pounder (45 cwt) guns and a single 68-pounder gun.^[4]

Construction and career

Part of the Baltic Fleet off Kronstadt, ships L-R; Orion; Du Quesne; Royal George; Tourville, Flag Ship of Admiral Penaud. Illustrated London News 1855

Orion was ordered as an 80-gun second rate on 30 March 1848 and laid down to a modified design by John Edye and Isaac Watts, at Chatham Dockyard on 1 February 1850. With the advent of steam propulsion in warship design, Orion was reordered on 30 October 1852, lengthened by 40 feet (12.2 m) to incorporate a steam engine and a propeller. Her stern had to be partially launched to allow the hull to be lengthened and the official launching occurred on 6 November 1854. Orion was commissioned by Captain John Elphinstone Erskine on 18 January 1855 and completed for sea on 29 March. The ship served in the Baltic Sea in the Crimean War. She was transferred to the North America and West Indies Station in 1856 and was paid off on 1 October 1857.^[3]

Orion had been hastily built to finish her in time to participate in the Crimean War and her timbers rotted quickly.^[2] The ship was sold for scrap in April 1867 and she arrived at Charlton, London, on 4 July 1867 to begin demolition.^[1][5]

Notes

1. "Cwt" is the abbreviation for hundredweight, 56 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.