HMS Sutlej (1855)
HMS Sutlej (1855)


Royal NavyVessels

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NameSutlej (1855)Explanation
TypeFourth rate TypeFrigate
Launched (Sail)17 April 1855 Converted to screw26 March 1860
HullWooden Length241 feet
PropulsionSail Men525
Builders measure2066 tons Builders measure (as screw)2066 tons
Displacement  Displacement (as screw)3826 tons
Guns50 Guns (as screw)51
Fate1869 Last in commission1867
Class    
Ships bookADM 135/459   
Snippets concerning career prior to conversion
DateEvent
17 April 1855Launched as 4th rate sailing ship at Pembroke Dockyard.
Career as unarmoured wooden screw vessel
DateEvent
26 March 1860Undocked as screw at Portsmouth Dockyard.
18 September 1862
- 26 February 1864
Commanded (from commissioning at Portsmouth) by Captain Matthew Connolly, flagship of John Kingcome, Pacific
3 January 1864
- 1 August 1867
Commanded (until paying off at Portsmouth) by Captain Trevenen Penrose Coode, flagship of Rear-Admiral Joseph Denman, Pacific
1869Broken up at Portsmouth.
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
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.

Fr 13 December 1861The Euryalus and Shannon frigates, at Portsmouth, have as yet no officers named to commission them. Both, vessels, however, are complete in every respect, and can proceed to sea within 12 hours, if necessary. The Vigilant and Pandora screw sloops are held in equal readiness, but, as in the case of the frigates, no one has yet been named to their command. The Chanticleer, 17, screw, is flying the transferred pennant of the Wasp, with her officers .and crew on a week's leave. On their rejoining, she can proceed to sea at a day's notice, if required. The case is very different with the Geyser, 6 paddle, which vessel, on being ordered to the Pacific, has been discovered to have serious defects, and has, in consequence, turned her crew over to one of the hulks in the harbour. She will be taken into the steam basin to-day to undergo the necessary repairs, the extent of which and the time occupied will depend, as a matter of course, upon the extent of defects discovered.
Sa 21 December 1861The Sutlej, 51, screw, the Pandora, 6, screw, and the Volcano, 6, paddle (floating factory), at Portsmouth, are ordered to complete their armament for immediate commission. The Sutlej will take on board one 100-pounder Armstrong, and six 40-pounders as part of her armament.
Sa 12 November 1864The following is the list of the vessels of the Royal navy which will be armed, and are now being armed, with the new description of 300-pounder and other guns in course of issue. The figures after each vessel specify the number of guns of the description mentioned she will carry. To mount the 12-ton 300-pounders:- Bellerophon, 10; Royal Sovereign, 5; Minotaur, 4; Scorpion, 4; Wiveren, 4; Prince Albert, 4; Agincourt, 4; and Northumberland, 4. To be armed with the 6½-ton guns:- The Achilles, 20; Black Prince, 20; Warrior, 20; Lord Warden, 20; Lord Clyde, 20; Royal Oak, 20; Prince Consort, 20; Royal Alfred, 20; Caledonia, 20; Ocean, 20; Minotaur, 18 ; Agincourt, 18; Valiant, 16; Zealous, 16; Hector, 16; Defence, 10; Resistance, 10; Endymion, 6; Mersey, 4; Orlando, 4, Pallas, 4; Favourite, 4; Research, 4; Enterprise, 4; Amazon, 2; Viper, 2; and Vixen, 2. To mount the 64-pounder muzzle-loader:- The Bristol, 12; Melpomene, 12; Liverpool, 12; Severn, 12; Arethusa, 12; Phoebe, 12;. Shannon, 12; Octavia, 12; Constance, 12; Sutlej, 12; Undaunted, 12; Impérieuse, 12; Aurora, 12; Leander, 12; Bacchante, 12; Emerald, 12; Phaeton, 12: Narcissus, 12; Forte, 12; Euryalus, 12; Topaz, 12; Newcastle, 12; Liffey, 12; Immortalité, 12; Glasgow, 12; Clio, 8, North Star, 8 [laid down 1860, cancelled 1865]; Racoon, 8; Challenge[r], 8; and Menai, 8 [laid down 1860, cancelled 1864]. The following will be supplied with the 64-pounder breech-loaders:- The Scout, 8; Rattlesnake, 8; Cadmus, 8; Scylla, 8; Barossa, 8; Jason, 8; Charybdis, 8; Wolverine, 8; Pylades, 8; Orestes, 8; Pearl, 8; Pelorus, 8; Satellite, 8; Acheron, 4 [laid down 1861, cancelled 1863]; Shearwater, 4; Valorous, 4; Furious, 4; Bittern, 4 [laid down 1861, cancelled 1863]; Magicienne, 4; and Columbine, 4. A supply of the 6½-ton smooth-bore 100-pounder wrought iron guns has already been received at Chatham, and it is understood that the first supply of the 300-pounder rifled 12-ton Armstrong gun may shortly be expected at the Ordnance wharf.


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