HMS Decoy was an Ariel-class composite gunboat of the Royal Navy, built at Pembroke Dockyard and launched on 12 October 1871. She served in both the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in 1873 and the Bombardment of Alexandria in 1882. She rapidly became obsolete and was sold in 1885.
_RMG_PW8172.jpg) H.M's Gunboat Decoy at sea
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Decoy |
| Ordered | 1871 |
| Builder | Pembroke Dockyard |
| Launched | 12 October 1871 |
| Fate | Sold in 1885 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Ariel-class gunboat |
| Displacement | 430 tons |
| Tons burthen | 295 bm |
| Length | 125 ft 0 in (38.10 m) |
| Beam | 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m) |
| Draught | 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) max |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Sail plan | Three-masted barquentine rig |
| Speed | 9.5 kn (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) |
| Armament |
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Design and construction edit
Designed by Sir Edward Reed, Chief Constructor of the Royal Navy, the Ariel-class gunboats were the first gunboats of composite construction. She was armed with two 6-inch (150 mm) 64-pounder (56 cwt) muzzle-loading rifles and two 4-inch (100 mm) 20-pounder Armstrong breech loaders. All four guns were mounted on traversing carriages. All the ships of the class carried a three-masted barquentine rig.
Operational service edit
Decoy was deployed off the coast of West Africa to support the operations on the Gold Coast. She deployed with Druid and Argus.[1] She also took part in the bombardment of Bootry.
In 1882 she formed part of the Naval and Military forces at the Bombardment of Alexandria.[2] Argus, Isis, and Beacon blockaded Damietta.[3]
Fate edit
She was sold at Malta in 1885.
References edit
Publications edit
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- "HMS Decoy at the Naval Database website". Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- Preston, Antony; Major, John (2007). Send a Gunboat: The Victorian Navy and Supremacy at Sea, 1854–1904 (2nd ed.). London: Conway. ISBN 978-0-85177-923-2.
External links edit
Media related to HMS Decoy (ship, 1871) at Wikimedia Commons
