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HMS Decoy (1871)
H.M's Gunboat Decoy at sea (cropped) RMG PW8172.jpg
H.M's Gunboat Decoy at sea
Career Royal Navy Ensign
Name: HMS Decoy
Ordered: 1871
Builder: Pembroke Dockyard
Launched: 12 October 1871
Fate: Sold in 1885
General characteristics
Class & 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:
  • 461 ihp (344 kW)
  • 60 nominal horsepower
Propulsion:
  • 2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine
  • Two boilers
  • Single (hoisting) screw
  • Sail plan: Three-masted barquentine rig
    Speed: 9.5 kn (17.6 km/h)
    Armament:

    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.

    Design and construction[]

    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 (56cwt) muzzle-loading rifles and two 4-inch (100 mm) 20-pounder Armstrong breech loaders. All 4 guns were mounted on traversing carriages. All the ships of the class carried a three-masted barquentine rig.

    Operational service[]

    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[]

    She was sold at Malta in 1885.

    References[]

    1. Illustrated London News, 26 July 1873, p89
    2. Goodrich, Caspar F (Lt Cdr), Report of the British Naval and Military Operations In Egypt 1882, Navy Department, Washington, 1885, p.30
    3. The Graphic, 7 October 1882, p369

    Publications[]


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