Alecto-class sloop

The Alecto-class steam vessels (SV3) later reclassed as Third Class Sloops, were designed by Sir William Symonds, the Surveyor of the Navy. The design was approved on 12 April 1839.[1] Initially four vessels were ordered and completed. A fifth unit was ordered (Rattler), but was reordered as a screw propelled vessel. And a sixth unit had been ordered but was requested to be reordered to a different design. The screw driven Rattler participated in the first of three 'tug o- wars with the Alecto. The vessels all participated during the Russian War. All had gone to the breakers by the mid-1860s.

Class overview
NameAlecto-class sloop
Builders
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byStromboli class
Succeeded byDriver class
Built1838–1842
In commission1840–1865
Completed4
Lost1
Retired3
General characteristics
Type
Displacement1,283 tons
Tons burthen800+58⁄94 bm
Length
  • 164 ft 0 in (50.0 m) gundeck
  • 142 ft 6 in (43.4 m) keel for tonnage
Beam
  • 32 ft 8 in (10.0 m) maximum
  • 32 ft 2 in (9.8 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold18 ft 7 in (5.7 m)
Installed power200 nominal horsepower
Propulsion
  • 2-cylinder VSE direct acting steam engine
  • Paddles
Armament
  • 2 x 32 pdr (42 cwt) MLSB guns on pivot mounts
  • 2 x 32 pdr (25 cwt) MLSB guns on broadside trucks

Alecto was the second named vessel since it was used for a 12-gun fireship, launched by King of Dover on 26 May 1781 and sold in 1802.[2]

Ardent was the fifth named vessel since it was used for a 64-gun third rate, launched at Blaydes of Hull on 13 August 1764, captured by the French off Plymouth on 17 August 1779, recaptured in April 1782 and renamed Tiger then sold in June 1794.[3]

Prometheus was the second named vessel since it was used for an 18-gun fireship, Launched by Thompson of Southampton on 27 March 1807, assigned to harbour service in May 1819, then renamed Veteran on 2 May 1839 and broken in August 1852.[4]

Polyphemus was the second named vessel since it was used for a 64-gun third rate, launched at Sheerness Dockyard on 27 April 1782, converted to a powder hulk in September 1813 and her breaking was completed at Chatham on 15 September 1827.[5]

Design and specifications

The vessels were ordered in February 1839. The first two were laid down in July 1839 at Chatham and Sheerness Dockyards. The second pair were laid down at Chatham Dockyard in February 1840. The first two vessels (Alecto and Prometheus) were launched in July 1839 with Polyphemus launched in September 1840 and Ardent in February 1841.[6] The gundeck was 164 feet 0 inches (49.99 metres) with the keel length of 142 feet 6 inches (43.43 metres) reported for tonnage.[7] The maximum beam was 32 feet 8 inches (9.96 metres) with 32 feet 6 inches (9.91 metres) reported for tonnage.[8] The depth of hold was 18 feet 7 inches (5.66 metres). The builder's measure calculated at 800+58⁄94 tons whereas the vessels displaced 878 tons.[9]

Seaward and Capel of Millwall supplied the machinery for all vessels. They were equipped with two fire-tube rectangular boilers. The engines were 2-cylinder vertical single expansion (VSE) direct acting steam engines rated at 200 nominal horsepower (NHP).

All four ships were armed with two 32-pounder 42 hundredweight (cwt)[Note 1][10] muzzle loading smooth bore ( MLSB) guns on pivot mounts and two 32-pounder (25 cwt) MLSB carronades on broadside trucks.[11]

Initial cost of vessels
  • Alecto: Total Cost £27,268 (including Machinery - £10,700)[Note 2]
  • Ardent: Total Cost £28,593 (Hull - £13,385; Machinery - £10,700; Fitting - £4,061)[Note 3]
  • Prometheus: Total Cost £29,433 (including Machinery - £10,700)[Note 4]
  • Polyphemus: Total Cost £27,596 (Hull - £13,198; Machinery - £10,700; Fitting - £3,698)[Note 5]
Alecto-class sloops
NameBuilderLaunchedRemarks
AlectoChatham Dockyard7 September 1839Broken November 1865
PrometheusSheerness Dockyard21 September 1839Broken 5 March 1863
PolyphemusChatham Dockyard28 Se4ptember 1840Wrecked 29 January 1856
ArdentChatham Dockyard12 February 1841Broken 2 March 1865

Notes
  1. "cwt", or "hundredweight" refers to the weight of the gun itself. "32-pounder" refers to the weight of the ball fired
  2. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £2,552,800 in today's money for Alecto.
  3. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £2,863,600 in today's money for Ardent.
  4. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £2,619,300 in today's money for Prometheus.
  5. A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £2,863,600 in today's money for Polyphemus.

Citations
  1. Winfield
  2. Colledge, Alecto
  3. Colledge, Ardent
  4. Colledge, Prometheus
  5. Colledge, Polyphemus
  6. Lyon Winfield, page 159-160
  7. Lyon Winfield, pages 159-160
  8. Winfield
  9. Winfield
  10. Lyon Winfield, pages 159-160
  11. Lyon Winfield, pages 159-160

References
  • Lyon Winfield, The Sail & Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815 to 1889, by David Lyon & Rif Winfield, published by Chatham Publishing, London © 2004, ISBN 1-86176-032-9
  • Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail (1817 – 1863), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2014, eISBN 9781473837430, Chapter 11 Steam Paddle Vessels, Vessels acquired since November 1830, Stromboli Class
  • Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. Colledge, revised and updated by Lt Cdr Ben Warlow and Steve Bush, published by Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, Great Britain, © 2020, e ISBN 978-1-5267-9328-7 (EPUB)
  • The Navy List, published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London
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