These tables show all vessels carried on the books of the Royal Navy in the period 1840-1880.
Name: Follow links in this column for more information, and for details of the career of unarmoured wooden screw vessels (or for snippets for other vessels in service in the period 1840-1880).
Launched: '1800a' means acquired in 1800; '1800r' means renamed in 1800 to name shown in 'Name' column; see 'Note' column for original name, under which entry other details are given.
Fate: year of sale, breaking up or loss; if lost or sold for reuse see details in 'Note' column.
H(ull): C = composite, I = iron, S = steel, W = wood.
P(ropulsion): H = hydraulic, P = paddle, S = screw, W = sail.
B.M. = burthen
, builders measure (tons).
Disp. = displacement (tons); during this period displacement was replacing burthen as a measure of the 'size' of vessels.
Guns = initial number of guns (may have been different later in career). TT = torpedo tubes.
SB = ships book in the National Archives, London: ADM 135/xxx (giving the history of the maintenance of the ship - hull, machinery and armament - from construction to disposal).
Note: '1800 = Nnnnnn' means renamed to Nnnnnn in 1800; '1850 screw 1000 bm' means converted to a screw ship of 1000 tons burthen in 1850. c.h. = coal hulk; d.s. = depot ship.; h.s. = harbour service; r.s = receiving ship; t.s. = training ship; MV = mortar vessel; WV = watch vessel; YC = yard craft. Merchant ship names in italics. Data in red are alternate data when sources disagree.
The data are mainly derived from
these sources. For vessels not given here, try Paul Benyon's
Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels. For earlier vessels, go to Mike Phillip's
Ships of the Old Navy.
Name | Launched | Fate | H. | P. | Type | B.M. | Disp. | Guns | S.B. | Note |
Icarus | 1814.08.18 | 1861 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 234 | | 18 | | |
Icarus | 1858.10.22 | 1875 | W | S | Sloop | 580 | 868 | 11 | 246 | |
Illustrious | 1803.09.03 | 1868 | W | W | Third rate | 1746 | | 74 | | 1854 gunnery ship |
Imaum | 1836a | 1863 | W | W | Third rate | 1776 | | 76 | | ex-E. Indiaman Liverpool, launched 1826.11.10. Presented by Imaum of Muscat. 1842 h.s. |
Immortalité | 1859.10.25 | 1883 | W | S | Frigate | 3058 | 3058 | 51 | | |
Imogene | 1831.06.24 | 1840 | W | W | Sixth rate | 660 | | 28 | | 1840.09.19 burnt by accident at Plymouth |
Imogene | 1864 | 1903 | | | Coastguard vessel | | 300 | 2 | | 1884 = Argus |
Impérieuse | 1793a | 1858 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1040 | | 40 | | 1793.10.11 captured from the French. 1803 = Unité. 1832 h.s. |
Impérieuse | 1852.09.15 | 1867 | W | S | Frigate | 2358 | 3345 | 51 | 247 | Converted to screw on stocks |
Impérieuse | 1914r | | | | | | | | | See: Audacious 1869 |
Implacable | 1805a | 1949 | W | W | Third rate | 1882 | | 74 | | 1805.11.03 captured Duguay-Trouin (French). 1855 t.s. 1912 te be preserved. 1949.12.02 scuttled off the Owers |
Impregnable | 1810.08.01 | 1906 | W | W | Second rate | 2406 | | 98 | | 1862 training ship. 1888 = Kent. 1891 = Caledonia |
Impregnable | 1886r | | | | | | | | | See: Howe 1860 |
Impregnable III | 1907r | | | | | | | | | See: Inconstant 1868 |
Impregnable III | 1910r | | | | | | | | | See: Black Prince 1861 |
Impregnable III | 1922r | | | | | | | | | See: Ganges 1821 |
Impregnable IV | 1916r | | | | | | | | | See: Circe 1827 |
Inconstant | 1836.06.10 | 1862 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1422 | | 36 | | |
Inconstant | 1868.11.12 | 1956 | I | S | Unarmoured frigate | | 5780 | 16 | 249 | Also ships book ADM 136/49. 1898 h.s. 1907 = Impregnable III. 1922 = Defiance IV. 1930 = Defiance II |
Indefatigable | 1848.07.27 | 1914 | W | W | Fourth rate | 2044 | 2626 | 50 | | 1865 t.s. |
Indian | 1855.09a | 1856 | | | Survey schooner | | | | | ex-Relampago |
Indus | 1812.12.19 | 1868 | W | W | Third rate | 1756 | | 74 | | 1818 = Bellona. 1840 h.s. |
Indus | 1839.03.16 | 1898 | W | W | Second rate | | 2653 | 80 | | 1860 guardship |
Indus | 1898r | | | | | | | | | See: Defence 1861 |
Indus II | 1904r | | | | | | | | | See: Temeraire 1876 |
Indus III | 1904r | | | | | | | | | See: Bellerophon 1865 |
Indus IV | 1904r | | | | | | | | | See: Valiant 1863 |
Indus IV | 1912r | | | | | | | | | See: Triumph 1870 |
Indus V | 1910r | | | | | | | | | See: Ganges 1821 |
Industry | 1814.10.13 | 1846 | W | W | Transport | 318 | | 4 | | 1820 h.s. |
Industry | 1854.04a | 1911 | I | S | Storeship | 638 | 1100 | | 250 | 1901 boom defence vessel |
Infernal | 1843.05.31 | 1864 | W | P | 1st class sloop | 1054 | 1379 | 6 | | 1844 = Eclair. 1846 = Rosamond. 1863 floating factory |
Inflexible | 1845.05.24 | 1864 | W | P | 1st class sloop | 1124 | | 6 | | |
Inflexible | 1876.04.27 | 1903 | I | S | Masted turret ship | | 11880 | 10 | | Sold for breaking up |
Insolent | 1856.01.26 | 1869 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 251 | |
Intrepid | 1850.03a | 1854 | W | S | Discovery sloop | | | | | ex-Free Trade, purchased. 1854.06.15 abandoned in the Artic |
Intrepid | 1855.11.13 | 1864 | W | S | Gunvessel | 862 | | 6 | 252 | |
Investigator | 1811.04.23 | 1857 | W | W | Survey brig | 121 | | 16 | | 1837 police ship |
Investigator | 1848.02a | 1853 | W | W | Discovery vessel | 480 | | | | Abandoned in the Artic |
Investigator | 1861.11.16 | 1869 | W | P | Survey vessel | 149 | | | 253 | |
Invincible | 1808.03.15 | 1861 | W | W | Third rate | 1674 | | 74 | | 1857 c.h. |
Invincible | 1869.05.29 | 1914 | I | S | Central battery ironclad | 3774 | 6010 | 14 | | 1904 = Erebus, t.s. 1906 = Fisgard II. 1914.09.17 foundered off Portland |
Iphigenia | 1808.04.26 | 1851 | W | W | Fifth rate | 870 | | 36 | | 1833-1848 lent to Marine Society |
Iris | 1840.07.14 | 1869 | W | W | Sixth rate | 906 | | 26 | | Sold as cable vessel |
Iris | 1877.04.12 | 1905 | S | S | Despatch vessel | | 3730 | 10 | | |
Iron Duke | 1870.03.01 | 1906 | I | S | Central battery ironclad | | 6010 | 14 | 254 | |
Irresistible | 1859.10.27 | 1894 | W | S | Second rate | 2589 | 3842 | 80 | 255 | 1868 h.s. |
Isis | 1819.10.05 | 1867 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1321 | | 60 | | 1861 c.h. |
Jackall | 1844.10.29 | 1887 | I | P | Gunvessel | 340 | 505 | 3 | 256 | |
Jackdaw | 1855.05.18 | 1888 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 3 | 257 | 1868 hulk |
James Watt | 1853.04.23 | 1875 | W | S | Second rate | 3083 | 4614 | 91 | 258 | Planned as sailer Audacious |
Janus | 1844.02.06 | 1858 | W | P | Sloop | 763 | | 2 | | |
Janus | 1856.03.08 | 1871 | W | S | Gunboat | 233 | | 2 | | 1869 hulk |
Jaseur | 1813.02.02 | 1845 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 387 | | 18 | | |
Jaseur | 1857.03.07 | 1859 | W | S | Gunboat | 310 | | 3 | | 1859.02.26 wrecked Baxo Nuovo, W. Indies |
Jaseur | 1862.05.15 | 1874 | W | S | Gunvessel | 428 | 570 | 5 | 259 | Sold to Irish Light Commissioner |
Jason | 1859.11.10 | 1877 | W | S | Corvette | 1711 | 2431 | 21 | 260 | |
Jasper | 1837.04a | 1854 | W | P | Packet | 233 | | | | Transferred from Post Office, ex-Aladdin. Burnt 1854.05.15 after explosion off Beachy Head |
Jasper | 1855.04.02 | 1855 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 3 | | 1855.07.24 wrecked at Krivaia, Sea of Azov |
Jasper | 1857.03.16 | 1862 | W | S | Gunboat | 301 | | 3 | | Sold to Emperor of China as Amoy |
Java | 1815.11.16 | 1862 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1460 | | 52 | | |
Jersey | 1860.03.22 | 1873 | | | Cutter | 71 | | 4 | | |
Joseph Straker | 1868r | | | | | | | | | See: Diamond 1848 |
Julia | 1855.11.27 | 1866 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 261 | |
Julia | 1863 | 1871 | | | Store carrier | | | | | |
Julia | 1868a | 1891 | | | Coastguard vessel | 15 | | | | |
Jumna | 1848.03.07 | 1862 | W | W | Brig | 549 | | 16 | | Laid down as Zebra |
Jumna | 1866.09.24 | 1922 | I | S | Troopship | 4173 | 6211 | 3 | 262 | 1893 = C.110, c.h. Sold as hulk Oceanic |
Juno | 1844.07.01 | 1880 | W | W | Sixth rate | 923 | | 26 | | 1878 = Mariner, police ship. 1878 = Atalanta, t.s. 1880.02.12 foundered in Atlantic |
Juno | 1867.11.28 | 1887 | W | S | Corvette | 1462 | 2083 | 6 | 263 | |
Jupiter | 1813.11.22 | 1870 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1173 | | 50 | | 1837 troopship. 1846 c.h. |
Jupiter | 1869r | | | | | | | | | See: Forth 1833 |
Justitia | 1830r | | | | | | | | | See: Hindostan 1804 |
Kangaroo | 1852.08.31 | 1897 | W | W | 2nd class brig | 483 | | 12 | | Laid down as Dove. 1863 = WV.20, Coastguard |
Kangaroo | 1882r | | | | | | | | | See: Dart 1860 |
Kent | 1798.01.17 | 1881 | W | W | 3rd rate | 1964 | | 74 | | 1856 sheer hulk |
Kent | 1888r | | | | | | | | | See: Impregnable 1810 |
Kertch | 1855.07.14 | 187? | W | W | Schooner gunboat | 94 | | 2 | | 1860 = YC.1 |
Kestrel | 1846.12a | 1852 | W | W | Brigantine | 200 | | | | |
Kestrel | 1856.05.20 | 1866 | W | S | Gunboat | 233 | | 2 | 265 | 1859.06.25 sunk in action at Peiho forts, China, but later salvaged and reentered service |
Kestrel | 1872.02.29 | 1888 | C | S | Gunvessel | 462 | 610 | 4 | 266 | |
Kingfisher | 1845.04.08 | 1890 | W | W | Brig | 446 | | 12 | | 1875 h.s. |
Kingfisher | 1879.12.16 | 1919 | C | S | Sloop | | 1130 | 6 | | |
Kingfisher | 1890r | | | | | | | | | See: Martin 1850 |
Kingston | 1858.04a | 1861 | W | W | Schooner | 109 | | | | ex-slaver Cortes |
Kite | 1837.07a | 1864 | W | P | Gunvessel | 300 | | | 267 | Launched 1825? Transferred from Post Office, ex-Aetna |
Kite | 1871.02.08 | 1920 | I | S | Flatiron gunboat | | 254 | 1 | 268 | Became a dredger |
Lancaster | 1823.08.23 | 1864 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1476 | | 58 | | |
Landrail | 1855.05a | 1856 | W | P | Tug | 36 | | | | ex-Gipsy King |
Landrail | 1860.03.28 | 1869 | W | S | Gunvessel | 428 | 570 | 5 | 269 | Sold as Walrus |
Lapwing | 1825.02.20 | 1861 | W | W | Packet brig | 228 | | | | 1845 breakwater |
Lapwing | 1856.01.26 | 1864 | W | S | Gunvessel | 670 | | 4 | 270 | |
Lapwing | 1867.11.08 | 1885 | W | S | Gunvessel | 663 | 774 | 5 | 271 | |
Lark | 1830.06.23 | 1860 | W | W | Survey cutter | 109 | | 2 | | 1849-58 lent to Liberia |
Lark | 1855.03.15 | 1878 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 3 | 273 | |
Lark | 1893r | | | | | | | | 272 | See: Cruizer 1852 |
Larne | 1832r | | | | | | | | | See: Lightning 1829 |
Latona | 1821.06.16 | 1875 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1071 | | 46 | | |
Laurel | 1813.05.31 | 1885 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1088 | | 38 | | 1864 h.s. |
Lavinia | 1806.03.06 | 1868 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1172 | | 48 | | 1836 h.s. 1868 sunk in collision with SS Cimbria in Plymouth harbour |
Lavinia | 1870r | | | | | | | | | See: Seahorse 1830 |
Leander | 1848.03.08 | 1867 | W | W | Fourth rate | 1987 | | 50 | 274 | 1861 screw 2759 bm |
Leda | 1828.04.15 | 1906 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1171 | | 46 | | Never commissioned. 1864 police hulk |
Lee | 1857.02.28 | 1859 | W | S | Gunboat | 301 | | 3 | | 1859.06.25 sunk in action with Peiho forts, China |
Lee | 1860.01.25 | 1875 | W | S | Gunvessel | 428 | 570 | 5 | | |
Leonidas | 1807.09.04 | 1894 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1067 | | 36 | | 1872 powder hulk |
Leopard | 1850.11.05 | 1867 | W | P | 1st class frigate | 1406 | | 18 | 276 | |
Leven | 1813.12.23 | 1848 | W | W | Sixth rate | 457 | | 20 | | 1820 survey ship. 1827 h.s. |
Leven | 1857.03.07 | 1873 | W | S | Gunboat | 300 | | 3 | 277 | |
Leveret | 1825.02.19 | 1843 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 237 | | 10 | | |
Leveret | 1856.03.08 | 1867 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 278 | |
Leviathan | 1790.10.09 | 1848 | W | W | Third rate | 1707 | | 74 | | 1816 convict ship. 1846 target |
Liberty | 1850.06.11 | 1905 | W | W | Training brig | 428 | 447 | | | |
Liffey | 1856.05.06 | 1903 | W | S | Frigate | 2126 | 3915 | 51 | 279 | 1878 store hulk |
Lightning | 1823.09.19 | 1872 | W | P | Gunvessel | 296 | 349 | 2 | 280 | 1854 survey vessel |
Lightning | 1829.06.02 | 1866 | W | W | Sloop | 463 | | 18 | | 1832 = Larne |
Lightning | 1877 | 1896 | I | S | Torpedo boat | | 27 | | | Later renamed Torpedo boat no. 1 |
Lily | 1837.09.28 | 1908 | W | W | Brig | 432 | | 16 | | 1860 c.h. 18?? = C.29. 18?? = C.15 |
Lily | 1861.02.27 | 1867 | W | S | Gunvessel | 702 | 877 | 4 | 281 | |
Lily | 1874.10.27 | 1889 | C | S | Sloop (1876: Gunvessel) | | 620 | 3 | | 1889.09.16 Wrecked on the coast of Labrador |
Linnet | 1835.07.27 | 1866 | W | W | Packet brig | 361 | | 8 | | 1857 Coastguard. 1863 = WV.36 |
Linnet | 1860.06.07 | 1872 | W | S | Gunboat | 268 | 330 | 2 | 282 | |
Linnet | 1880.01.30 | 1904 | C | S | Gunvessel | | 788 | 5 | | Sold as salvage vessel Linnet |
Lion | 1847.07.29 | 1905 | W | W | Second rate | 2580 | | 80 | 283 | 1859 screw. 1871 t.s. |
Lively | 1813.07.14 | 1862 | W | W | Fifth rate | 1080 | | 38 | | 1831 h.s. |
Lively | 1856.02.23 | 1863 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | | 1863.12.23 wrecked on Dutch coast but salvaged and sold as Helgolanderin |
Lively | 1870.12.10 | 1883 | W | P | Dispatch vessel | 842 | 985 | 2 | 284 | 1883.06.07 wrecked Stornaway |
Liverpool | 1860.10.30 | 1875 | W | S | Frigate | 2656 | 3919 | 39 | 285 | |
Lizard | 1840.01.07 | 1843 | W | P | Vessel | 283 | 470 | 3 | | 1843.07.24 collided with French paddle sloop Veloce off Spain |
Lizard | 1844.11.28 | 1869 | I | P | Gunvessel | 340 | 505 | 3 | 286 | |
Llewellyn | 1848.01.22 | 1850 | W | P | Packet | 650 | | | | |
Locust | 1840.04.18 | 1894 | W | P | Gunvessel | 283 | 470 | 1 | 287 | 1869 tug |
London | 1840.09.28 | 1884 | W | W | Second rate | 2590 | 4375 | 90 | 288 | 1858 screw. 1874 h.s. |
Lord Clyde | 1864.10.13 | 1885 | W | S | Broadside ironclad | 4067 | 7750 | 24 | 290 | |
Lord Warden | 1865.05.27 | 1889 | W | S | Broadside ironclad | 4080 | 7842 | 20 | | |
Louisa | 1835a | 1841 | W | W | Cutter | 83 | | | | Purchased in Canton. Wrecked on an island between Hong Kong and macau |
Louisa | 1855.12.01 | 1867 | W | S | Gunboat | 232 | | 4 | 289 | |
Lucifer | 1837a | 1893 | W | P | Gunvessel | 387 | | 2 | | Transferred from Post Office, ex-Comet. 1875 = WV.41, Coastguard |
Lynx | 1833.09.02 | 1845 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 231 | | 3 | | |
Lynx | 1854.07.22 | 1862 | W | S | Gunvessel | 477 | | 2 | | |
Lynx | 1868.04.25 | 1888 | C | S | Gunvessel | 464 | 584 | 4 | 291 | |
Lyra | 1821.06.01 | 1845 | W | W | Brig-sloop | 235 | | 10 | | 1823 tender. 1829 packet brig |
Lyra | 1857.03.26 | 1876 | W | S | Sloop | 488 | 653 | 9 | 292 | |