NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Research (ex-Trent)			Pembroke DYd	3.9.1861	15.8.1863	6.4.1864	sold 1884

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	1740
Displacement full, t	1900
Length, m	59.4 pp
Breadth, m	11.7
Draught, m	4.65
No of shafts	1 (hoisting)
Machinery	sails + 2 tubular boilers, 1 2-cyl HSE, direct acting
Power, h. p.	937
Max speed, kts	10.2
Fuel, t	coal 130
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armour, mm	iron; belt: 114 on 495mm teak plating, battery: 114 on 495mm teak plating, bulkheads: 114
Armament	4 x 1 - 241/15 'Somerset' 100pdr SBML
Complement	139 - 150

Project history

First British small ironclad and first box battery ship. Research was laid down as 17-gun wooden screw sloop of the Perseus class, her conversion to ironclad was approved in 1862. She was lenthened by 3m, her beam was increased by 1.6m, she was given a ram bow and rounded stern. Displacement raised by 500t, of which 352t was armour. Guns were provided with limited fore and aft fire through ports cut in the armoured bulkheads, embrasures being provided in the wooden sides fore and aft of the battery. She had a barque rig with 1700m² sail area, best speed under sail was 6kts. She handled well except in heavy weather, being a poor seaboat and heavy roller.

Ship protection

There was full length waterline belt 3.0m deep with a central armoured box battery 10.4m long extending from the belt to the top of the bulwarks.

Modernizations

1869-1870: machinery was refitted (1042ihp, 10.3kts), armament consisted of 4 x 1 - 178/16 MLR Mk III

Naval service

No significant events.