HMS Penguin (1838)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Penguin.

Drawing of the Penguin, 1836
History
United Kingdom
Name	Penguin
Namesake	Penguin
Ordered	14 April 1836
Builder	Pembroke Dockyard
Laid down	November 1836
Launched	10 April 1838
Completed	21 September 1838
Commissioned	24 July 1838
Renamed	As WV.31, 25 May 1863
Fate	Sold for scrap, 5 June 1871
General characteristics
Class & type	Alert-class brig
Tons burthen	360 4/94 bm
Length	95 ft (29.0 m) (Gun deck) 75 ft (22.9 m) (Keel)
Beam	30 ft 4 in (9.2 m)
Draught	10 ft 11 in (3.3 m)
Depth	14 ft 8 in (4.5 m)
Complement	44
Armament	2 × 6-pdr cannon; 4 × 12-pdr carronades

HMS Penguin was a six-gun Alert-class packet brig built for the Royal Navy during the 1830s.

Description

Penguin had a length at the gundeck of 95 feet (29.0 m) and 75 feet (22.9 m) at the keel. She had a beam of 30 feet 4 inches (9.2 m), a draught of 10 feet 11 inches (3.3 m) and a depth of hold of 14 feet 8 inches (4.5 m). The ship's tonnage was 360 4⁄94 tons burthen. ^[1] The Alert class was initially armed with a pair of 6-pounder cannon and four 12-pounder carronades. Later they were equipped with six 32-pounder or eight 18-pounder cannon. ^[2] The ships had a crew of 44 officers and ratings. ^[3]

Construction and career

Penguin, the fourth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, ^[4] was ordered on 14 April 1836, laid down in November 1836 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 10 April 1838. ^[3] She was completed on 21 September 1838 at Plymouth Dockyard and commissioned on 24 July of that year. ^[1]

Notes

1. Winfield, p. 1119
2. Winfield, p. 1113
3. Winfield & Lyon, p. 127
4. Colledge, p. 264

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC   67375475.
• Phillips, Lawrie (2014). Pembroke Dockyard and the Old Navy: A Bicentennial History. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7509-5214-9.
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793-1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates (epub). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth. ISBN   978-1-84415-700-6.
• Lyon, David & Winfield, Rif (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC   52620555.

External links

• Media related to HMS Penguin (ship, 1838) at Wikimedia Commons