HMS Wizard (1830)

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

History
United Kingdom
Name	Wizard
Ordered	28 October 1826
Builder	Pembroke Dockyard
Laid down	October 1829
Launched	24 May 1830
Completed	15 June 1837
Commissioned	April 1837
Fate	Wrecked, 8 February 1859
General characteristics
Class & type	Cherokee-class brig-sloop
Tons burthen	2307⁄94 bm
Length	90 ft (27.4 m) (gundeck)
Beam	24 ft 8 in (7.5 m)
Draught	9 ft 2 in (2.8 m)
Depth of hold	11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Brig rig
Complement	52
Armament	10 muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: 2 × 6 pdr guns 8 × 18 pdr carronades

HMS Wizard was a 10-gun Cherokee-class brig-sloop built for the Royal Navy during the 1820s. She was wrecked in 1859.

Description

The Cherokee-class brig-sloops were designed by Henry Peake, they were nicknamed 'coffin brigs' for the large number that either wrecked or foundered in service, but modern analysis has not revealed any obvious design faults. They were probably sailed beyond their capabilities by inexperienced captains tasked to perform arduous and risky duties. ^[1] Whatever their faults, they were nimble; quick to change tack and, with a smaller crew, more economical to run. ^[2] Wizard displaced 297 long tons (302  t ) and measured 90 feet (27.4 m) long at the gundeck. She had a beam of 24 feet 8 inches (7.5 m), a depth of hold of 11 feet (3.4 m), a deep draught of 9 feet 2 inches (2.79 m) and a tonnage of 2317⁄94 tons burthen. The ships had a complement of 52 men when fully manned, but only 33 as a packet ship. The armament of the Cherokee class consisted of ten muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: eight 18 lb (8.2 kg) carronades and two 6 lb (2.7 kg) guns postioned in the bow for use as chase guns. ^[3]

Construction and career

Wizard was ordered on 28 October 1826 and laid down in October 1829 at Pembroke Dockyard. The ship was launched on 24 May 1830 and was fitted out 15 June 1837 in ordinary. She was not commissioned until April 1837. ^[4] On 29 May 1855, Wizard ran aground at Cork. She lay on her beam ends overnight and was refloated the next day. ^[5]

On 8 February 1859, whilst acting as a tender to HMS Nile, Wizard was wrecked on the Seal Rock, in Bantry Bay. Her crew were rescued by HMS Skipjack. ^{[6] [7]}

Citations

1. Gardiner, p. 66
2. Knight, pp. 60, 170
3. Winfield, pp. 239, 249
4. Winfield, p. 249
5. "Ireland". Daily News. No. 2819. London. 1 June 1855.
6. "Loss of Her Majesty's Ship "Wizard"". The Belfast News-Letter. No. 13317. Belfast. 14 February 1859.
7. "Naval Intelligence". The Morning Chronicle. No. 28735. London. 15 February 1859.

Bibliography

• Gardiner, Robert (2011). Warships of the Napoleonic Era: Design, Development and Deployment. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84832-108-3.
• Knight, Roger (2022). Convoys - Britain's Struggle Against Napoleonic Europe and America. Yale University Press. ISBN   978-0-3002-4697-1.
• Winfield, Rif (2014). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817–1863: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84832-169-4.