View source for HMS Defence (1861)

{{Short description|1861 ship of the Royal Navy}}
{{Other ships|HMS Defence}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Defence (1861) after 1866.jpg
|Ship caption=''Defence'' as she appeared after the final modification of her sailing rig in 1866
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship ordered=14 December 1859
|Ship name=''Defence''
|Ship builder=[[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company|Palmers]], [[Jarrow]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship laid down= 14 December 1859
|Ship launched= 24 April 1861
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=12 February 1862
|Ship commissioned=4 December 1861
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=HMS ''Indus'', 1898
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]], August 1935
|Ship notes=
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}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Defence|ironclad|0}} [[armoured frigate]]
|Ship sail plan=[[Ship rig]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|6070|LT|t|lk=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|280|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|54|ft|2|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|26|ft|2|in|m|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*4 [[boiler (steam generator)|boiler]]s
*{{cvt|2343|ihp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=1 shaft; 1 [[Trunk engine|trunk steam engine]]
|Ship speed={{convert|11|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|1670|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}}
|Ship complement=460
|Ship armament=* 4 × {{cvt|5|in|0}} [[Rifled breech loader|rifled breech-loading (RBL) guns]]
*8 × [[RBL 7 inch Armstrong gun|{{cvt|7|in|0}}]] RBLs
*10 × [[68-pounder gun|68 pdr]] [[smoothbore]] guns
*'''From 1868 :'''
*14 × [[RML 7 inch 6.5 ton gun|7 in]] [[Muzzle-loading rifle|rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns]]
*2 × [[RML 8 inch gun|{{cvt|8|in|0}}]] RMLs
|Ship armour=*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|4.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Bulkhead (partition)|Bulkhead]]s: {{convert|4.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Defence''''' was the [[lead ship]] of the {{sclass|Defence|ironclad|0}} [[armoured frigate]]s ordered by the [[Royal Navy]] in 1859. Upon completion in 1862 she was assigned to the [[Channel Fleet]]. The ship was [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|paid off]] in 1866 to be refitted and rearmed and was briefly reassigned to the Channel Fleet when she recommissioned in 1868. ''Defence'' had short tours on the North Atlantic and [[Mediterranean Station]]s, relieving other [[ironclad]]s, from 1869 to 1872 before she was refitted again from 1872 to 1874. She became [[guard ship]] on the [[River Shannon]] when she recommissioned. The ship was transferred to the Channel Fleet again in 1876 and then became guard ship on the [[River Mersey]] until 1885. ''Defence'' was placed in [[Reserve fleet|reserve]] until 1890, when she was assigned to the mechanical training school in [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]] in 1890. She was renamed ''Indus'' when the school adopted that name and served there until sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]] in 1935.

==Design and description==
[[File:Carl Bille - En engelsk eskadre i København.png|thumb|''Defence'' at Copenhagen in August 1862]]
The ''Defence''-class ironclads<ref group=Note>Ironclad is the all-encompassing term for armored warships of this period. Armoured frigates were basically designed for the same role as traditional wooden frigates, but this later changed as the size and expense of these ships forced them to be used in the line of battle.</ref> were designed as smaller and cheaper versions of the {{sclass|Warrior|ironclad|0}} armoured frigates. This meant that they could not fit the same powerful engines of the ''Warrior''-class ships and were therefore {{convert|2|kn|lk=in}} slower and had far fewer guns. The naval architect Sir [[Nathaniel Barnaby]], a future [[Director of Naval Construction|Constructor of the Navy]], considered that in terms of combat a ''Defence''-class ship was worth one quarter of a ''Warrior''.<ref>Parkes, p. 25</ref>

HMS ''Defence'' was {{convert|280|ft|m|1}} [[Length between perpendiculars|long between perpendiculars]] and {{convert|291|ft|4|in|m|1}} long [[length overall|overall]].<ref name=s7>Silverstone, p. 157</ref> She had a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|54|ft|2|in|m}} and a [[Draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|26|ft|2|in|m|0}}.<ref name=b1>Ballard, p. 241</ref> The ship displayed {{convert|6070|LT|t|lk=on}} and had a [[naval ram|ram]] in the shape of a [[plough]]. The hull was subdivided by watertight transverse [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]]s into 92 compartments and had a [[double bottom]] underneath the [[engine room|engine]] and [[boiler room (ship)|boiler room]]s. ''Defence'' was {{convert|128|ft|8|in|1}} shorter overall and displaced over {{convert|3000|LT|t}} less than the ''Warrior''-class ironclads.<ref name=b1/>

===Propulsion===
The ''Defence''-class ships had one 2-cylinder [[Trunk engine|trunk steam engine]] made by [[John Penn (engineer)|John Penn and Sons]] driving a single propeller.<ref>Ballard, p. 246</ref> Four rectangular [[boiler (steam generator)|boiler]]s<ref name=ck8/> provided steam to the engine. It produced a total of {{convert|2343|ihp|lk=on}}. During her [[sea trial]]s on 10 February 1868 ''Defence'' had a maximum speed of {{convert|11.23|kn}}. The ship carried {{convert|450|LT|t}} of coal,<ref>Ballard, pp. 246–247</ref> enough to steam {{convert|1670|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|knots}}.<ref name=s7/>

The ironclads were [[barque]]-rigged and had a sail area of {{convert|24500|sqft|sqm|0}}.<ref name=ck8>Roberts, p. 8</ref> The lower masts and [[bowsprit]] were made of iron to withstand the shock of ramming. ''Defence'' could make about {{convert|10.5|kn}} under sail and the funnel was semi-retractable to reduce wind resistance while under sail alone. The ship's propeller could be hoisted up into the stern of the ship to reduce drag while under sail.<ref>Ballard, pp. 164–166</ref> She was re-rigged as a barque from September 1864 to April 1866 before returning to her original ship rig.<ref name=p29/>

===Armament===
The armament of the ''Defence''-class ships was intended to be 18 [[British ordnance terms#SBML|smoothbore, muzzle-loading]] [[68-pounder gun]]s, eight on each side on the main deck and one each fore and aft as [[chase gun]]s on the upper deck, plus four rifled breech-loading [[RBL 40 pounder Armstrong gun|40-pounder]] guns as [[Salute#Heavy arms: gun salutes|saluting guns]]. This was modified during construction to eight rifled [[RBL 7-inch Armstrong gun|110-pounder]] [[breechloader|breech-loading guns]], ten 68-pounders and four breech-loading {{convert|5|in|adj=on|0}} guns.<ref group=Note>No such gun ever entered RN service during this time; these may have been experimental 70-pounder Armstrong guns developed in parallel with the 40- and 110-pounder guns or the 40-pounder gun called by its calibre, rounding upwards.</ref> Both breech-loading guns were new designs from [[Armstrong Whitworth|Armstrong]] and much was hoped of them. Six of the 110-pounder guns were installed on the main deck amidships, and the other two became chase guns; all of the 68-pounder guns were mounted on the main deck. Firing tests carried out in September 1861 against an armoured target, however, proved that the 110-pounder was inferior to the 68-pounder smoothbore gun in armour penetration and repeated incidents of breech explosions during the [[Battles for Shimonoseki]] and the [[Bombardment of Kagoshima]] in 1863–1864 caused the navy to begin to withdraw the gun from service shortly afterwards.<ref>Parkes, p. 19</ref>

The {{convert|7.9|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} [[roundshot|solid shot]] of the 68-pounder gun weighed approximately {{convert|68|lb|kg|1}} while the gun itself weighed {{convert|10640|lb|kg|0}}. The gun had a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|1579|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} and had a range of {{convert|3200|yd}} at an elevation of +12°. The {{convert|7|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} shell of the 110-pounder Armstrong breech-loader weighed {{convert|107|-|110|lb|1}}. It had a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1150|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} and, at an elevation of +11.25°, a maximum range of {{convert|4000|yd}}. The 110-pounder gun weighed {{convert|9520|lb|1}}. All of the guns could fire both [[Round shot|solid shot]] and [[Shell (projectile)|explosive shells]].<ref>Lambert, pp. 85–87, 89</ref>

''Defence'' was rearmed during her 1867–1868 refit with fourteen 7-inch and two {{convert|8|in|0|adj=on}} [[Muzzle-loading rifle|rifled muzzle-loading guns]].<ref>Ballard, p. 165</ref> The new guns were heavier so fewer could be carried. The shell of the 15-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[RML 8 inch 9 ton gun|8-inch gun]] weighed {{convert|175|lb|kg|1}} while the gun itself weighed {{convert|9|LT|t}}. It had a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1410|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} and was credited with the ability to penetrate a nominal {{convert|9.6|in|mm|0}} of [[wrought iron]] armour at the [[muzzle (firearms)|muzzle]]. The 16-calibre [[RML 7-inch gun|7-inch gun]] weighed {{convert|6.5|LT|t}} and fired a {{convert|112|lb|kg|1}} shell. It was credited with the nominal ability to penetrate {{convert|7.7|in|mm|adj=on|0}} armour.<ref>Roberts, p. 6</ref>

===Armour===
[[Image:HMS Defence (1861).jpg|295px|thumb|right|Right elevation of HMS ''Defence'' from ''Brassey's Naval Annual'' 1888, the shaded area shows the ship's armour]]
The ''Defence''-class ships had a wrought iron armour [[Belt armor|belt]], {{convert|4.5|in|mm|0}} thick, that covered {{convert|140|ft|1}} amidships.<ref>Parkes, p. 28</ref> The armour extended from upper deck level to {{convert|6|ft|1}} below it. 4.5-inch transverse bulkheads protected the guns on the main deck. The armour was backed by {{convert|18|in}} of [[teak]]. The ends of the ship were left entirely unprotected which meant that the steering gear was very vulnerable. They were, however, sub-divided into many watertight compartments to minimize any flooding.<ref>Ballard, pp. 165, 244</ref>

==Service==
''Defence'' was laid down on 14 December 1859 by the [[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company]] in [[Jarrow]].<ref name="b1"/> She was launched on 24 April 1861, but ran aground. She was refloated the next day.<ref name=LM270461>{{Cite news |title=Launch of the Defence |newspaper=Leeds Mercury |location=Leeds |date=27 April 1861 |issue=7256 }}</ref> During speed trials on 22 February 1862, she collided with {{HMS|Fenella|1856|6}} off [[Spithead]]. Her anchor was pushed through her bow below the waterline and she ran aground. She was refloated and taken in to [[Portsmouth Dockyard]] for repairs.<ref name=HT010362>{{Cite news |title=Naval and Military News |newspaper=Hampshire Telegraph |location=Portsmouth |date=1 March 1862 |issue=3256 }}</ref> HMS ''Defence'' was commissioned on 4 December 1861 and completed on 12 February 1862.<ref name="b1"/> After completion she served in the Channel Fleet until 1866, when she paid off in [[Plymouth]] for refit and re-armament. The ship returned to the Channel Fleet in 1868, and in 1869 she was sent to the North America station to relieve {{HMS|Royal Alfred|1864|6}}. She served with the Mediterranean Fleet from 1871 to 1872<ref name=p29>Parkes, p. 29</ref> under the command of [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] [[Nowell Salmon]], who had earned the [[Victoria Cross]] during the [[Indian Mutiny]] in 1857.<ref>Ballard, p. 168</ref> While recovering items lost when the ironclad {{HMS|Lord Clyde|1864|6}} grounded off [[Pantelleria]], ''Defence'' damaged her propeller and [[rudder]] when she briefly grounded in the [[Crest (physics)|trough]] of a wave, and was nearly blown ashore herself on 24 March 1872. Repairs cost £417.<ref>Ballard, p. 168–69</ref><ref name=HT100573>{{Cite news |title=Naval Disasters Since 1860 |newspaper=Hampshire Telegraph |location=Portsmouth |date=10 May 1873 |issue=4250 }}</ref> She was paid off again for a lengthy refit in Plymouth between 1872 and 1874 and became the guard ship on the Shannon until 1876. The ship then rejoined the Channel Fleet until 1879 and was transferred with most of that fleet to the Mediterranean while the Mediterranean Fleet patrolled the [[Dardanelles]] during the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]] of 1878. ''Defence'' replaced her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Resistance|1861|6}} as guard ship in the Mersey until 1885, after which she saw no further sea-going service. On 20 July 1884 the ship collided with {{HMS|Valiant|1863|6}} in [[Lough Swilly]], damaging her bow and flooding some compartments. In 1890 she was converted into a floating workshop at Devonport, and was renamed {{HMS|Indus|shore establishment 1906|6}} in 1898.<ref name=p29/> She was sold for scrap at Devonport in August 1935.<ref>Ballard, p. 169</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{Commons category|HMS Defence (ship, 1861)}}
* {{cite book|last=Ballard |first=G. A., Admiral |title=The Black Battlefleet |year=1980 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=0-87021-924-3 |author-link=George Alexander Ballard}}
*{{citation|last1=Dodson|first1=Aidan|title=The Incredible Hulks: The ''Fisgard'' Training Establishment and Its Ships|work=Warship 2015|pages=29–43|year=2015| isbn=978-1-84486-276-4 |publisher=Conway |location=London}}
*{{cite book|title=Warship 1996|editor-last1=McLean|editor-first1= David|editor-last2 =Preston|editor-first2=Antony|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|year=1996 |isbn=0-85177-685-X|name-list-style=amp|editor-link2=Antony Preston|last=Jones|first=Colin |chapter=Entente Cordiale, 1865}}
*{{cite book|last=Lambert|first=Andrew|title=Warrior: Restoring the World's First Ironclad|year=1987|publisher=Conway|location=London|isbn=0-85177-411-3}}
* {{Cite book|last=Parkes|first=Oscar|title=British Battleships|publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1990|orig-year=1957|isbn=1-55750-075-4}}
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|editor2-last=Kolesnik|editor2-first=Eugene M.|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|chapter=Great Britain and Empire Forces|author-last=Roberts|author-first=John|location=Greenwich, UK|date=1979|isbn=0-8317-0302-4|name-list-style=amp|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2}}
*{{cite book|last=Silverstone|first=Paul H.|title=Directory of the World's Capital Ships|year=1984|publisher=Hippocrene Books|location=New York|isbn=0-88254-979-0}}
*{{cite book|title=Text Book of Gunnery|url=http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/u?%2Fp4013coll11%2C222|year=1887|publisher=Harrison and Sons for His Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|access-date=22 September 2010|archive-date=4 December 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204140418/http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/u?/p4013coll11,222|url-status=dead}}

{{Defence class ironclad}}
{{1861 shipwrecks}}
{{1862 shipwrecks}}
{{1872 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Defence (1861)}}
[[Category:Defence-class ironclads]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1861 ships]]
[[Category:Victorian-era battleships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1861]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1862]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in March 1872]]