Rinaldo HMS
Rinaldo, a wooden-hulled steam sloop of 951 tons (builder’s measurement), displacement 1365 tons. Length 185 ft., beam 33 ft. Armed with five 40-pdr. and 12 32-pdr. guns. Built at Portsmouth Dock¬yard in 1860 and sold in 1884. Apparently the ship’s name comes from one of the famous warriors of Charlemagne’s Court, subsequently being applied to a knightly hero, or a renowned champion, or a knight errant. I do not know which of these the figurehead represents. SG1129
Built as a Second Class wooden screw sloop by the Portsmouth Drydock for the Royal Navy.
01 April 1857 ordered.
01 March 1858 keel laid down.
26 March 1860 launched as HMS RINALDO, one of the Camelion Class.
Tonnage 950 ton (bm), displacement 1.365 tons. Dim. 185.0 x 33.2 x 17.5ft.
Powered by 752 ihp. Steam engine, manufactured by Humphrys & Tennant, speed 10.5 knots.
Armament 5 – 40pdr. BL guns, 12 – 32pdr MLSB guns.
Barque rigged.
Fitted out with hoisting screw, and a telescopic funnel.
Crew 180.
06 May 1861 commissioned under command of Comdr. W.N.Wrights Hewett.
08 June 1861 completed.
10 June 1861 sailed for service on the West Indies and North American station, till she returned in the U.K. in January 1865.
26 November 1862 command taken over by Comdr. James Dunlop
10 February 1865 paid off; at that time she was under command of Comdr. M. H. Nelson.
01 November 1866 commissioned, under command of Comdr. William Kemptown Bush. Sailed for the China station.
02 April 1870 she visited Palau under command of Comdr. F.C.B. Robinson to rescue the crew of the shipwrecked British bark RENOWN, Capt. G.E.Adams, who was wrecked off Palau on 09 February 1870.
05 June 1872 command was taken over by Comdr. George Parsons, at the China station till she was paid off.
10 July 1874 paid off.
1879 At Portsmouth.
April 1884 sold. (not any source gives her fate).
Source: Conways All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860-1905.Foreign Ships in Micronesia by Hezel.
The Sail and Steam Navy List by David Lyon and Rif Winfield. Some web-sites.
Comment by Auke — December 16, 2008 @ 7:25 pm