CHAMPION HMS 1880

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shipstamps
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CHAMPION HMS 1880

Post by shipstamps » Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:11 pm



Built under yard No 207 as a corvette, steel hulled clad with two layers of teak wood by John Elder & Co. Govan, Scotland for the Royal Navy.
17 August 1876 keel laid down.
01 July 1878 launched under the name HMS CHAMPION one of the Comus class of which nine were built. She was the third vessel under this name in the Royal Navy.
Displacement: 2.380 tons, dim. 225.0 (bpp) x 44.6 x 19.3ft.
Powered by a 3-cyl. horizontal compound steam engine 2310 ihp., speed 13 knots, single shaft.
Bunker capacity 470 tons coal, range by 10 knots 3.840 miles.
Armament: 2 x 7 inc MLR, 12 x 64 pdr. guns.
Ship rigged, and fitted out with a hoisting screw.
Underwater hull was copper sheathed.
Crew 265.
07 December 1880 completed, based at Sheerness.

The intention was to use the class as scout vessel for the fleet but due to the slow speed, the class was mainly used for protection across the globe.
The class was designed by Nathaniel Barnaby.
Around 1885 rearmed with 4 – 6 inch BL MK III, 8 – 5 inch BL MK III, 4 – 3pdr. BL QF and two light guns., 6 – MG. and two TCs.
April 1886 she visited Amoy, China.
1890 Based in the Pacific.
August 1891 under command of Capt. Frederick St Clair, co-operated with some French, American and German warships by landing men at Valparaiso, Chile to protect the western consulates during a Chilean revolution.
1893 She visited Pitcairn Island under command of Capt. Rookes. He prepared a criminal code and reorganized the Governments system on the island.
26 June 1897 present at the Naval Review at Spithead in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee.
1904 Placed in harbour duty, and became a stokers training ship in Chatham,
1915 Renamed CHAMPION (old) when a new CHAMPION was built.
23 June 1919 sold to Hughes Bolckow, Blyth for scrapping.

Pitcairn Island 1988 $5 sg 326 and 1999 $3 sg 552.

Source: Conways All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860 – 1905. The Sail & Steam Navy List by Lyon & Winfield.

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