HMS Miranda (1851)

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

HMS Fawn (right) and HMS Miranda (left) during the Regatta of January, 1862 ("the race of the Maori war canoes")
HMS Miranda (left) and HMS Fawn (right) during the Regatta of January, 1862 ("the race of the Maori war canoes")
History
RN EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Miranda
Ordered
  • 25 April 1847
  • Re-ordered 3 November 1847
BuilderRoyal Dockyard, Sheerness
Cost£48,393
Laid downSeptember 1848
Launched18 March 1851
Completed9 March 1854
Commissioned25 February 1854
Honours and
awards		Baltic 1854, Sea of Azov 1855
FateSold for breaking 2 December 1869
General characteristics
Class and type
Displacement1,523 tons
Tons burthen1039 16/94 bm
Length
  • 196 ft 0.5 in (59.754 m) gundeck
  • 169 ft (52 m) keel for tonnage
Beam34 ft (10 m) for tonnage
Draught13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Depth of hold20 ft 9 in (6.32 m)
Installed powerIndicated 613 hp (457 kW)
PropulsionTwo-cylinder horizontal single-expansion geared steam engine driving a single screw
Sail planShip-rigged
Speed10.75 kn (19.91 km/h) under power
Armament
  • as built
  • 14 × 32-pdr (42cwt) MLSB guns
  • by 1856
  • 1 × 68-pdr (87cwt) MLSB gun
  • 10 × 32-pdr (42cwt) MLSB guns
  • 4 × 20-pdr RBL guns

HMS Miranda was a 14-gun (15-gun from 1856) wooden screw sloop of the Royal Navy. As part of the 1847 Program, she was designed by John Fincham, Master Shipwright of Portsmouth, and is considered an improved Rattler, with the design approved on 3 November 1847. She was ordered on 25 April 1847 with the name Grinder from Royal Dockyard, Sheerness. On 3 November 1847, she was reordered as Miranda from Sheerness Dockyard. Launched in 1851, she was completed to see action in the Crimean War. In 1854 she was in the White Sea and participated in the bombardment of the Port of Kola. She then served in the Sea of Azov during 1855. Two of her crew were awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery. Towards the end of her career she transported troops during the New Zealand Wars. She was reclassified as a corvette by 1862. She was sold for breaking in December 1869.

Grinder would have been the second vessel of that name; it was born by a tender of unknown origin which was sold on 22 August 1832.

Miranda was the first vessel of that name in the Royal Navy.