Albatross-class brig-sloop

Drawing showing the body plan with stern board outline, sheer lines with scroll figurehead, and longitudinal half-breadth proposed for building the Albatross-class ships, 1795
Class overview
Name	Albatross-class brig-sloop
Operators	Royal Navy
In service	1795 - 1807
Completed	8
General characteristics
Type	Brig-sloop
Tons burthen	369 14/94 bm
Length	96 ft 0 in (29.26 m) (gundeck) 73 ft 9.5 in (22.492 m) (keel)
Beam	30 ft 6 in (9.30 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Sail plan	Brig-rigged
Complement	121
Armament	2 × 6-pdr cannon as bow chasers 16 × 32-pdr carronades

The Albatross class were built as a class of eight 18-gun brig-sloops for the Royal Navy. They were originally to have carried sixteen 6-pounder carriage guns, but on 22 April 1795 it was instructed that they should be armed with sixteen 32-pounder carronades, although two of the 6-pounders were retained as chase guns in the bows. Consequently, they were classed as 18-gun sloops. However, in service it was found that this armament proved too heavy for these vessels, and so in most vessels the 32-pounder carronades were replaced by 24-pounder ones.

The class was designed by one of the Surveyors of the Navy - William Rule - and approved on 22 April 1795. Five vessels to this design were ordered in March 1795; the prototype was named Pelican on 11 June 1795 and the other five names were assigned and registered on 20 June. Three more were ordered in July 1795; these were named and registered on 28 August.