 HMS Wivern in 1865, note that the funnel is retracted
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Scorpion class |
| Builders | Laird & Son Co., Birkenhead |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Built | 1862–1865 |
| In service | 1865–1922 |
| Planned | 2 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Scrapped | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ironclad turret ship |
| Displacement | 2,751 long tons (2,795 t) |
| Length | 224 ft 6 in (68.4 m) (p/p) |
| Beam | 42 ft 4 in (12.9 m) |
| Draught | 17 ft (5.2 m) (deep load) |
| Installed power | 1,450 ihp (1,080 kW) |
| Propulsion | 1 shaft, 1 2-cylinder steam engine, 4 boilers |
| Sail plan | Barque-rigged |
| Speed | 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) |
| Range | 1,210 nmi (2,240 km; 1,390 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 153 |
| Armament | 2 × 2 - 9-inch (229 mm) muzzle-loading rifles |
| Armour |
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The two Scorpion-class ironclads, HMS Scorpion and HMS Wivern, were ironclad warships ordered by the Confederate States Navy in 1862 and seized in 1863 by the British to prevent their delivery. This would have violated the Foreign Enlistment Act, which forbade British subjects to build or arm any ships for governments at war with governments friendly to Great Britain. The Scorpion class were masted turret ships, each with two gun turrets that were designed to mount a pair of heavy muzzle-loading guns. They were purchased for service in the Royal Navy in 1864 and served briefly with the Channel Fleet before they became guard ships at Bermuda and Hong Kong. Scorpion was sold in 1903 and sank under tow to be scrapped, while Wivern was sold for scrap in 1922.