HMS Dee (1832) facts for kids
Dee, Thomas Pullen, Commander, when steaming at full speed in the gale of January 1857
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Dee |
| Ordered | 4 April 1827 |
| Builder | Woolwich Dockyard |
| Cost | £19,275 including fitting, £11,261 for machinery |
| Laid down | October 1829 |
| Launched | 5 April 1832 |
| Completed | 26 August 1832 |
| Commissioned | 9 June 1832 |
| Decommissioned | 17 June 1871 |
| Fate | Broken up at Sheerness 1871 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Steam vessel |
| Displacement | 907 long tons (922 t) |
| Tons burthen | 704 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Draught | 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) (forward and aft) |
| Depth of hold | 16 ft 4 in (5.0 m) |
| Installed power | Maudslay, Sons and Field, 2-cylinder side-lever 200 nhp, 272 ihp (203 kW) |
| Propulsion | Side-paddles |
| Sail plan | Brigantine rig |
| Speed | 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) |
| Armament |
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HMS Dee was a very important ship for the Royal Navy. It was the first paddle steamer ever ordered for the navy that was designed to carry many weapons. The ship was ordered on April 4, 1827, from Woolwich Dockyard.
Dee was designed by Sir Robert Seppings, who was the Surveyor of the Navy. His design was later changed a bit by Oliver Lang. This ship was seen as a brand new type of vessel. Before this, another ship ordered in 1824 was going to be called African, but it was never built as a paddle steamer.
Dee was first called a "steam vessel" (SV). In 1837, it was changed to a "steam vessel class 2" (SV2). Over its long life, Dee changed roles many times. In May 1842, it became a troopship, which carried soldiers. In 1846, it was a second-class sloop, a smaller warship. Finally, in 1868, it was turned into a storeship, used for carrying supplies. The ship was eventually taken apart in 1871.
Dee was the third ship in the Royal Navy to have this name. The first Dee was a smaller warship launched in 1814.
Contents
Building and Features
The building of HMS Dee began in October 1829 at Woolwich Dockyard. It was officially launched into the water on April 5, 1832.
Ship's Size
The main deck where the guns were placed was about 166 feet 7 inches (50.77 metres) long. The ship's widest part was about 30 feet 4.5 inches (9.26 metres). The bottom part of the ship, called the depth of hold, was about 16 feet 4 inches (4.98 metres) deep. When floating, the ship's draught (how deep it sat in the water) was about 11 feet 6 inches (3.51 metres) at both the front and back. The ship weighed about 907 tons when it was fully loaded.
Engine and Speed
The powerful machinery for Dee was made by Maudslay, Son and Field. It had two special boilers that created steam. The steam engine was a large, two-cylinder engine. It was rated at 200 nominal horsepower (nhp), which was a way to measure its power.
This engine turned two large paddle wheels, each about 20 feet (6.10 metres) across. When the paddle wheels spun 18 times a minute, Dee could reach a top speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (about 9 miles per hour). In 1856, Dee was used in tests for a new way to make steam hotter, called superheated steam. This helped the ship save a lot of fuel, making it more efficient. In 1866, the ship received a new, more powerful engine.
Weapons
When Dee was first built, it had two 18-pounder guns. These were large guns that fired 18-pound cannonballs. They were placed on special mounts that allowed them to turn.
Later, the ship's weapons were changed. It then carried six 32-pounder guns, all on pivot mounts. These were even bigger guns. Towards the end of its time as a warship, two of these guns were replaced with a single, very large 10-inch shell gun. When Dee became a storeship in 1868, all its weapons were removed.
Ship's Service History
HMS Dee had a long and busy career, serving in many different parts of the world.
First Time in Service
Dee was first put into service on June 9, 1832. Commander Robert Oliver was its first captain. The ship's first job was to help block the Dutch coast. This was part of a larger Royal Navy effort to support the French Army, which was helping Belgium in a conflict with the Dutch. Dee and another steamship were very helpful in the narrow, fast-moving waters of the Dutch coast.
After this mission, Dee was assigned to the Home Station, which meant it stayed closer to Britain. It then traveled to the North America and West Indies station, serving far from home. The ship returned to Britain and was taken out of service in April 1837.
Second Time in Service
Dee was put back into service in February 1838. This time, Commander Joseph Shearer was in charge. The ship sailed to the south-east coast of America for its duties. It returned to Britain in May 1841.
Becoming a Transport Ship
In December 1841, Dee was taken to Sheerness to be changed into a troop transport ship. This meant it would carry soldiers. The changes were finished in June 1842. The ship was put back into service with Thomas Driver as its Master. More changes were made later that year.
In March 1846, Dee played an important role during the Great Irish Famine. It helped bring much-needed food supplies to Sligo, Ireland, to help people who were suffering. Later, in 1848 and 1852, the ship served at the Cape of Good Hope Station, near South Africa. It returned to Britain in mid-1854.
Becoming a Storeship
Between November and December 1854, Dee was changed again, this time into a storeship at Portsmouth. A storeship carries supplies and equipment. It was put back into service on November 23, 1854, under the command of Thomas C. Pullen. The ship was taken out of service in 1860.
Dee was put back into service as a storeship on June 12, 1863, with George Raymond as its Master. Later, in October 1869, George Waters took command of the ship at Woolwich.
End of Service
HMS Dee was taken out of service for the very last time on June 17, 1871, at Sheerness. It was then taken apart in October 1871, ending its long and varied career.
