HMS Hardy was an Albacore-class gunboat of the Royal Navy, constructed with notable specifications typical of mid-19th-century vessels. She measured 106 feet (32 meters) in length at the gundeck and 93 feet 2½ inches (28.41 meters) along the keel. The vessel had a beam of 22 feet (6.7 meters), a hold depth of 8 feet (2.4 meters), and a draught of 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters). Displacing approximately 284 tons (Builder's Old Measurement of 23 2/68 tons), Hardy was designed for relatively shallow waters and agile operations. Her crew numbered between 36 and 40 men. Power was supplied by a two-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine, built by Maudslay, Sons and Field, paired with three boilers. This machinery generated around 60 nominal horsepower, driving a single screw propeller, which allowed Hardy to reach speeds of up to 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h). Armament included a 68-pounder (95 cwt) muzzle-loading smoothbore gun, a 32-pounder smoothbore gun, and two 24-pounder howitzers, making her capable of engaging various targets. Commissioned in March 1856 under Lieutenant William Leyland Wilson, Hardy initially served in the Royal Navy’s reserve fleet. After Wilson’s death three months later, she was paid off at Portsmouth and assigned to the Steam Reserve. In September 1859, under Lieutenant Archibald George Bogle, Hardy was deployed to the East Indies and China, where she participated in key actions during the British campaign in the Taiping Rebellion. She was stationed in Ningbo and was involved in repelling Taiping attacks, notably attempting to use her 72-pounder pivot gun (likely a reference to her 68-pounder main gun) to halt advances. Hardy played a role in the recapture of Ningbo in May 1862, capturing a Chinese flag associated with Taiping forces, now preserved at the National Maritime Museum. She also participated alongside the French-led Ever-Triumphant Army in capturing Yuyao and was present during the Battle of Cixi in September 1862, where she assisted the dying American commander Frederick Townsend Ward. Throughout her service, Hardy underwent several command changes before being paid off in March 1867. She was ultimately sold in Hong Kong in February 1869, marking the end of her active maritime career.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.