HMS Cordelia was an 11-gun Racer-class sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in 1856 from Pembroke Dockyard. Constructed of traditional wood, the vessel was a lengthened version of the Swallow-class, designed to enhance speed and power. Its increased length allowed for a maximum speed of approximately 10 knots, significantly faster than earlier classes, thanks to a more powerful engine and streamlined hull design. The vessel was armed with a single 32-pounder gun mounted on a pivot and ten 32-pounder carronades along the broadside, all of which were smoothbore muzzle-loading weapons reminiscent of Nelson’s era. Propulsion was provided by a James Watt & Co two-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine, generating 461 indicated horsepower, which drove a single screw propeller. Under steam alone, HMS Cordelia could reach a top speed of about 9.9 knots. In addition to steam power, she carried a barque rig with three masts, with square sails on the fore and main masts, enabling prolonged voyages under sail. Laid down in October 1855 and launched on 3 July 1856, the ship’s construction cost totaled £33,428, with machinery accounting for £9,014. She was commissioned on 11 April 1857 under Commander Charles Egerton Harcourt-Vernon and initially served in the East Indies Station before being reassigned to the Australia Station in 1859. During her service, she participated in the First Taranaki War in 1860. Command changed hands multiple times, including Commander Francis Alexander Hume in 1861, Commander John Binney Scott in 1864, and Commander Thomas Alexis De Wahl in 1865, with subsequent command by Commander Charles Parry in 1867. HMS Cordelia was paid off in 1862 and again in 1868, before being sold for breaking up at Plymouth on 12 May 1870. Her service highlights the transitional period of naval technology, blending traditional sail with steam power, and her operational history underscores her role in British naval presence in distant stations during the mid-19th century.

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