HMS Defence was the lead vessel of the Defence-class armoured frigates constructed for the Royal Navy, launched in 1861. Measuring 280 feet (85.3 meters) between perpendiculars and 291 feet 4 inches (88.8 meters) overall, she had a beam of 54 feet 2 inches (16.51 meters) and a draft of 26 feet 2 inches (8 meters). Her displacement was approximately 6,070 long tons (6,170 tonnes). The hull was subdivided into 92 watertight compartments with a double bottom beneath the engine and boiler rooms, and was fitted with a ram in the shape of a plough, emphasizing her combat role. Powered by a single 2-cylinder trunk steam engine built by John Penn and Sons, she produced 2,343 indicated horsepower, enabling a maximum speed of 11.23 knots during her sea trials. She carried four rectangular boilers and 450 long tons (460 tonnes) of coal, giving her a steaming range of 1,670 nautical miles at 10 knots. Defence was also barque-rigged, with a sail area of 24,500 square feet, and could make about 10.5 knots under sail alone. Her rig was temporarily changed to a full barque rig from 1864 to 1866, and her propeller could be hoisted to reduce drag. Armament initially comprised 18 smoothbore 68-pounder guns, supplemented by rifled breech-loading guns, including four Armstrong 40-pounders. During her 1867–1868 refit, she was rearmed with fourteen 7-inch and two 8-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns, which offered improved firepower. Her armor consisted of a 4.5-inch wrought iron belt covering 140 feet amidships, backed by 18 inches of teak, with transverse bulkheads protecting the main deck guns. However, the ends of the ship remained unprotected, making her steering gear vulnerable. Defence’s service history included assignments to the Channel Fleet, North Atlantic, and Mediterranean Stations, with brief periods as a guard ship on the River Shannon and Mersey. She was involved in various refits and minor incidents, including collisions. Decommissioned from active service in 1885, she was converted into a floating workshop at Devonport in 1890, renamed HMS Indus in 1898, and served until she was sold for scrap in 1935. Her design reflected the transition from traditional wooden ships to ironclads, contributing to the evolution of naval warfare during her era.

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