HMS Dryad was a 4-gun Amazon-class screw sloop launched at Devonport in 1866. Her hull was constructed of oak, reinforced with teak planking and decks, and she featured a ram bow, characteristic of the design. Powered by a two-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engine built by Ravenhill, Salkeld & Co., she drove a single 15-foot screw propeller. All ships of her class were rigged as barques, equipped with a full sailing rig to supplement her steam propulsion. Her armament initially comprised two 7-inch muzzle-loading rifled guns on slides on centre-line pivots and two 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns on broadside trucks. In the early 1870s, her armament was upgraded to nine 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifled guns, with four mounted on each side and a central pivot at the bow, enhancing her firepower. Dryad's keel was laid in April 1865, and she was launched on 25 September 1866. Her early service record includes a notable incident on 13 February 1867, when she struck rocks off Downderry, Cornwall, due to her compass being five points out; she was subsequently beached in Whitsand Bay, refloated, and repaired in Plymouth. Her first commanding officer was Commander Thomas Fellowes, who took command in May 1867, and she operated as part of the East Indies Fleet. Her service included participation in the Abyssinian War in 1868, where her crew formed a Naval Brigade armed with rockets, contributing to key battles such as Arogye and Magdala, earning her the battle honour "Abyssinia (1868)." During this campaign, Commander Fellowes was promoted, and Commander Philip Howard Colomb took command, capturing seven slave ships during his time in the Indian Ocean. Later, Dryad served on the North America and West Indies Station, rescuing passengers from the wreck of the steamship Shannon in 1874 and participating in various operations including the suppression of slavery and colonial conflicts. She was involved in the French actions in Madagascar during the first Franco-Hova War, where her presence and actions, such as landing marines, caused diplomatic tensions, notably at Tamatave in 1883. Dryad’s later years saw her supporting military campaigns in the Sudan and Egypt, including the Battle of El Teb and the Battle of Tamai, with her crew earning recognition for bravery. She was decommissioned in November 1884, sold in September 1885, and broken up in 1886. Her service history reflects the versatile role of screw sloops in British naval operations during the late 19th century, including colonial warfare, anti-slavery patrols, and diplomatic interventions.

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