HMS Buzzard (1887)

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HMS Buzzard
HMS Buzzard at Blackfriars on the Thames in June 1907
Career (United Kingdom)
Name: HMS Buzzard
Builder: Sheerness Dockyard
Launched: 10 May 1887[1]
Fate: Sold for scrap on 6 September 1921
General characteristics [1]
Type: barque rigged screw sloop
Tonnage: 584 tons
Displacement: 1,075 tons at load draft
Length: 195 ft (59 m)
Beam: 30 ft (9.1 m)
Draught: 12.1 ft (3.7 m)
Propulsion: triple expansion steam engine
Armament:

8 x BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) guns
4 x 1 inch Nordenfeldt machine guns

4 x .45 inch Gardner machine guns

HMS Buzzard was a Nymphe-class composite screw sloop and the fourth ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name.

Design

Developed and constructed for the Royal Navy on a design by William Henry White, Director of Naval Construction,[1] she was launched at Sheerness Dockyard on 10 May 1887.

Foreign Service

The Nymphe-class sloops were ideal for service in the far distant outposts of the British Empire, and Buzzard was employed on the North America and West Indies Station.

Harbour Training Ship

In 1904 she was converted to a drill ship for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Blackfriars, London, and in 1911 Buzzard relieved HMS President as Headquarters ship, being renamed HMS President on 1 April 1911.

Disposal

As President she served until 23 January 1918, when she was lent to the Marine Society. She was finally sold on 6 September 1921.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Times (London), Wednesday, 11 May 1887, p.9