HMS ''Desperate'' was originally slated to be built to the Sampson designed steam vessel rated as a Steam Vessel First Class (SV1); however, the Admiralty, first rerated the vessels as First Class Sloops on 19 April 1845 then on the 9 May 1845, she was ordered as First-Class

screw sloop A screw sloop is a propeller-driven sloop-of-war. They were popularized in the mid-19th century, during the introduction of the steam engine and the transition of fleets to this new technology. The sailing sloop The British sloop in the Age o ...

s to be built from a design of Sir William Symonds,

Surveyor of the Navy The Surveyor of the Navy, originally known as Surveyor and Rigger of the Navy, held overall responsibility for the design of British warships from 1745. He was a principal commissioner and member of the Navy Board from the inauguration of tha ...

. She would be a 10-gun vessel with 400 NHP engines. She served in the Baltic during the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

, and as a store ship to

Edward Augustus Inglefield Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield (27 March 1820 – 4 September 1894) was a Royal Navy officer who led one of the searches for the missing Arctic explorer John Franklin during the 1850s. In doing so, his expedition charted previously unexpl ...

's Arctic expedition. She was broken up by 1865. ''Desperate'' was the second named vessel since it was introduced for a 12-gun gun brig launched by White at Broadstairs on 2 January 1802, converted to a mortar brig in 1811 and sold on 15 December 1814.

Construction

''Desperate''s

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

was laid in October 1845 at Pembroke dockyard and launched, after lengthening for the installation of her propeller, on 23 May 1849. She was completed for sea on 9 May 1853.Rif Winfield, Chapter 12 The trial runs for ''Desperate'', her engine generated 699 IHP for a speed of 9.432 knots. ''Desperate'' was completed for sea on 9 May 1853 at a cost of £57,740 (including machinery of £21,007).

Commissioned service

First commission

Her first commission was on 12 April 1852 under Lieutenant Frederick H. Stevens, RN to accompany as far as the ice, Sir

Edward Belcher Sir Edward Belcher (27 February 1799 – 18 March 1877) was a British naval officer, hydrographer, and explorer. Born in Nova Scotia, he was the great-grandson of Jonathan Belcher, who served as a colonial governor of Massachusetts, New ...

's squadron to search for the lost Franklin Expedition in its search for the Northwest Passage.The Victorian Navy She recommissioned on 18 December 1852 at Plymouth, under Captain William W. Chambers, RN to accompany . She accompanied ''Phoenix'' as far as

Cape Farewell, Greenland Cape Farewell (; ) is a headland on the southern shore of Egger Island, Nunap Isua Archipelago, Greenland. As the southernmost point of the country, it is one of the important landmarks of Greenland. Geography Located at , excluding small o ...

for

's Arctic expedition bringing supplies to Edward Belcher's search for

Franklin's lost expedition Franklin's lost expedition was a failed British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain Sir John Franklin that departed England in 1845 aboard two ships, and , and was assigned to traverse the last unnavigated sections of the Northwest ...

. In October 1853 she sailed for Lisbon, Portugal.RWinfeild, Chapter 12 She returned to Home Waters for a change of commanders. On 29 March 1854 under Captain Ewin C.T. d'Enycourt, RN she saw service in the Baltic during the Russian War. She returned to Home Waters on 20 September 1854 to avoid the winter freeze up in the Baltic. The squadron returned to the Baltic on 17 April 1855.Rif Winfield, Battles and Campaigns On 6 January 1855 she received a new commander in Commander Richard D. White, RN. On 10 May with her new commander, Commander George M. Jackson, RN she was transferred to the Mediterranean. She received a new commander on 11 November 1857 as Commander Robert G. Craigie, RN. She paid off at Plymouth on 1 January 1859.

Second commission

Her second Commission commenced on 19 October 1860 under the command of Commander John F. Ross at Devonport, then for service on the North America and West Indies Station. On 14 May 1861 she was proceeding to Plymouth with HMS ''St George'' to embark Prince Alfred prior to proceeding to the North America and West Indies Station. She served off Mexico, occupying Vera Cruz, after the Mexicans had postponed the payment of indemnities to Britons who had suffered in recent revolutions. On 31 July 1862 Commander Arthur T. Thrupp took command.Navy List October 1862, Item 154 In mid 1863 she returned to Home Waters paying off at Plymouth on 7 November 1863.

Disposition

She was broken at Devonport Dockyard in August 1865.

Notes

References

* * * Rif Winfield; British Warships in the Age of Sail (1817 - 1863): published by Seaforth Publishing, England (c) 2014; e
The Victorian Navy, William N. Looney, Desperate
* Navy List, HM Stationery Office, London {{DEFAULTSORT:Desperate (1849) Ships built in Pembroke Dock Victorian-era sloops of the United Kingdom Sloops of the Royal Navy Sloop classes 1849 ships