Archer-class sloop

	HMS Wasp in 1860
Class overview
Name	Archer class
Builders	Deptford Dockyard
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	HMS Reynard
Succeeded by	HMS Miranda
Cost	£41,404 (Archer); £33,521 (Wasp)
Built	1847—1850
In service	1850—1869
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics
Type	Screw sloop
Displacement	1,337 tons
Tons burthen	97040/94 bm
Length	186 ft 4 in (56.8 m) gundeck; 162 ft 6+1⁄4 in (49.5 m) keel reported for tonnage;
Beam	33 ft 10 in (10.3 m) maximum, 33 ft 6 in (10.2 m) reported for tonnage
Draught	14 ft 3⁄4 in (4.3 m) mean
Depth of hold	19 ft 0 in (5.8 m)
Installed power	Archer: 202 nhp, 347 ihp (259 kW); Wasp: 100 nhp, 280 ihp (210 kW);
Propulsion	Archer:; 2-cylinder horizontal geared single-expansion steam engine; Single screw; Wasp:; 2-cylinder vertical oscillating single-expansion steam engine; Single screw;
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	170
Armament	2 × 68-pounder (87 cwt) guns; 10 × 32-pounder (42cwt) guns;

On 26 March 1846, two vessels were ordered from Deptford Dockyard as Rifleman-designed gunvessels named Archer and Parthian. However, on 9 September 1846 the orders for both vessels were suspended prior to the vessels being laid down. On 25 April 1847 two vessels were ordered to the improved Rattler-type screw sloops as designed by John Edye of the Surveyor's Department from Deptford Dockyard. The first vessel, Archer may have been the change of the build from the Rifleman type to the sloop design. The second vessel, Wasp, appears to be a new vessel as the build for the Parthian remained on the books at Deptford until June 1849, when it was cancelled. Archer received the machinery from the gunvessel Rifleman, which resulted in an increase of speed over Wasp. Wasp's hull was sheathed in Muntz metal to retard marine growth. Their armament would increase from 12 to 15 guns over their careers. Both vessels would participate in the Russian War of 1854–1855 (one in the Baltic Sea, the other in the Black Sea). Both would be broken by 1869.

According to Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. College, the original order for Parthian was cancelled in June 1849. This reference does not support the renaming of the vessel under either the Parthian or Wasp entry. British Warships in the Age of Sail (1817 – 1863), by Rif Winfield, states she was renamed to Wasp on 25 August 1847.

Archer was the second named vessel since its introduction for a 12-gun gun brig launched by Perry at Blackwall on 2 April 1801 and sold on 14 December 1815.

Wasp was the seventh named vessel since it was introduced for a 8-gun sloop launched by Portsmouth Dockyard on 4 July 1749, and sold on 4 January 1781.

Parthian was the second named vessel since it was introduced for a 16-gun brig sloop of the Cherokee class, launched by Bernard of Deptford on 13 February 1808 and wrecked off the coast of Egypt on 15 May 1828.

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