Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Fantome-class sloop

The Fantome class was a six-ship class of 4-gun screw composite sloops built for the Royal Navy during 1873 and 1874.

Last revised
Jun 12, 2026
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HMS Egeria
Class overview
NameFantome-class sloops
Builders
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byEclipse class
Succeeded byOsprey class
Cost
  • Egeria:
  • Hull £32,468, machinery £10,4141
Built1873–1874
In commission1873–1911
Completed6
Scrapped6
General characteristics
TypeScrew composite sloop
Displacement949 long tons (964 t)
Tons burthen727 bm
Length160 ft (48.8 m) (p/p)
Beam31 ft 4 in (9.6 m)
Draught14 ft (4.3 m)
Depth15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Installed power836–1,011 ihp (623–754 kW)
Propulsion
Sail planBarque rig
Speed10–11 knots (19–20 km/h; 12–13 mph)
Range1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement140
Armament

The Fantome class was a six-ship class of 4-gun screw composite sloops2 built for the Royal Navy during 1873 and 1874.

Design

Construction

Fantome and her sister ships were constructed with an iron frame that was sheathed in teak and copper (hence 'composite').

Propulsion

The ships were powered by a two-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine supplied by Humphrys, Tennant & Co. This engine powered an 11-foot (3.4 m) diameter screw. Steam was generated by three cylindrical boilers operating at 60 pounds per square inch (4.1 bar). The indicated horsepower varied from 836 to 1,011 ihp (623 to 754 kW). Additionally, Daring was equipped with a trunk engine provided by John Penn & Sons.1

Sailing rig

All ships in the class were provided with a full barque rig.

Armament

The Fantome class carried two 7-inch (180 mm) and two 64-pounder muzzle-loading rifles, all mounted on pivots.

Evaluation

Built during a significant technological change in naval architecture, these composite sloops became obsolete before they were completed. Nevertheless, they served an important role on the far-flung stations of the British Empire, including participation in minor wars, such as the Perak War. They were also used for hydrography, and for this reason, Egeria was retained until 1911.

Ships

Name Ship builder Launched Fate
Fantome Pembroke Dock 26 March 1873 Sold 188923
Albatross Chatham Dockyard1 24 July 1873 Scrapped 188924
Daring Blackwall Yard, London 4 February 1874 Sold 188925
Egeria Pembroke Dock 1 November 1873 Sold 1911 26
Flying Fish Chatham Dockyard1 27 November 1873 Sold 188827
Sappho Money Wigram & Sons, Blackwall Yard1 20 October 1873 Sold 188728
Notes

Notes

  1. Winfield (2004)
  2. "Naval Sloops at battleships-cruisers.co.uk". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  3. "HMS Fantome at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  4. "RN Ships (A) at William Looney website". Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  5. "RN Ships (D) at William Looney website". Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  6. "HMS Egeria at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  7. "HMS Flying Fish at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  8. "HMS Sappho at William Looney website". Retrieved 30 August 2008.
Bibliography

Bibliography

  • Ballard, G. A. (1939). "British Sloops of 1875: The Smaller Composite Type". Mariner's Mirror. 25 (April). Cambridge, UK: Society for Nautical Research: 151–61.
  • Roberts, John (1979). "Great Britain and Empire Forces". In Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M. (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
  • Lyon, David & Winfield, Rif (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555.