HMS Amethyst (1873)

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HMS Amethyst (1873) was the lead ship of the Amethyst-class wooden corvettes built for the Royal Navy in the early 1870s. She served in several overseas waters and is best remembered for fighting an armored opponent.

Design and construction
- Built at Devonport Dockyard, laid down in 1871, launched 19 April 1873, and completed in July 1873.
- Size and crew: about 220 feet long, 37 feet beam, 18 feet draft, displacing around 1,934 long tons, with a crew of about 225.
- Propulsion: a single two-cylinder steam engine and six boilers, driving one propeller; possible top speed about 13 knots. The ship also carried sails (ship rig) and could hoist the propeller at speed to reduce drag under sail.
- Hull: wooden construction (no watertight bulkheads).
- Armament: twelve 64-pounder guns on the broadside and two 64-pounder chase guns; in 1878 the larger guns were upgraded.

Service history
- Amethyst began her career on the South American Station as the senior officer’s ship and was briefly diverted to support the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in 1873.
- In 1875 she moved to the Pacific Station. In 1877, she took part in the Battle of Pacocha against the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar. Although Huáscar was a stronger target, Amethyst and the other British ship, Shah, pressed the action; Huáscar escaped to Peru the next day.
- On 15 July 1877, Amethyst tried to rescue 43 survivors from the wreck of the British steamer Eten at Los Velos Point, Chile, but bad weather prevented the rescue.
- After a lengthy refit, Amethyst returned to service in 1882 as the senior officer’s ship for southeastern South America and remained in that role until 1885.
- She was sold for scrap in November 1887.

Key facts
- Class/type: Amethyst-class wooden screw corvette
- Length/beam/draught: about 220 ft × 37 ft × 18 ft
- Displacement/crew: ~1,934 long tons; ~225 officers and men
- Propulsion: steam engine with six boilers and a single propeller, plus sails
- Speed/range: ~13 knots; range 2,060–2,500 nautical miles at 10 knots
- Armament: twelve 64-pounder guns on the broadside and two chase guns (upgraded in 1878)
- Notable: the only British wooden sailing ship to square off with an armored opponent in battle (Pacocha)
- Fate: sold for scrap, 1887