.jpg) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSSerapis |
| Ordered | 1865 |
| Builder | Thames Shipbuilding Co.,Leamouth,London[1] |
| Yard number | 12F |
| Launched | 26 September 1866 |
| Commissioned | 2 October 1876 atPortsmouth |
| Fate | Sold 23 November 1894 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Euphrates-class troopship |
| Type | Troopship |
| Displacement | 6,211 tons[1] |
| Tons burthen | 4,206 tonsBM |
| Length | 360 ft (109.7 m) (overall) |
| Beam | 49 ft 1.5 in (15.0 m) |
| Depth of hold | 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Sail plan | Barque |
| Speed | 14 kn (26 km/h) |
| Armament | Three 4-pounder guns |
HMSSerapis was aEuphrates-class troopship commissioned for the transport of troops to and from India. She was launched in theThames on 26 September 1866 from theThames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company atLeamouth,London and was the thirdRoyal Navy ship to bear the name. She was sold in 1894.
Serapis was one of five iron-hulled vessels of theEuphrates class. All five were built to a design of 360 ft overall length by about 49 ft breadth, althoughMalabar was very slightly smaller than the rest of the class. They had a single screw, a speed of 14 knots, one funnel, abarque-rig sail plan, three 4-pounder guns and a white-painted hull. Her bow was a "ram bow" which projected forward below the waterline.
She spent all of her career on the United Kingdom to India route carrying troops, a trip that averaged 70 days. She was the only one of her class to have been completed with a compound-expansion steam engine at build, and was the first of her class to be re-engined. While her sisters replaced their single-expansion engines with compound-expansion engines, she had the opposite adaption; her 4-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion steam engine was replaced in 1869 with a 2-cylinder single-expansion steam engine.[1] The indicated power remained almost the same, and her top speed was largely unaffected, remaining at about 14 knots (26 km/h).[1]
On 12 March 1871,Serapis broke her main shaft. She was taken in tow by the British steamshipDiomed. The tow was later transferred toHMS Crocodile, which towedSerapis in toPort Said,Egypt.[2] On 22 October 1872,Serapis ran aground in theSuez Canal. She was refloated on 24 October and resumed her voyage toIndia.[3][4] On 15 October 1873, she collided with a Frenchschooner in theIndian Ocean. The schooner sank with the loss of a crew member.Serapis rescued the survivors.[5] On 6 December, she collided with the BritishsteamshipPaladine atMalta.Paladine was severely damaged,Serapis was slightly damaged but had to put back to Malta for repairs.[6] In September 1875 she transported thePrince of Wales to India to celebrateQueen Victoria's appointment asEmpress of India. In 1884 the commanding officer, Captain Arthur Dupuis, was suspended after the ship grounded off Portland.[7] In April 1886 she became part of the Indian training squadron.[citation needed]. On 24 November, she ran aground atSouthsea,Hampshire. She was on a voyage fromSuez,Egypt toPortsmouth, Hampshire. She was refloated with assistance from twotugs and taken in to Portsmouth.[8]
She was sold to I Cohen on 23 November 1894 along with her sister shipEuphrates.[1]
All 5Euphrates-class troopships could be identified by a different coloured hull band.Serapis had a green hull band.[9]
