HMS Malabar (1866)

HMS Malabar was a Euphrates-class troopship launched in 1866, and the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to employ the name. She was designed to carry troops between the United Kingdom and British India, and was employed in that role for most of her life. She became the base ship in Bermuda in 1897, was renamed HMS Terror in 1901 and was sold in 1918. Her name was later used for part of the Royal Dockyard in Bermuda.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Malabar.

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Malabar
Ordered: 1865
Builder: Thames Shipbuilding Co., Leamouth, London[1]
Yard number: 120
Launched: 8 December 1866[Note 1][2][3]
Fate:
  • Became the base ship at Bermuda in 1897
  • Renamed HMS Terror on 1 May 1905
  • Sold in January 1918
General characteristics
Class and type: Euphrates-class troopship
Type: Troopship
Displacement: 6,186 tons, 4,189 tons BM[1]
Length: 360 ft (109.7 m) (overall)
Beam: 49 ft 0.75 in (15.0 m)
Depth of hold: 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)
Installed power:
  • As built: 4,893 ihp (3,649 kW)
  • From 1873: unknown[1]
Propulsion:
  • 2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion (later compound-expansion) trunk engine
  • Single screw
Sail plan: Barque
Speed: 15 kn (28 km/h)
Armament: Three 4-pounder guns

Design

Malabar was one of five iron-hulled vessels of the Euphrates class. All five were built to a design of 360 ft overall length by about 49 ft breadth, although Malabar was very slightly smaller than the rest of the class. They had a single screw, a speed of 14 knots, one funnel, a barque-rig sail plan, three 4-pounder guns, and a white painted hull. Her bow was a "ram bow" which projected forward below the waterline.

Identification

The "Euphrates" Class troopships could each be identified by a different coloured hull band. The Malabar's hull band was black. The blue hull band of her sister Euphrates became the standard for all HM Troopships.[4]

Career

She was built for the transport of troops between the United Kingdom and the Indian sub-continent, and was operated by the Royal Navy. She carried up to 1,200 troops and family on a passage of approximately 70 days.

In common with her sisters she was re-engined, her single-expansion steam engine being replaced with a Napier 2-cylinder compound-expansion engine in 1873.[1]

In 1878 or early 1879 she grounded in Whitsand Bay near Plymouth. Her commanding officer, Captain Percy Luxmoore, was dismissed from the ship and replaced by Captain John Grant.[3]

Fate

She became the base ship at Bermuda in 1897 and was renamed HMS Terror on 1 May 1905; the name Malabar was later used by the Royal Naval dockyard at Bermuda. Terror was sold in January 1918.[1]

Commanding officers
HMS Malabar
FromUntilCaptain[3]
22 March 186713 February 1870Captain Frederic Dampier Rich
14 February 187021 August 1872Captain Sholto Douglas
17 October 187210 September 1874Captain Thomas Baker Martin Sulivan
10 September 187426 October 1874Captain Edward Thomas Nott (died in command)
30 October 1874Captain Edward Kelly
27 April 18788 February 1879Captain Percy Patt Luxmoore
8 February 1879Captain John Frederick George Grant
August 1887Early 1890Captain Arthur Dalrymple Fanshawe

Notes
  1. Although Winfield has 1865, this is a misprint and should read 1866. Copies of the Errata may be requested from the author.

References
  1. Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6.
  2. Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  3. "HMS Malabar at William Loney RN website". Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  4. The Royal Navy at Malta, Volume One: The Victorian Era - 1865-1906, page 51, by Richard Ellis & Lt. Cdr. Ben Warlaw RN - ISBN 0907771432
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