Lord Clyde class ironclad

Broadside Ironclad Frigates: HMS Lord Clyde, Lord Warden. In service 1866-1885.

Design of the class

Development

The “ironclad race” kickstarted between France and Britain in 1859 had almpost the same effect on the RN as the HMS Dreadnought in 1906. Suddenly British Yards were caught pants down with massive stock of wood and classic wooden ships of the line in construction. Some stopped construction to await further instructions, and indeed, a number of these wooden warships, notably a number of 90-guns, were converted into ironclads to keep pace with the race. In order cases, ships were on the stocks but not advancced enough to justify such conversion and were scrapped instead. And there was the case of wood stockpiles, now seasoned timber as the shipyard planned wood purchase long in advance to built ships a decade later sometimes, as any naval carpenter no, you never built a ship with gree wood, that’s a recipe for disaster. Now the question, was what to do with this seasoned timber.

Unlike most wooden-hulled ironclad of the time, that were converted, building a brand new ironclad presented some advantages. Instead of creating an ironclad out of an existing hull, causing a cascade of issues, notably stability, as was the case for the Prince Consort class (1862), designing a wooden-hulled ironclad from the start could alleviate many of these problems. That was the idea proposed by Sir Edward Reed, chief naval architect (later “DNC” or director of naval construction) for the Royal Navy. He proposed new wooden hulls encased in iron. Edward Reed used up the stocks of timber at the Chatham and Pembroke Dockyards and thus ordered two ships, Lord Clyde (after Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde) and Lord Warden (after the position of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports). One argument was that the French were doing this since years. These wooden-hulled ironclads also maximize the armount of wood at hand and ended as the largest and fastest steaming wooden ironclad ever built.

Hull and general design

The Lord Clyde class measured 280 feet (85.3 m) long between perpendiculars for a beam of 58 feet 11 inches (18 m) and a draught of 23 feet 9 inches (7.2 m) forward, 27 feet 2 inches (8.3 m) aft. Lord Clyde displaced a bit less than her sister albeit both were declared at 7,842 long tons (7,968 t). But the first had a tonnage of 4,067 tons burthen whereas Lord Warden reached 4,080 tons burthen. Taking advantage in recent hydrodynamic research, the hull lines were particularly well refined, with a half-moon prow ending with a ram, and a pointed “cruiser” stern, well rounded below to meet the rudder. They had a single shaft to cause less drag.

As usual superstructures were much reduced. There was a forecastle and stern castle, side sponsons “conning towers” either side of the forefunnel, boats stored behind the mainmast, four boats suspended under davits alongside the sterncastle, which started with the small wheelhouse cabin. There was a gallery where the officer’s quarters were located at the poop. Their crew amounted to 605 officers and ratings.

Powerplant

The Lord Clyde class came out with different engines, in both case driving a single 4-bladed, large, fixed, low-revolution bronze propeller. The latter was later replaced by a light two-bladed prop, that could be aligned with the hull’s spine and cause less drag when not in use (under sails). HMS Lord Clyde had a single two-cylinder trunk steam engine from Ravenhill and Hodgson. Instead, Lord Warden was given three-cylinder return connecting rod engine (HRCR) from Maudslay, Sons and Field. Lord Clyde’s three-cylinder engines were the largest to be mounted in a British wooden hull, they proved also to be the most unreliable. So much so that early in her service it was replaced. The greater weight, with the addition of a poop deck, contributed to a greater displacement on Lord Warden though.

Steam came from nine rectangular boilers, runing at a pressure of 28 lb (13 kg) in both cases. This was for a designed top speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). On trials on 9 February 1867 in Stokes Bay, Lord Clyde managed 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) from 6,064 indicated horsepower (4,522 kW). Her 2-cyl. engine ran at 64.8 rpm and. On 13 September near Plymouth, Lord Warden managed to beat her at 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph) from 6,706 indicated horsepower (5,001 kW), with 62.3 rpm registered on her shaft. Both could carry 600 long tons (610 t) of coal for long deployments.

They came out fully-rigged, with three masts, for a total sail area of 31,000 square feet (2,900 m2). The base mainmast itself reached 85 ft (26 m) with a diameter of 35 in (890 mm). The only difference between Lord Clyde and Lord Warden was that the second lacked a jibboom. They were not that fast under sails, with their best speed registered under sail being of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph), making them the slowest of British ironclads.

Despite hopes from Oliver Reed, the ships had a very low centre of gravity, and suffered from poor stability as a result. On trials, captains complained how much they rolled at sea, and even believed they were the least stable in the Victorian fleet. Lord Clyde’s roll on trials was so severe, her gun ports had to be shut down in emergency and sealed when submerged by water. Not far from her, HMS Bellerophon, under the same sea conditions could fire broadsides, all port open, without issue. There was little that could be done in that regard, but after their quicks were well understood, captains that knew their limits handled them without much fuss during their career.

Protection

The Lord Clyde were among the last broadside ironclads built in Britain, and they needed an extensive protection. The entire side, except for the side of the upper deck, was protected by wrought-iron armour. It ranged from 4.5 inches (114 mm) at both ends up to 5.5 inches (140 mm) amidships. it was 6 feet (1.8 m) below the waterline. The forward chase guns, upper deck were under 4.5-inch armour plating casemate, with a 4.5-inch transverse bulkhead at their rear to prevent raking fire. The side armour was backed by 30 inches (762 mm) oak a plus the 1.5-inch (38 mm) iron skin of the ship above the wooden structure.

Armament

Lord Clyde had twenty-four 7 in (178 mm) rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns, in four pairs positioned as fore and aft chase guns, on the upper and main decks. The remaining sixteen were mounted on the broadside amidships. Lord Warden differed from her sister as she carried fourteen 8 in (203 mm) and two 7 in RML guns as planned. But given the rapid adance of gunnery technology, she was completed instead with two 9 in (229 mm), fourteen 8 in guns, and two 7 in RML guns. The latter were forward chase guns, in casemates on the main deck where. They were however very wet in service and proved useless in a head sea. One 9 in gun became a forward chase gun, on the upper deck, the other a stern chase gun, also on the main deck. The twelve 8 in guns were on the main deck broadside amidships. The remaining two were on the quarterdeck, broadside. Lord Clyde received the same in her 1870 refit.

9-in Guns

These 229 mm RML (Rifled Muzzle Loaders) had shells weighing 254 pounds (115.2 kg). Each gun weighed 12 long tons (12 t). Muzzle velocity was 1,420 ft/s (430 m/s) for a penetration of 11.3 inches (287 mm) of wrought-iron armour.

8-in guns

These 8 in gun weighed nine long tons (9.1 t), fired a 175-pound (79.4 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity of 1,410 ft/s (430 m/s). They could penetrate 9.6 inches (244 mm) of armour.

7-in guns

The 7 in gun weighed 6.5 long tons (6.6 t) and fired a 112-pound (50.8 kg) shell able to penetrate 7.7 inches (196 mm) of armour protection.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	7,940 long tons/7,942 long tons
Dimensions	280 x 59 x 27 ft 11 in (85 x 18 x 8.5 m)
Propulsion	1 shaft steam engine, 9 rectangular boilers: 6,700 ihp (5,000 kW)
Rig	Ship rig for 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) from machinery
Range	Unlimited under sail
Armament	2× 9 in (229 mm) RML, 14× 8 in RML, 2/24× 7 in RML guns
Protection	Belt 5.5 in amidships, 4.5 in fore and aft, backing 30 in oak
Crew	605

Career of the Lord Clyde and Lord Warden

HMS Lord Clyde

Lord Clyde was laid down at Pembroke Dockyard on 29 September 1863, launched on 15 September 1866 and completed on 13 October 1864. She was commissioned in June 1866 at a cost of £285,750 or £294,481 (no armament). Under command of Captain Roderick Dew, she was initially assigned to the Channel Fleet for three months as temporary flagship. She was then transferred to the Mediterranean in 1868. Lord Clyde made a Mediterranean cruisen in which she fractured her steel mainyard in a squall. Her engines deteriorated until they were condemned as unsafe by the fleet engineer. Inspections followed in Naples. She was sent to the Malta Dockyard under sail but the lack of parts and facilities meant, only temporary repairs could be made, just enough to reach Britain Plymouth.

Lord Clyde was paid off given a new engine built for her at Devonport. In addition, her initial four-bladed propeller was replaced by a lighter two-bladed propeller causing less drag. She was also rearmed and remained in reserve until 1871. She was recommissioned under command of Captain John Bythesea (recipient of the Victoria Cross, Crimean War). Lord Clyde returned to the Mediterranean Fleet.

Lord Clyde ashore on Pantellaria, with the Turkish screw-steamer Babel rendering assistance with a bower anchor. Raby Castle is lying beyond the rocks. Illustrated London News 1872

On 14 March 1872, Lord Clyde ran aground herself while trying to rescue the stranded British steamship Raby Castle off the island of Pantellaria (Italy). Lord Warden and several lighters were sent in her assistance, but the navugator failed to appreciate the danger. Attempts to lighten up Lord Clyde, by far the largest ship grounded here, and to float her off proved futile. She remained stuck fast, slowly but surely battered by wave which wrenched off her sternpost, rudder post and rudder. Lord Warden had her guns removed, all sorts of loads thrown overboars, and she was able after much efforts to be pull off four days later. She was towed for repairs at Malta, where it was estimated to take six months. Capt. Bythesea and his navigator were court-martialled and barred from seeing any work in the RN aftwerwards.

The Admiralty ordered Lord Clyde provisional repairs, just enough to return home, but that took six months at a cost of £417. She was then escorted back to Plymouth by HMS Defence. She was paid off upon arrival, engines and boilers removed in order to examine her hull thoroughly. Dockworkers reported her entire hull had been colonized by a fungus due to the original construction completing seasoned timber stocks by unseasoned wood. As a result, she spent three years in attempt to cure the wood of the fungus spreading. These efforts failed. Thus, Lord Clyde was sold for scrap in 1875 for £3,730. This was probably one of the worst ironclads in RN service so far.

HMS Lord Warden

HMS Lord Warden on Her Passage from Queensferry, Edinburgh to Portsmouth, Brown Ridge Shoal, North_Sea

Lord Warden was ordered from Chatham Dockyard and laid down on 24 December 1863, launched on 27 May 1865 and completed in 30 August 1867, commissioned in July 1867 at a cost of £328,998 or £322,843. She had her sea trials completed on 30 August. Like her sister she was active for a few months in the Channel Squadron, before being posted to the Mediterranean. On 30 January 1868, the wooden steam frigate HMS Endymion was caught in a squall whilst berthing in Valletta, Malta and collided with the Ottoman ironclad Mahmoudieh. Her bowsprit waqs torn down and she continued her errange, colliding with Lord Warden, damaging her boats and accommodation ladder. On 3 May, Lord Warden, like her sister, ran aground in the Mediterranean. She was easier to light up and tow to safery but Repairs cost £2,409 and a lieutenant was severely reprimanded. Lord Warden relieved HMS Caledonia as squadron flagship in 1869. She served as such until 1875. In March 1872, Lord Clyde ran aground off the island of Pantellaria and it was Lord Warden that in the end, was able to pull her free and tow her to Malta for repair.

In 1875-76, she was back home for a refit. After recommissioning, she was assigned to the First Reserve, guardship, Firth of Forth. She still had annual summer cruises to various ports. As the Russo-Turkish War flared up she was and assigned to the “Particular Service Squadron” formed from the First Reserve warships. It was believed that the victorious Russians could attack and take Constantinople, forcing Great Britain to intervene. Nothing of the sort happened and she was back to the Forth after her summer cruise to Ireland and a fleet review by Queen Victoria on 13 August 1878. Lord Warden in 1884 was modernized with torpedo launchers and torpedo nets. She was eventually paid off in 1885, her crew transferred to HMS Devastation. She was sold and broken up in 1889.