HMS Trident (1845)
HMS "Trident" was an iron paddle sloop built for the Royal Navy by Ditchburn & Mare in 1845 at Leamouth, London. Design and construction. "Trident"s design was commissioned on 2 August 1842 for a steam yacht to replace HMS "Black Eagle" (previously "Firebrand"). She was a third class iron paddle sloop, the only ship ever built to her design. The builder's design was approved on 22 August 1843 and she was launched on 16 December 1845. Her hull cost £17,000, and her machinery another £17,502. Fitting out was estimated to have cost a further £ 6,864. Propulsion. She was originally intended to be fitted with a Maudslay side lever engine of 200 nominal horsepower, but received a Boulton, Watt & Co. two-cylinder oscillating steam engine with diameter cylinders and stroke. The engine was rated at 350 nominal horsepower and propelled her at a maximum speed of through a pair of paddle wheels. Armament. "Trident" received a pair of 10-inch (85 cwt) guns and two (later four) 32-pounder gunnades. Service. HMS "Trident" commissioned for the first time on 8 August 1846 for the Mediterranean. On 26 September 1849, she collided with in the Atlantic  Ocean south east of the Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork. HMS "Dwarf" was severely damaged. Her crew were taken off by HMS "Trident", which towed her in to Kinsale, County Cork. Between 1852 and 1861 she served on the South America Station and in the West Africa Squadron. On 11 December 1861 her commanding officer, Commander Beville Nicolas, was dismissed the service for cruelty after excessively punishing two boys for leave breaking at Gibraltar. She paid off at Woolwich on 20 December 1864. Fate. "Trident" was broken up by Castle at Charlton in January 1866. HMS Trident (1845) HMS