HMS Karrakatta (1889)
| Company type | Sharpshooter-class torpedo gunboat |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval military ship |
| Founded | 27 August 1889 |
| Founder | Armstrong Whitworth |
| Fate | Sold in July 1905 |
| Headquarters | Elswick, Tyne and Wear , United Kingdom |
| Products | Naval warship |
HMS Karrakatta (also spelled Karakatta) was a Royal Navy Sharpshooter-class torpedo gunboat launched in 1889. She served within the Auxiliary Squadron on the Australia Station from 1890 until 1903 before being sold in 1905.
Design
The Sharpshooter class was designed by Sir William White in 1888. These vessels measured 242 ft (74 m) in overall length, had a beam of 27 ft (8.2 m), and displaced 735 tons.[1] Propulsion was provided by two triple-expansion steam engines paired with locomotive-type boilers powering twin screws. This configuration generated 2,500 indicated horsepower (1,900 kW) under natural draught and 3,600 indicated horsepower (2,700 kW) with forced draught, enabling a maximum speed of 19 knots (35 km/h).[1] The ships carried 100 tons of coal, which allowed an operational range of approximately 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h). The crew complement consisted of 91 officers and enlisted personnel.[1]
Armament
Upon completion, the class was armed with two QF 4.7-inch (12 cm)/45-pounder guns alongside four 3-pounder guns. Additionally, they were equipped with five 14-inch (360 mm) torpedo tubes, with three spare torpedoes available for reload.[1]
Construction and career
Initially designated Wizard, the vessel was constructed by Armstrong Whitworth at their Elswick, Tyne and Wear shipyard, with her keel laid as yard number 546 on 17 August 1888.[1] She was subsequently launched on 27 August 1889.[2]
On 2 April 1890, she received the new name Karrakatta and entered service for the first time in February 1891,[1] joining the Auxiliary Squadron assigned to the Australia Station. The ship reached Sydney alongside the squadron on 5 September 1891. By 1900, records indicate she was engaged in safeguarding maritime commerce within Australian waters.[3] In November 1900, command was assumed by Lieutenant Godfrey Edwin Corbett. The ship departed from the Australia Station on 4 December 1903 and was decommissioned in April 1904.[2]
In July 1905, she was sold at Portsmouth for £1875.[2]