# Last RN square rigger



## abdiel (Sep 5, 2008)

Hi everyone, does anyone know the name of the last square rigger that was launched for the Royal Navy?
I always thought it was HMS Worrior but apparently there were others after her . Can anyone help please.


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

I could be wrong, but I think it was HMS Shannon 1875 -- the first British armoured cruiser. She was the last Royal Navy ironclad to be built which had a propeller that could be hoisted out of the water to reduce drag when she was under sail, and the first to have an armoured deck.

Chris.


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## eddyw (Nov 6, 2007)

Pretty sure the last ones were the training brigs launched as late as the 1890's.


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## Geoff_E (Nov 24, 2006)

I've got a book called, "Pictorial History of the Royal Navy - vol. 1 1816 - 80" with a lot of photos of the weird and wonderful ships launched in the transition from sail to steam.

Author; Anthony J. Watts; Ian Allan 1970; ISBN 7110 0186 3

there is a photograph of HMS Inflexible (completed 1881) with two square-rigged masts, definitely intended to carry sail. Her photo caption mentions that she was; "the first British warship to carry her guns en echelon. At the time the 16" guns were the heaviest afloat".


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## Chouan (Apr 20, 2006)

We'll have to have a clear definition here. Last ship that was square rigged, or *last ship that was square rigged and intended to use the rig to carry working sails*?


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## eddyw (Nov 6, 2007)

Nominate HMS MAYFLOWER, wooden Training Brig, launched Pembroke Royal Dockyard 20 January 1890.


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## McCloggie (Apr 19, 2008)

Chouan is right - the definition of Square Rigged is all important.

The CADMUS class sloops seem to have crossed yards on the foremast. 

In particular, HMS FANTONE completed in 1902 would appear to be the last built and seems to have been "square rigged" on the foremast.

I am a complete novice at this ships history business so could well be wrong!

McC


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## abdiel (Sep 5, 2008)

*Last square rigger*

Thanks for your responces so far every one. What I mean is a 'Cutty sark' type rigging, three or four masts with mains, top galants, royals (types of sails) the whole shootin match.


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## eddyw (Nov 6, 2007)

Do steamships with auxiliary sails count. Do dual propulsion ships count - sails for passage making and steam for action ("Up funnel - down screw")
Mayflower (1890) had square sails on both masts and was unpowered.


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## Steve Woodward (Sep 4, 2006)

A probable contender for this would be the Condor class HMS Mutine, she was built circa 1902 and only scrapped in 1932 some ten years after the last of the Cadmus class, the Cadmus class only had a couple of square yards on the foremast whilst the Condor class had square yards on two of their three masts


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