563:
61:
431:
1476:
33:
1471:
577:
now lies in 10 m (33 ft) of water about 0.2 nmi (0.37 km) offshore from Daniel's Head, at the west end of
Bermuda. She lies in a narrow gap in the coral reef, with the bow just above water. She is well known locally and is often visited by glass-bottomed boats and divers, having
949:
Sunk deliberately, the HMS Vixen was a Royal Navy gunboat launched out of the UK in 1866. After serving her military career, she was supposed to be sold for scrap in
Bermuda. However, the military brain trust at the time decided Bermuda needed protective barriers in key spots around the island. The
918:
The HMS Vixen was an armoured gunboat that served with distinction, protecting the Royal Navy
Dockyard in Bermuda. After finishing her days as an accommodation hulk for dockyard workers, the Vixen was scuttled off Daniel's Head in 1895, laying in a narrow gap in the coral reef, with the bow just
533:
rescued a disabled barque. 1873 saw the loss of all rigging, masts and upperdeck equipment, and this must have helped her to survive the 1878 hurricane which caused serious damage to the floating dock and other dockyard facilities. In 1895, she was used as an accommodation hulk for dockyard
1086:
362:
was reinforced by massive ironwork structures. Underwater, her hull was sheathed in copper to prevent marine growth. Vertical trunks were provided at the stern to lift the screws clear of the hull, thereby allowing a better hull-form for purely wind-driven sailing.
357:
was an armoured gunboat of the breastwork type. Her hull was of composite construction, with iron frames and iron bulwarks, but with an outer cladding of 140 mm (5.5 in) teak over the entire hull. An armoured citadel protected her machinery and the
617:
In 1986, Professor
Richard Gould began his investigation of the wreck with volunteers from EarthWatch and support from the Bermuda Maritime Museum. By 1988, they had amassed 13 weeks of diving at the site, and in 1991 Gould published "The Archaeology of
444:
was ordered from
Charles Lungley of Deptford on 22 March 1864 and laid down the same year. She was launched on 18 November 1865 and commissioned in 1866 under Commander Spencer Phipps Brett for comparative trials. Her total cost was £54,193.
549:
had been sold to a local scrap merchant. In 1896, Vice-Admiral James
Erskine recommended the channel be covered by shore batteries against torpedo boat attack, and in order to make such boats pass close to Daniel's Head,
371:
She was equipped with two sets of 4-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engines, each set powering one of her two-bladed, 9 ft diameter
Maudslay & Griffiths screws. In total she developed an
573:
Once her engines had been removed, she was placed across the Chubb Cut and massive scuttling charges were detonated. Her keel was broken, and she settled in her final resting place.
1160:
1503:
1113:
376:
740 horsepower, sufficient for a top speed of 8.9 knots (16.5 km/h). Steam was provided by two
Maudslay iron fire-tube boilers with six furnaces.
545:
to close the channel, but the
Hydrographer's Report of 1888 declared the approaches from that direction safe from attack. By December 1895,
581:
1191:
518:
were towed to
Bermuda in 1868 where they operated within the reefline as floating defensive batteries, extending the defences of the
507:
1106:
697:
1053:
1034:
1010:
1523:
1498:
1099:
847:
407:
was armed with two 7-inch (6½-ton) muzzle-loading rifled guns and two 20-pounder breech-loading rifled guns. One of
1513:
1020:
32:
1508:
60:
1184:
519:
176:
45:
270:
165:
902:
933:"Destinations-East Coast & Bermuda-Where to Go Snorkeling in Bermuda: HMS Vixen Wreck, Daniel's Head"
864:
781:
1479:
1475:
1470:
1466:
1206:
468:
during the late 1860s. Although turning ability was impressive, none of the ships attained more than
1287:
388:
rig, but in 1873 all masts, rigging and upper deck obstructions were removed after the decision for
1267:
1177:
419:
1001:
578:
become something of a tourist attraction. The wreck is visible on satellite imagery in position
1431:
1297:
932:
1369:
1147:
321:
1169:
373:
203:
1409:
510:
during a winter gale in 1876, making her unsuitable for the open sea under steam or sail.
1077:
562:
8:
1518:
1317:
1226:
665:
1451:
1420:
1236:
880:
483:
801:
216:
Two 2-cylinder horizontal single-expansion steam engines by Maudslay, Sons & Field
1399:
1059:
1049:
1030:
1006:
843:
1002:
Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy
626:, giving a comprehensive account of the construction, history and fate of the ship.
1258:
1140:
876:
705:
315:
282:
4.5 in (11 cm) iron belt and bulkheads on 10 in (25 cm) of teak
1359:
1349:
1308:
1277:
1091:
1025:
996:
302:
to bear the name. She was the first Royal Navy vessel to have twin propellers.
264:
1492:
1217:
903:"15 stunningly beautiful shipwrecks you must visit: 2. H.M.S. Vixen, Bermuda"
596:
583:
1063:
967:
840:
The Andrew and The Onions: The Story of The Royal Navy in Bermuda, 1795–1975
430:
1389:
1379:
1246:
385:
1046:
The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889
950:
Vixen was scuttled in 1896 near Daniel's Head off Bermuda's west coast.
465:
299:
1441:
542:
541:
The Daniel's Head Channel Act (1887) had authorised the sinking of a
535:
20:
94:
1026:
Send a Gunboat: The Victorian Navy and Supremacy at Sea, 1854–1904
525:
In July 1869, both ships were employed to bring the floating dock
326:, and all three were built mostly as experimental vessels. While
359:
295:
865:"The archaeology of HMS Vixen, an early ironclad ram in Bermuda"
1199:
838:
Stranack, Royal Navy, Lieutenant-Commander B. Ian D (1977).
298:, the only ship of her class, and the third ship of the
1161:
List of gunboat and gunvessel classes of the Royal Navy
837:
534:
labourers and in 1895 listed as 'to be sold' in the
1087:
Satellite image of HMS Vixen's final resting place.
806:
Experimental Jet-Propelled Ironclad Gunboat (1866)"
1019:
788:The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
624:The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
554:was sunk in the channel, probably the same year.
418:s 7-inch guns was displayed on the waterfront at
1490:
1121:
529:from The Narrows to the dockyard, and in 1870,
245:1,080 nmi (2,000 km) at maximum speed
995:
1185:
1107:
1005:(Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.
869:International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
612:
1504:Victorian-era gunboats of the United Kingdom
1043:
1192:
1178:
1114:
1100:
265:7-inch (6½-ton) muzzle-loading rifled guns
1200:Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1896
930:
782:Richard A Gould, "The archaeology of HMS
777:
775:
773:
771:
561:
429:
19:For other ships with the same name, see
769:
767:
765:
763:
761:
759:
757:
755:
753:
751:
622:, an early ironclad ram in Bermuda" in
1491:
931:Lewinski, John Scott (17 March 2023).
863:Gould, Richard A. (22 February 2007).
629:
502:knots (26.9 km/h). Furthermore,
482:knots (17.6 km/h) in an era when
1173:
1095:
962:
960:
958:
900:
862:
786:, an early ironclad ram in Bermuda",
338:had a water-pump propulsion system.
58:
748:
741:
739:
737:
735:
733:
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
434:A contemporary cut-away diagram of
13:
1082:at ShipWreckExpo, with photographs
955:
881:10.1111/j.1095-9270.1991.tb00307.x
875:(2). Informa UK Limited: 141–153.
396:to remain permanently in Bermuda.
14:
1535:
1071:
720:
677:Commander Louis Hutton Versturme
346:mainly in her iron construction.
1474:
1469:
1029:(2nd ed.). London: Conway.
464:conducted comparative trials at
138:Sold at Bermuda in December 1895
59:
31:
1044:Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004).
654:Commander Spencer Phipps Brett
425:
194:11 ft (3.4 m) maximum
1048:. London: Chatham Publishing.
924:
894:
856:
831:
819:
794:
690:
229:Barquentine rig (removed 1873)
1:
989:
901:Moore, Peter (5 April 2019).
842:. Bermuda: Island Press Ltd.
520:Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
366:
1123:Royal Navy armoured gunboats
683:
379:
237:8.9 kn (16.5 km/h)
7:
399:
310:Designed by the Admiralty,
10:
1540:
1524:Maritime incidents in 1896
1499:Gunboats of the Royal Navy
702:at Naval Database website"
613:Investigation of the wreck
294:was an armoured composite
141:Sunk as a blockship c.1896
18:
16:Armoured composite gunboat
1464:
1340:
1205:
1158:
1129:
972:at William Loney website"
597:32.3059194°N 64.8855222°W
448:
334:were twin screw vessels,
305:
147:
53:
30:
939:. Celebrity Cruises, Inc
384:She was equipped with a
175:160 ft (49 m)
1514:Ships built in Deptford
999:; Warlow, Ben (2006) .
602:32.3059194; -64.8855222
557:
506:was nearly lost in the
349:
186:32 ft (9.8 m)
148:General characteristics
1023:; Major, John (2007).
570:
566:Bermuda, wreck of HMS
438:
40:(left) and the barque
1509:Shipwrecks of Bermuda
1408:June (unknown date):
826:Bermuda Royal Gazette
745:Winfield (2004) p.264
565:
433:
422:as recently as 1991.
314:was a half-sister to
48:between 1867 and 1873
790:(1991) 20.2: 141-153
708:on 18 November 2005
666:Charles Davis Lucas
630:Commanding officers
593: /
271:RBL 20-pounder guns
571:
439:
1486:
1485:
1167:
1166:
1078:The wreck of HMS
1055:978-1-86176-032-6
1036:978-0-85177-923-2
1012:978-1-86176-281-8
937:Celebrity Cruises
681:
680:
648:29 September 1866
286:
285:
93:Charles Lungley,
1531:
1478:
1473:
1457:
1446:
1436:
1426:
1415:
1404:
1394:
1384:
1374:
1364:
1354:
1333:
1322:
1312:
1302:
1292:
1282:
1272:
1262:
1252:
1241:
1231:
1221:
1194:
1187:
1180:
1171:
1170:
1116:
1109:
1102:
1093:
1092:
1067:
1040:
1016:
983:
982:
980:
978:
964:
953:
952:
946:
944:
928:
922:
921:
915:
913:
898:
892:
891:
889:
887:
860:
854:
853:
835:
829:
823:
817:
816:
814:
812:
798:
792:
779:
746:
743:
718:
717:
715:
713:
704:. Archived from
694:
634:
633:
608:
607:
605:
604:
603:
598:
594:
591:
590:
589:
586:
501:
500:
496:
493:
481:
480:
476:
473:
417:
120:18 November 1865
66:
63:
46:Bermuda Dockyard
35:
28:
27:
1539:
1538:
1534:
1533:
1532:
1530:
1529:
1528:
1489:
1488:
1487:
1482:
1460:
1449:
1439:
1429:
1418:
1407:
1397:
1387:
1377:
1367:
1357:
1347:
1341:Other incidents
1336:
1325:
1315:
1305:
1295:
1285:
1275:
1265:
1255:
1244:
1238:Drummond Castle
1234:
1224:
1214:
1201:
1198:
1168:
1163:
1154:
1125:
1120:
1074:
1056:
1037:
1021:Preston, Antony
1013:
997:Colledge, J. J.
992:
987:
986:
976:
974:
966:
965:
956:
942:
940:
929:
925:
911:
909:
899:
895:
885:
883:
861:
857:
850:
836:
832:
828:, 3 August 1869
824:
820:
810:
808:
800:
799:
795:
780:
749:
744:
721:
711:
709:
696:
695:
691:
686:
651:25 January 1867
632:
615:
601:
599:
595:
592:
587:
584:
582:
580:
579:
560:
498:
494:
491:
489:
478:
474:
471:
469:
451:
428:
415:
402:
382:
369:
352:
308:
199:Installed power
64:
49:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1537:
1527:
1526:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1484:
1483:
1465:
1462:
1461:
1459:
1458:
1447:
1437:
1427:
1416:
1405:
1395:
1385:
1375:
1365:
1355:
1344:
1342:
1338:
1337:
1335:
1334:
1323:
1313:
1309:Nathan F. Cobb
1303:
1293:
1283:
1273:
1263:
1253:
1242:
1232:
1222:
1211:
1209:
1203:
1202:
1197:
1196:
1189:
1182:
1174:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1152:
1145:
1138:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1119:
1118:
1111:
1104:
1096:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1073:
1072:External links
1070:
1069:
1068:
1054:
1041:
1035:
1017:
1011:
991:
988:
985:
984:
954:
923:
893:
855:
848:
830:
818:
793:
747:
719:
688:
687:
685:
682:
679:
678:
675:
673:
669:
668:
662:
660:
656:
655:
652:
649:
645:
644:
641:
638:
631:
628:
614:
611:
559:
556:
488:could achieve
450:
447:
427:
424:
401:
398:
381:
378:
368:
365:
351:
348:
342:differed from
307:
304:
284:
283:
280:
276:
275:
274:
273:
267:
259:
255:
254:
251:
247:
246:
243:
239:
238:
235:
231:
230:
227:
223:
222:
221:
220:
217:
212:
208:
207:
200:
196:
195:
192:
188:
187:
184:
180:
179:
173:
169:
168:
162:
158:
157:
154:
150:
149:
145:
144:
143:
142:
139:
134:
130:
129:
126:
122:
121:
118:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
102:
98:
97:
91:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
72:
68:
67:
65:United Kingdom
56:
55:
51:
50:
36:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1536:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1496:
1494:
1481:
1477:
1472:
1468:
1463:
1456:
1455:
1448:
1445:
1444:
1438:
1435:
1434:
1428:
1425:
1424:
1417:
1414:
1413:
1406:
1403:
1402:
1396:
1393:
1392:
1386:
1383:
1382:
1376:
1373:
1372:
1366:
1363:
1362:
1356:
1353:
1352:
1346:
1345:
1343:
1339:
1332:
1331:
1326:Unknown date
1324:
1321:
1320:
1314:
1311:
1310:
1304:
1301:
1300:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1289:Samuel P. Ely
1284:
1281:
1280:
1274:
1271:
1270:
1264:
1261:
1260:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1233:
1230:
1229:
1223:
1220:
1219:
1213:
1212:
1210:
1208:
1204:
1195:
1190:
1188:
1183:
1181:
1176:
1175:
1172:
1162:
1157:
1151:
1150:
1146:
1144:
1143:
1139:
1137:
1136:
1132:
1131:
1128:
1124:
1117:
1112:
1110:
1105:
1103:
1098:
1097:
1094:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1076:
1075:
1065:
1061:
1057:
1051:
1047:
1042:
1038:
1032:
1028:
1027:
1022:
1018:
1014:
1008:
1004:
1003:
998:
994:
993:
973:
971:
963:
961:
959:
951:
938:
934:
927:
920:
908:
904:
897:
882:
878:
874:
870:
866:
859:
851:
849:9780921560036
845:
841:
834:
827:
822:
807:
805:
797:
791:
789:
785:
778:
776:
774:
772:
770:
768:
766:
764:
762:
760:
758:
756:
754:
752:
742:
740:
738:
736:
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
707:
703:
701:
693:
689:
676:
674:
671:
670:
667:
663:
661:
658:
657:
653:
650:
647:
646:
642:
639:
636:
635:
627:
625:
621:
610:
606:
585:32°18′21.31″N
576:
569:
564:
555:
553:
548:
544:
539:
537:
532:
528:
523:
521:
517:
513:
509:
508:Irish Channel
505:
487:
486:
467:
463:
459:
455:
446:
443:
437:
432:
423:
421:
414:
410:
406:
397:
395:
391:
387:
377:
375:
364:
361:
356:
347:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
324:
319:
318:
313:
303:
301:
297:
293:
292:
281:
278:
277:
272:
268:
266:
262:
261:
260:
257:
256:
252:
249:
248:
244:
241:
240:
236:
233:
232:
228:
225:
224:
218:
215:
214:
213:
210:
209:
206:(550 kW)
205:
201:
198:
197:
193:
190:
189:
185:
182:
181:
178:
174:
171:
170:
167:
163:
160:
159:
155:
152:
151:
146:
140:
137:
136:
135:
132:
131:
127:
124:
123:
119:
116:
115:
111:
108:
107:
103:
100:
99:
96:
92:
89:
88:
85:22 March 1864
84:
81:
80:
77:
73:
70:
69:
62:
57:
52:
47:
43:
39:
34:
29:
26:
22:
1453:
1442:
1432:
1422:
1411:
1400:
1390:
1380:
1370:
1361:La Bourgogne
1360:
1351:La Bourgogne
1350:
1329:
1327:
1319:British Peer
1318:
1307:
1298:
1288:
1278:
1268:
1257:
1248:
1237:
1227:
1216:
1148:
1141:
1134:
1133:
1122:
1079:
1045:
1024:
1000:
977:23 September
975:. Retrieved
969:
948:
941:. Retrieved
936:
926:
919:above water.
917:
910:. Retrieved
906:
896:
884:. Retrieved
872:
868:
858:
839:
833:
825:
821:
809:. Retrieved
803:
796:
787:
783:
712:23 September
710:. Retrieved
706:the original
699:
692:
672:17 June 1868
659:17 June 1867
623:
619:
616:
588:64°53′7.88″W
574:
572:
567:
551:
546:
540:
530:
526:
524:
515:
511:
503:
484:
461:
457:
453:
452:
441:
440:
435:
426:Construction
412:
408:
404:
403:
393:
389:
383:
370:
354:
353:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
322:
316:
311:
309:
290:
288:
287:
161:Tons burthen
153:Displacement
125:Commissioned
75:
41:
37:
25:
1279:Australasia
1269:W. W. Story
600: /
420:St George's
386:barquentine
219:Twin screws
44:(right) at
1519:1865 ships
1493:Categories
1371:Rosstrevor
1207:Shipwrecks
1149:Waterwitch
990:References
907:Wanderlust
804:Waterwitch
664:Commander
466:Stokes Bay
462:Waterwitch
367:Propulsion
336:Waterwitch
323:Waterwitch
300:Royal Navy
250:Complement
211:Propulsion
156:1,228 tons
42:Nightwatch
1452:HMS
1421:HMS
1412:Centurion
1410:HMS
1328:HMS
1299:Commodore
1247:HHS
1228:Belgravia
943:1 January
912:1 January
886:1 January
684:Citations
543:blockship
536:Navy List
380:Sail plan
374:indicated
226:Sail plan
202:740
109:Laid down
21:HMS Vixen
1450:23 Dec:
1440:14 Dec:
1430:26 Oct:
1419:18 Jul:
1398:31 Aug:
1378:24 Apr:
1358:29 Feb:
1348:10 Feb:
1286:30 Oct:
1276:18 Oct:
1266:14 Oct:
1256:24 Sep:
1245:27 Aug:
1225:22 May:
1064:52620555
802:"H.M.S.
643:Captain
400:Armament
258:Armament
117:Launched
95:Deptford
1454:Repulse
1423:Repulse
1401:Oakland
1388:8 Jun:
1368:2 Mar:
1316:8 Dec:
1306:5 Dec:
1296:7 Nov:
1249:Glasgow
1235:5 Jun:
1215:6 Mar:
527:Bermuda
497:⁄
485:Warrior
477:⁄
360:ram bow
296:gunboat
191:Draught
104:£54,193
90:Builder
82:Ordered
54:History
1443:Equity
1433:Rossia
1062:
1052:
1033:
1009:
846:
811:6 June
458:Viper,
449:Career
306:Design
279:Armour
172:Length
1330:Vixen
1142:Viper
1135:Vixen
1080:Vixen
970:Vixen
968:"HMS
784:Vixen
700:Vixen
698:"HMS
620:Vixen
575:Vixen
568:Vixen
552:Vixen
547:Vixen
531:Vixen
516:Viper
512:Vixen
504:Vixen
454:Vixen
442:Vixen
436:Vixen
416:'
413:Viper
409:Vixen
405:Vixen
394:Viper
390:Vixen
355:Vixen
344:Vixen
340:Viper
332:Vixen
328:Viper
317:Viper
312:Vixen
291:Vixen
242:Range
234:Speed
76:Vixen
38:Vixen
1480:1897
1467:1895
1259:Hugo
1218:Volo
1060:OCLC
1050:ISBN
1031:ISBN
1007:ISBN
979:2008
945:2024
914:2024
888:2024
844:ISBN
813:2011
714:2008
637:From
558:Fate
514:and
460:and
392:and
350:Hull
330:and
320:and
289:HMS
269:2 ×
263:2 ×
183:Beam
164:754
133:Fate
128:1866
112:1864
101:Cost
74:HMS
71:Name
1391:104
1381:104
877:doi
618:HMS
411:or
204:ihp
1495::
1058:.
957:^
947:.
935:.
916:.
905:.
873:20
871:.
867:.
750:^
722:^
640:To
609:.
538:.
522:.
490:14
456:,
253:80
177:pp
166:bm
1193:e
1186:t
1179:v
1115:e
1108:t
1101:v
1066:.
1039:.
1015:.
981:.
890:.
879::
852:.
815:.
716:.
499:2
495:1
492:+
479:2
475:1
472:+
470:9
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)
_cut_away.jpg)
