 An example of a Pearl-class ship
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pearl class |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Cossack class |
| Succeeded by | Jason class |
| Planned | 10 |
| Completed | 10 |
| Retired | 10 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Corvette |
| Displacement | 1,965 tons |
| Length | 200 ft (61 m) |
| Propulsion | Screw |
| Armament | 20 guns |
The Pearl-class corvettes were a group of ten screw-driven ships built in England from 1855 through 1865. Units of the class saw action in the Crimean War, but they were regarded as mediocre.
In 1856 Sir Baldwin Wake Walker submitted a ship design featuring a light deck supporting pivot guns disposed fore and aft. HMS Pearl, the first Pearl-class corvette to be built, reflected this design, followed by Challenger, Racoon and Clio.