# Euphrates-class troopship > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Euphrates-class_troopship > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Euphrates-class_troopship.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphrates-class_troopship > Source revision: 1345225557 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The ***Euphrates* class** was a five-ship class of iron [screw](/source/Propeller_(marine)) [troopships](/source/Troopship) built for the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) during the 1860s. They were used for carrying troops to [India](/source/British_India), with two of them being later hulked and surviving into the early 20th Century. ## Design The [Crimean War](/source/Crimean_War) and [Indian Mutiny](/source/Indian_Mutiny) in the 1850s both required that large numbers of troops be moved across the globe at short notice. Although for both these conflicts commercial shipping companies were able to fulfil all the immediate requirements, it became apparent that there were severe handicaps to the system; in particular the availability of commercial shipping for trooping could not be guaranteed. It was decided to set up a regular service of Government transports and the Navy was ordered to build five specially designed troopships.[2] With the Suez Canal due to be opened in 1869, the class was designed within the constraints of the new waterway. Designed to carry an entire [battalion](/source/Battalion) of infantry, the result was a magnificent [barque-rigged](/source/Barque) steamer of considerable size; with a top speed of 15 knots, and able to take the direct route via the Suez Canal, they were able to reduce the length of the voyage significantly, but perhaps more importantly, the uncertainty in the time needed to make the journey round the [Cape of Good Hope](/source/Cape_of_Good_Hope) was also reduced.[2] The five ships were ordered from various British shipbuilders, with [HMS *Malabar*](/source/HMS_Malabar_(1866)) being built to a slightly different and smaller design.[1] They were lightly armed with three 4-pounder guns, and were initially fitted with a single-expansion trunk engine (except *Serapis*) and single screw, producing 700 nhp.[1] However the engines were refitted on all of these ships during their active careers. [HMS *Serapis*](/source/HMS_Serapis_(1866)) was completed with a 4-cylinder horizontal compound-expansion engine, but was re-engined in 1869 with a 2-cylinder single expansion engine.[1] [HMS *Jumna*](/source/HMS_Jumna_(1866))'s engines were originally 3-cylinder versions, and were modified to the compound type in 1873. The two-cylinder engines of [HMS *Euphrates*](/source/HMS_Euphrates_(1866)) and [HMS *Malabar*](/source/HMS_Malabar_(1866)) were also replaced with compound engines in 1873. [HMS *Crocodile*](/source/HMS_Crocodile_(1867)) was also re-engined, albeit somewhat later than her sisters.[1][Note 1] ## Career The ships spent most of their active careers conveying British troops to and from the [Indian subcontinent](/source/Indian_subcontinent), although other voyages were made, most notably to Canada. Obsolete by the mid-1890s, *Serapis*, *Euphrates* and *Crocodile* were sold for breaking up.[1] *Malabar* became a base ship at [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda) in 1897, and was renamed HMS *Terror* in 1901. She was put on the disposal list in 1914 and was sold off in 1918,[3] while *Jumna* survived as a coal hulk, eventually being sold off in 1922.[1][4] ## Ships Name Ship Builder Ordered Launched Fate HMS Jumna Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company 1865 24 September 1866 Became coal hulk C110 in 1893 Sold as hulk Oceanic in July 1922[1][4] HMS Serapis Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company 1865 26 September 1866 Sold for breaking up on 23 November 1894[1][5] HMS Euphrates Laird Brothers 1865 24 November 1866 Sold on 23 November 1894 Resold for breaking up in August 1895[1][6] HMS Malabar Robert Napier and Sons 1865 8 December 1866[Note 2][3][7] Became a base ship in 1897 Renamed HMS Terror on 1 May 1901 Sold for breaking up in January 1918.[1][3] HMS Crocodile Money Wigram and Sons 1865 7 January 1867 Sold for breaking up on 11 May 1894.[1][8] ## Identification All the ships of the class could be distinguished by a different coloured hull band, with *Crocodile* wearing yellow, *Euphrates* blue, *Jumna* red, *Malabar* black and *Serapis* green.[9] *Jumna*’s blue hull band was to become the traditional identification feature for HM troopships. ## Notes 1. Winfield does not show a re-engining of *Crocodile*; this is a misprint and the *Errata* should be consulted. 1. Although Winfield has 1865, this is a misprint and should read 1866. Copies of the *Errata* may be requested from the author. ## References 1. Lyon & Winfield. "8". *The Sail and Steam Navy List*. p. 283. 1. ["Troopships and Trooping - By R G Robertson"](https://archive.today/20120905021312/http://www.movcon.org.uk/History/Documents/DID/D-MCHS%200290.10.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.movcon.org.uk/History/Documents/DID/D-MCHS%200290.10.htm) on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 1. Colledge. *Ships of the Royal Navy*. p. 213. 1. Colledge. *Ships of the Royal Navy*. p. 181. 1. Colledge. *Ships of the Royal Navy*. p. 317. 1. Colledge. *Ships of the Royal Navy*. p. 118. 1. ["HMS *Malabar* at William Loney RN website"](http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowShip.php?id=1730). Retrieved 2009-06-23. 1. Colledge. *Ships of the Royal Navy*. p. 83. 1. *The Royal Navy at Malta, Volume One: The Victorian Era - 1865-1906*, page 51, by Richard Ellis & Lt. Cdr. Ben Warlaw RN - ISBN 0907771432 - Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif, The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889, pub Chatham, 2004, ISBN 1-86176-032-9 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Euphrates-class troopship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphrates-class_troopship) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphrates-class_troopship?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.