HMS Volage (1869)

HMS Volage was a wooden-hulled corvette of the Royal Navy, launched in 1869. She belonged to the Volage-class, which also included HMS Active. These ships were notable for their pioneering use of iron bracing in their wooden construction and were among the last major wooden warships built for the Royal Navy before the transition to iron and steel construction was complete.

Volage was initially fitted as a sailing ship, but also possessed a steam engine for auxiliary power. Her armament typically consisted of a mix of heavy guns, often muzzle-loading rifles, arranged to provide a broadside fire. The exact number and caliber of guns could vary during her service life as technology advanced.

She served in various capacities during her career, including deployments on foreign stations. She was involved in the Pacific Station and likely participated in routine patrols, exercises, and shows of force representing British naval power. She would also have engaged in tasks such as protecting British interests and suppressing the slave trade, if necessary.

Later in her career, Volage was converted into a training ship. This conversion typically involved the removal or reduction of her armament and the addition of accommodations and facilities for training naval cadets and recruits. Her role as a training ship reflected the Royal Navy's growing need to educate sailors in new technologies and naval tactics.

She was eventually sold out of service and broken up. Details concerning the exact date of her disposal can vary, and further research may be necessary to determine the specific timeline. However, her service marked a transitional period in naval warfare, bridging the gap between traditional wooden sailing ships and the ironclad warships that would soon dominate the seas.