HMQS Paluma
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HMQS Paluma in 1889
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| History | |
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  Australia
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| Name: | Paluma |
| Namesake: | Aboriginal word for "thunder" |
| Builder: | Sir W.G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co, Newcastle-on-Tyne |
| Cost: | GB£35,000 |
| Commissioned: | 28 October 1884 |
| Decommissioned: | 1916 |
| Fate: | Scrapped in 1950–51 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Armstrong type B1 flat-iron gunboat |
| Displacement: | 360 tons |
| Length: | 120 ft (37 m) |
| Beam: | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Draught: | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
| Installed power: | 400 ihp (298 kW) |
| Propulsion: | 2 shaft horizontal direct action compound steam engines |
| Speed: | 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) |
| Range: | 700 to 800 mi (1,100 to 1,300 km) |
| Endurance: | 75 tons of coal |
| Complement: | 55 |
| Armament: |
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HMQS Paluma was a flat-iron gunboat operated by the Queensland Maritime Defence Force and later the Royal Australian Navy (as HMAS Paluma). She entered service on 28 October 1884, was decommissioned in 1916 and then sold to the Victorian Ports and Harbours Department, who operated her under the name Rip until 1948 when she was retired. She was scrapped in 1950–51.
Following the Jervois-Scratchley reports the colonial governments of Australia restructured their defence forces. One of the many outcomes of this report was the formation of the Queensland Maritime Defence Force. To equip the new force, the colonial government purchased two gunboats and a torpedo boat.Paluma was the second of the two gunboats purchased by the colony and was a sister ship of HMQS Gayundah, which together formed the Gayundah class. This class was built to a type B1 flat-iron gunboat design from builders Sir W.G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co at Newcastle-on-Tyne. They were improved, slightly larger versions of HMVS Albert which was also built in 1884 for the colony of Victoria.
The ship displaced 360 tons, and she was 120 feet (37 m) long, had a 26-foot (7.9 m) beam and a draught of 9.5 feet (2.9 m).Paluma was propelled by horizontal direct action compound steam engines, which drove two screws that were capable of producing 400 ihp (298 kW), with bunkerage for 75 tons of coal, which gave her a range of 700 to 800 mi (1,100 to 1,300 km) at a cruising speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph). She also had sails to back up her engines. As designed, her armament included a BL 8-inch (203.2 mm) gun, although this was never fitted. Instead she was fitted with one BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) gun, two 1.5-inch Nordenfelt guns and two machine guns. The 6-inch gun was removed in 1885 and remounted 10 years later, when two 5-inch guns were also added. In 1901, a 4.7-inch gun replaced the 6-inch. She had a crew of 55.
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