Nile Steamers and Gunboats

Yarrow & Company Shallow-Draught Paddlewheel Gunboats

Following the success of the basic steamer design, four 'gunboats' based on this Yarrow design (see 'El Teb' below) were subsequently sourced from builders who specialised in manufacture of shallow draught stern wheel paddlesteamers

These were similar in size to 'Lotus', built in sections, and shipped out to Egypt for assembly  

The gunboats were built on Clydeside by Randolph, Elder and Co (Abu Klea,Tamai and El Teb), and in London by Yarrow & Co ( Metemmeh - hull only, engine by Elder)

For more details of these, please go to the reference page

The two illustrations above are of a river gunboat, the upper is an artist's impression of a gunboat for a periodical and the lower is an undated photograph thought to be of 'El Teb' - this appears to be the only photograph extant of the four early gunboats

Both the artist's impression, and the photograph above, show a cylindrical steering tower on the gunboat

Some sources have suggested that this was removed in favour of a flat sided replacement later, but study of the available sources indicate that these four steamers had circular towers, at least shortly after being built

It should be noted, however, the illustration in Lady Yarrow's book (below) shows a flat sided steering tower with a bowed roof

Some sources have suggested that this was removed in favour of a flat sided replacement later, but study of the available sources indicate that these four steamers had circular towers, at least shortly after being built

It should be noted, however, the illustration in Lady Yarrow's book (below) shows a flat sided steering tower with a bowed roof

There is at least one photograph which purports to show the stern view of an 'ex-Nile' steamer in later use in the Persian Gulf, but whether it is one of the  Nile steamers is problematic, since these types of vessel was also built for the Persian Gulf, the Far East, and a number of other countries

Certainly it is not one of the first four gunboats, which served out their lives on the Nile