HMS Medusa (1838)

HMS Medusa was a 2-gun Merlin-class paddle packet boat built for the Royal Navy during the 1830s. She was converted into a tugboat in 1861–62 and sold scrap in 1872.

Description
Merlin had a length at the gun deck of 175 ft and 153 ft at the keel. She had a beam of 33 ft, and a depth of hold of 16 ft. The ship's tonnage was 889 $14⁄94$ tons burthen. The Medusa class was armed with a pair of 6-pounder carronades.

Construction and career
Medusa, the fourth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, was ordered on 10 March 1838, laid down two months later at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 31 October of that same year. She was completed in 12 August 1839 and commissioned four days earlier. The ship was based at Liverpool for packet service in the Irish Sea.