Phoenix was the name ship of her class of steel screw sloops mounting 10 guns. She and her sister ship, Algerine, were designed by Sir William White, the Admiralty Chief Constructor. The class was essentially a twin-screw version of the .
Phoenix was constructed of steel and given a protective deck of 1to steel armour over her machinery and boilers. She was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 25 July 1894 and launched on 25 April 1895.
As built the class was rigged with a barquentine sail plan (square rigged on the foremast, but fore-and-aft rigged on main and mizzen).
Phoenix was provided with a three-cylinder vertical triple-expansion steam engine developing 1400ihp and driving twin screws. The machinery was provided by Devonport Dockyard.
Her armament consisted primarily of six 4-inch quick-firing guns weighing a ton each and firing a 25lb shell. In addition she was fitted with four 3-pounder guns and three machine guns.
Phoenix was deployed to the China Station. She served in Chinese waters during the Boxer Rebellion under the command of Edward Hobart Seymour.
Phoenix was alongside a coaling pier at Hong Kong on 18 September 1906 when a typhoon struck. She foundered and was declared a total loss.[1] She was raised in 1907 and sold.