HMS Amethyst was the lead ship of the Amethyst-class corvettes built for the Royal Navy in the early 1870s.

The ship was transferred to the Pacific Station in 1875 and fought in the Battle of Pacocha against the rebellious Peruvian ironclad warship Huáscar two years later.

[1] After a lengthy refit, Amethyst again served as the senior officer's ship on the South American station from 1882 to 1885.

[2] Unlike her iron-hulled contemporaries, the ship's wooden hull prevented any use of watertight transverse bulkheads.

The engine produced a total of 2,144 indicated horsepower (1,599 kW) which gave Amethyst a maximum speed of 13.244 knots (24.528 km/h; 15.241 mph) during her sea trials.

The ship carried 270 long tons (270 t) of coal, enough to steam between 2,060–2,500 nautical miles (3,820–4,630 km; 2,370–2,880 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

Amethyst and the unarmored frigate Shah were ordered to capture the rebel ship and finally found her in the late afternoon of 29 May off the port of Ilo.

[7] Amethyst was tasked with rescuing the 43 survivors of the wreck of the British steamship Eten at Los Velos Point, Chile on 15 July.