| Name: | IOTA |
| Type: | Gunboat |
| Keel: | 02/06/1880 |
| Launched: | 09/12/1880 |
| Completed: | 18/05/1881 |
| Builder: | C Mitchell & Co |
| Yard: | Low Walker |
| Yard Number: | 411 |
| Dimensions: | 433disp, 129.0 x 29.1 x 11.6ft |
| Engines: | 2 x C2cyl (16 & 28 x 18ins), 70nhp, 455ihp |
| Engines by: | R & W Hawthorn, Newcastle |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Screws, 10.4knots |
| Construction: | Iron |
| Armament: | 1 x 11.0ins, 2 x 1 x 4.0ins guns |
| Reg Number: | 83900 |
| History: | |
| 04/05/1881 | William Donaldson Cruddas, Newcastle; registered at Newcastle |
| 16/05/1881 | James Duncan Campbell, London |
| 16/05/1881 | Robert Hart, Peking |
| 20/10/1881 | Imperial Chinese Government; renamed CHEN CHUNG |
| 1895 | Government of Japan; renamed CHINCHU |
| 1906 | Broken up |
| Comments: | This was an Armstrong contract built using the facilities of the Mitchell yard |
| Armament was supplied by the Armstrong company at Elswick | |
| The gun could only elevate, so direction was provided by aligning the hull | |
| The purchase was financed by the Chinese Customs Service | |
| William Donaldson Cruddas was in charge of Finance at Armstrongs | |
| James Campbell was the London Agent of Robert Hart | |
| Robert Hart was the Inspector General of the Chinese Customs Service | |
| 1895: Captured by the Japanese at Wei Hai Wei |
Above photo of sister LAMBDA / CHEN HAI is copyright of Tyne & Wear Archives