HMS Sapphire was an Amethyst-class corvette built for the Royal Navy at Devonport Dockyard and launched on 24 September 1874. She commenced service on the Australia Station in August 1875. She left the Australia Station in July 1879 and returned to England and was refitted and rearmed. After refit she commissioned for the China Station in 1883 until 1890. She returned to Plymouth and was paid off.