Indefatigable was one of 10 ships of the class that were sheathed in wood and copper to reduce fouling when serving in tropical waters. She was 314ft 0in (95.71m)long overall and 300ft (91.44m)between perpendiculars, with a beam of 43ft 8in (13.31m) and a draught of 18ft 6in (5.64m). Displacement was 3,600 long tons (3,700t).[1] Five cylindrical fire-tube boilers fed steam to two Triple-expansion engines rated at 7,000ihp (5,200kW) natural draught and 9,000ihp (6,700kW) with forced draught. This gave a design speed with forced draught of 18.75kn (21.6mph; 34.7km/h).[1]
An armoured deck of between 1+1⁄4 inches (32mm) and 2 inches (51mm) protected the ship's magazines and machinery, while the ship's conning tower had 3 inches (76mm) of armour and the gunshields 4+1⁄2 inches (110mm). Two QF 6-inch (152mm) guns were mounted fore and aft on the ship's centreline, while six 4.7 in (120mm) guns were mounted three on each broadside. 8 six pounder guns and 1 three pounder provided protection against torpedo boats.[1]
In 1905, Indefatigable went into reserve at Portsmouth, recommissioning in January 1906 as part of the 4th Cruiser Squadron on the North America and West Indies Station. On 11 January 1910, she was renamed Melpomene, freeing up the name Indefatigable for a new battlecruiser.[6] In May 1912, Melpomene was active off the coast of Mexico during the Mexican Revolution, and was reported to be about to land a force of Marines to protect British subjects.[7][8]
Melpomene was employed in the Training Squadron from 1912 to 1913,[6] and was sold for scrap to the shipbreakers Ward on 7 October 1913,[9][2] at a price of £15,800.[10]
The Powerful class were a pair of first-class protected cruisers built for the Royal Navy (RN) in the 1890s, designed to hunt down enemy commerce raiders. Both ships served on the China Station and participated in the Second Boer War of 1899–1900. Terrible went on to help suppress the Boxer Rebellion a few months later. Powerful served as the flagship of the Australia Station in 1905–1912; shortly after her return home, she became a training ship and remained in that role until she was sold for scrap in 1929. Terrible was mostly in reserve after she returned home in 1902 and was often used as an accommodation ship. During the First World War she was disarmed and made one voyage as a troop transport in 1915. The ship became a depot ship when she returned home and then became a training ship in 1918. Terrible was sold for scrap in 1932.
HMS Quail was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was launched by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead, on 24 September 1895. She served in home waters and the West Indies for several years, her robust structure proved by surviving at least one heavy collision. She served during the Great War, and was sold off after the hostilities end, on 23 July 1919. She gave her name to the four strong group of Quail-class destroyers.
HMS Virago was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead, in 1897. One of four Quail-class destroyers she served during the Great War and was sold off after hostilities ended.
HMS Orwell was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was built by Laird, Son & Company, and served from 1900 until 1920.
The Eclipse-class cruisers were a class of nine second-class protected cruisers constructed for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s.
HMS Sirius was an Apollo-class cruiser of the British Royal Navy which served from 1892 to 1918 in various colonial posts such as the South and West African coastlines and off the British Isles as a hastily converted minelayer during the First World War.
HMS Forward was the name ship of her class of two scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The ship was in reserve for most of the first decade of her existence. After the beginning of the First World War in August 1914, she was assigned to coastal defence duties on the East Coast of England. Forward was present when the Germans bombarded Hartlepool in mid-December 1914, but played no significant role in the battle. The ship was sent to the Mediterranean in mid-1915 and was then assigned to the Aegean Sea a year later, together with her sister ship, Foresight, and remained there until the end of the war. After returning home in 1919, she was sold for scrap in 1921.
HMS Foresight was one of two Forward-class scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. The ship was in reserve for most of the first decade of her existence. After the beginning of the First World War in August 1914, she was initially assigned to the Dover Patrol and was then transferred to the 8th Destroyer Flotilla. Foresight was sent to the Mediterranean in mid-1915 and was then assigned to the Aegean Sea a year later, together with her sister ship, Forward, and remained there until the end of the war. After returning home in 1919, she was sold for scrap in 1920.
HMS Adventure was the name ship of her class of two scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. For two years after being completed in 1905, the ship was in reserve. She was commissioned in mid-1907 as a flotilla leader in the Home Fleet. When the First World War began in August 1914, she was assigned to patrol the English Channel. In mid-1915 Adventure was transferred to Irish waters to serve as the flagship there. In early 1918, the ship escorted convoys to Gibraltar before being transferred to the Mediterranean at the end of the war. She returned home in mid-1919 and was paid off. Adventure was sold for scrap in early 1920.
HMS Mercury was one of two Iris-class despatch vessels, later redesignated as second class cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the 1870s. The two ships were the first all-steel warships in the Royal Navy.
HMS Hart was one of three Handy-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the 1890s. Completed in 1895 she spent most of her career on the China Station and was sold in 1912.
HMS Rocket was the lead ship of her class of three destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the 1890s. Completed in 1895 she served mostly in home waters and was sold for scrap in 1912.
HMS Peterel was one of two Spiteful-class destroyers to serve with the Royal Navy. She was built by Palmers, was 215 feet long and the 6,200 H.P. produced by her Reed boilers gave her a top speed of 30 knots. She was armed, as was standard, with a twelve pounder and two torpedo tubes. She served in home waters throughout the Great War and was sold off in 1919.
HMS Perseus was a Pelorus-class protected cruiser of the Royal Navy. There were eleven "Third class" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by Sir William White. They mainly served at overseas stations rather than with the main fleets.
The Challenger-class cruisers were a pair of second-class protected cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. One ship, HMS Encounter, was later transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.
The Topaze-class cruisers were a quartet of third-class protected cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Four additional ships of the class were cancelled before their keels were laid. They were the last class of protected cruisers built for the Royal Navy.
HMS Venus was an Eclipse-class protected cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s.
HMS Isis was an Eclipse-class protected cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s.
HMS Dido was an Eclipse-class protected cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s.
HSwMS Magne was a torpedo boat destroyer of the Royal Swedish Navy. Magne was built by the British shipbuilder Thornycroft, launching in 1905. She was employed on neutrality patrol and escort duties during the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1943.
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