Mersey-class cruiser

Last updated

HMS Mersey 1890s.jpg
Class overview
NameMersey class
Operators
Preceded by Calypso-class corvette
Succeeded by Marathon class
Built1883–1888
In commission1887–1942
Planned4
Completed4
Retired4
General characteristics
Type2nd class protected cruiser
Displacement4,050 tons
Length
  • 315 ft (96 m) oa
  • 300 ft (91 m) pp
Beam46 ft (14 m)
Draught19 ft 6 in (6 m)
Installed power
  • 12 cylindrical boilers
  • 4,500 ihp
Propulsion
  • direct-acting compound expansion
  • Twin screws
Speed17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Range8,750 miles at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement325
Armament
Armour

The Mersey-class cruiser was a class of second class protected cruiser of the Royal Navy commissioned in the late 1880s. They were the first cruisers that had discarded their sailing rigs in the design, making them far more modern in design. They had fairly mundane careers.

Contents

Design and description

Starboard elevation, deck plan and hull section as depicted in Brassey's Naval Annual, 1888 Mersey Class Cruiser Elevation Deck Plan Section.jpg
Starboard elevation, deck plan and hull section as depicted in Brassey's Naval Annual, 1888

The Mersey-class cruisers were improved versions of the Leander class with more armour and no sailing rig on a smaller displacement. Like their predecessors, they were intended to protect British shipping. The cruisers had a length between perpendiculars of 300 feet (91.4 m), a beam of 46 feet (14.0 m) and a draught of 20 feet 2 inches (6.1 m). They displaced 4,050 long tons (4,110 t). The ships were powered by a pair of two-cylinder horizontal, direct-acting, compound-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which were designed to produce a total of 6,000 indicated horsepower (4,500 kW) and a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) using steam provided by a dozen cylindrical boilers with forced draught. The Mersey class carried enough coal to give them a range of 8,750 nautical miles (16,200 km; 10,070 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The ships' complement was 300to 350 officers and ratings.

Their main armament consisted of two breech-loading (BL) 8-inch (203 mm) guns, one each fore and aft on pivot mounts. Their secondary armament was ten BL 6-inch (152 mm) guns, five on each broadside in sponsons. Protection against torpedo boats was provided by three quick-firing (QF) 6-pounder Hotchkiss guns and three QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns. The ship was also armed with a pair of submerged 14-inch (356 mm) torpedo tubes and carried a pair of 14-inch torpedo carriages. The Mersey-class ships were protected by a lower armoured deck that was 2 inches (51 mm) on the flat and 3 inches (76 mm) on the slope. It sloped down at the bow to reinforce the ram. The armoured sides of the conning tower were 9 inches (229 mm) thick.

Ships

Cruiser HMS Forth Cruiser HMS Forth - IWM Q 75491.jpg
Cruiser HMS Forth
NameBuilderLaid downLaunchedCompleted
HMS Mersey Chatham Dockyard 9 July 188331 March 1885June 1887
HMS Severn Chatham Dockyard 1 January 188429 September 1885February 1888
HMS Thames Pembroke Dockyard 14 April 18843 December 1885July 1888
HMS Forth Pembroke Dockyard 1 December 188423 October 1886July 1889

Notes

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