 Mars in 1894 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mars |
| Builder | Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven |
| Laid down | 1877 |
| Launched | 15 November 1879 |
| Commissioned | 1 March 1881 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 3,542 t (3,486 long tons) |
| Length | 85.3 m (280 ft) |
| Beam | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Draft | 5.92 m (19.4 ft) |
| Propulsion | 1 × Marine steam engine |
| Speed | 11.4 knots (21.1 km/h; 13.1 mph) |
| Complement | 344–474 |
SMS Mars was an artillery training ship of the German Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy), built in the late 1870s.
In the 1860s and 1870s, the German navy had three elderly ships that were used to train gunners for the fleet: Thetis, Gefion, and Renown; these ships were of increasingly little use, as their wooden hulls were ageing and the types of guns fitted were shifting into obsolescence. In addition, they had insufficient accommodations for the crew, instructional staff, and trainees. As a result, the navy realized by the mid-1870s that a new, purpose-built, iron-hulled gunnery training ship would be required, with design work for the new vessel being done in 1876. Since the ship would not be expected to be used in combat, her speed would not need to be high, and she would carry no armor protection. Her resemblance to contemporary broadside ironclad warships led to her being nicknamed the "rubber battleship". She nevertheless proved to be quite effective as a training ship. [1] [2]
Mars was 85.3 meters (280 ft) long, with a beam of 15 m (49 ft) and a draft of 5.92 m (19.4 ft). She displaced 3,542 metric tons (3,486 long tons; 3,904 short tons) at full load. The ship's crew varied over the course of her career, between 344 and 474 officers and enlisted men. She was powered by a single marine steam engine that drove one screw propeller and coal-fired boilers, both of which had been taken from Renown, which gave her a top speed of 11.4 knots (21.1 km/h; 13.1 mph) As built, she was equipped with a schooner rig, though this was later cut down, with the sailing rig only being used to provide stability. [3]
Construction of the new ship began with her keel laying in 1877. [1] Mars was launched on 15 November 1879 at the Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard) in Wilhelmshaven. [4] After fitting-out work was completed, she was commissioned for sea trials on 1 March 1881. [1] She was the first gunnery training ship built for the German navy. At the time, training was rather crude, with one test per year for each ship of the fleet, and the tests consisted of firing at targets 500, 1,500, and 2,500 meters (550, 1,640, and 2,730 yards) away. This would begin to be remedied only in 1885, when August von Thomsen was appointed the chief gunner for the fleet, and he began to improve the training regimen, particularly with regards to longer range fire. [5] Mars completed her trials quickly, and was assigned to the North Sea Naval Station, though she was technically under the control of the gunnery officers at the Kaiserliche Admiralität (Imperial Admiralty). She began gunnery training in April 1881 in the Schillig roadstead just outside Wilhelmshaven. On 26 April, one of the 21 cm shells exploded aboard the ship, killing nine men and wounding another eighteen. At the end of the year, she returned to the inner harbor at Wilhelmshaven, where she remained for the winter. [1]
Mars was initially supported by the old gunboat Fuchs, which served as her tender, though in 1882, Fuchs was replaced by the new gunboat Hay, followed by the torpedo boat Sicher in 1883. [6] During this period, Franz von Hipper served aboard the ship from April to May 1882 for his Basic Gunnery School. [7] On 1 October 1883, Mars was reassigned to the newly-formed Naval Artillery Inspectorate. [8] In 1884, Mars was sent to tow the corvette Sophie back to Wilhelmshaven after she had been rammed and badly damaged by the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamer Hohenstaufen. On 31 August, the new Chief of the Admiralty, Leo von Caprivi, Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) Eduard von Knorr, and Vizeadmiral (Vice Admiral) Wilhelm von Wickede —Caprivi's chief of staff and the commander of the Training Squadron, respectively—came aboard the ship for an inspection of recently built fortifications on the island of Wangerooge. Mars thereafter took part in the annual autumn fleet maneuvers in September, the first time she participated in them. [9]
SMS Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm was one of the first ocean-going battleships of the German Kaiserliche Marine. The ship was named for Prince-elector Friedrich Wilhelm, 17th-century Duke of Prussia and Margrave of Brandenburg. She was the fourth pre-dreadnought of the Brandenburg class, along with her sister ships Brandenburg, Weissenburg, and Wörth. She was laid down in 1890 in the Imperial Dockyard in Wilhelmshaven, launched in 1891, and completed in 1893. The Brandenburg-class battleships carried six large-caliber guns in three twin turrets, as opposed to four guns in two turrets, as was the standard in other navies.
SMS Siegfried was the lead ship of the six-member Siegfried class of coastal defense ships built for the German Imperial Navy. Her sister ships were Beowulf, Frithjof, Heimdall, Hildebrand, and Hagen. Siegfried was built by the Germaniawerft shipyard between 1888 and 1890, and was armed with a main battery of three 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns. She served in the German fleet throughout the 1890s and was rebuilt in 1903 - 1904. She served in the VI Battle Squadron after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, but saw no action. Siegfried was demobilized in 1915 and used as a barracks ship thereafter. She was ultimately broken up for scrap in 1920.
SMS Ägir was the second and final member of the Odin class of coastal defense ships built for the Imperial German Navy. She had one sister ship, Odin. Ägir was named for the norse god, and was built by the Kaiserliche Werft in Danzig between 1893 and 1896. She was armed with a main battery of three 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns. She served in the German fleet throughout the 1890s and was rebuilt in 1901–1903. She served in the VI Battle Squadron after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, but saw no action. Ägir was demobilized in 1915 and used as a tender thereafter. After the war, she was rebuilt as a merchant ship and served in this capacity until December 1929, when she was wrecked on the island of Gotland.
SMS Arcona was the ninth member of the ten-ship Gazelle class of light cruisers that were built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The Gazelle class was the culmination of earlier unprotected cruiser and aviso designs, combining the best aspects of both types in what became the progenitor of all future light cruisers of the Imperial fleet. Built to be able to serve with the main German fleet and as a colonial cruiser, she was armed with a battery of ten 10.5 cm (4.1 in) guns and a top speed of 21.5 knots. Arcona was a modified version of the basic Gazelle design, with improved armor and additional coal storage for a longer cruising range.
SMS Wörth was one of four German pre-dreadnought battleships of the Brandenburg class, built in the early 1890s. The class also included Brandenburg, Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm, and Weissenburg. The ships were the first ocean-going battleships built for the Kaiserliche Marine. Wörth was laid down at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel in May 1890. The ship was launched on 6 August 1892 and commissioned into the fleet on 31 October 1893. Wörth and her three sisters carried six heavy guns rather than four, as was standard for most other navies' battleships. She was named for the Battle of Wörth fought during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871.
SMS Brandenburg was the lead ship of the Brandenburg-class pre-dreadnought battleships, which included Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm, Weissenburg, and Wörth, built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the early 1890s. She was the first pre-dreadnought built for the German Navy; earlier, the navy had only built coastal defense ships and armored frigates. The ship was laid down at the AG Vulcan dockyard in 1890, launched on 21 September 1891, and commissioned into the German Navy on 19 November 1893. Brandenburg and her three sisters were unique for their time in that they carried six heavy guns instead of the four that were standard in other navies. She was named after the Province of Brandenburg.
SMS Kaiser Friedrich III was the lead ship of the Kaiser Friedrich III class of pre-dreadnought battleships. She was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft in Wilhelmshaven in March 1895, launched in July 1896, and finished in October 1898. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns in two twin gun turrets supported by a secondary battery of eighteen 15 cm (5.9 in) guns.
SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II was the second ship of the Kaiser Friedrich III class of pre-dreadnought battleships. She was built at the Imperial Dockyard in Wilhelmshaven and launched on 14 September 1897. The ship was commissioned into the fleet as its flagship on 13 February 1900. Kaiser Wilhelm II was armed with a main battery of four 24-centimeter (9.45 in) guns in two twin turrets. She was powered by triple expansion engines that delivered a top speed of 17.5 knots.
SMS Beowulf was the second vessel of the six-member Siegfried class of coastal defense ships built for the German Imperial Navy. Her sister ships were Siegfried, Frithjof, Heimdall, Hildebrand, and Hagen. Beowulf was built by the AG Weser shipyard between 1890 and 1892, and was armed with a main battery of three 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns. She served in the German fleet throughout the 1890s and was rebuilt in 1900 – 1902. She served in the VI Battle Squadron after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, but saw no action. Beowulf was demobilized in 1915 and used as a target ship for U-boats thereafter. She was ultimately broken up for scrap in 1921.
SMS Hildebrand was the fifth vessel of the six-member Siegfried class of coastal defense ships built for the German Imperial Navy. Her sister ships were Siegfried, Beowulf, Frithjof, Heimdall, and Hagen. Hildebrand was built by the Kaiserliche Werft at Kiel between 1890 and 1893, and was armed with a main battery of three 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns. She served in the German fleet throughout the 1890s and was rebuilt in 1900–1902. She served in the VI Battle Squadron after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, but saw no action. Hildebrand was demobilized in 1915 and used as a barracks ship thereafter. She ran aground while en route to the Netherlands for scrapping in 1919, and was eventually broken up in situ in 1933.
SMS Stein was a Bismarck-class corvette built for the German Imperial Navy in the late 1870s. The ship was named after the Prussian statesman Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein. She was the sixth member of the class, which included five other vessels. The Bismarck-class corvettes were ordered as part of a major naval construction program in the early 1870s, and she was designed to serve as a fleet scout and on extended tours in Germany's colonial empire. Stein was laid down in 1878, launched in September 1879, and was commissioned into the fleet in October 1880. She was armed with a battery of twelve 15 cm (5.9 in) guns and had a full ship rig to supplement her steam engine on long cruises abroad.
SMS Prinzess Wilhelm was a protected cruiser of the German Imperial Navy. She was the second Irene-class cruiser; her only sister ship was SMS Irene. Prinzess Wilhelm was laid down in 1886 at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, launched in September 1887, and commissioned into the fleet in November 1889. The cruiser was named after Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, first wife of Kaiser Wilhem II. As built, the ship was armed with a main battery of fourteen 15 cm (5.9 in) guns and had a top speed of 18 knots.
SMS Zieten was the first torpedo-armed aviso built for the Imperial German Navy. She was built in Britain in 1875–1876, and was the last major warship built for Germany by a foreign shipyard. Ordered as a testbed for the new Whitehead torpedo, Zieten was armed with a pair of 38 cm (15 in) torpedo tubes, and was capable of a top speed of 16 knots, making her the fastest ship in the German fleet at the time. Zieten was the first torpedo-armed vessel in a series of avisos that ultimately developed into the first light cruisers. In addition to her impact in German warship design, Zieten also influenced numerous other navies, who built dozens of similar avisos and torpedo vessels of their own.
SMS Blücher was a Bismarck-class corvette built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the late 1870s. The Bismarck-class corvettes were ordered as part of a major naval construction program in the early 1870s, and she was designed to serve as a fleet scout and on extended tours in Germany's colonial empire. Blücher was laid down in March 1876, launched in September 1877, and was commissioned into the fleet in late 1878. Unlike her sister ships, Blücher was converted shortly after entering service into a torpedo training ship to experiment with the new self-propelled torpedoes and develop German torpedo doctrine.
SMS Wacht was an aviso of the Imperial German Navy, the lead ship of her class. She had one sister ship, Jagd. Wacht was built by the AG Weser shipyard; she was laid down in 1886, launched in August 1887, and commissioned in August 1888. She served in the active fleet through the 1890s and participated in numerous training exercises. Her career was cut short on 4 September 1901, when she collided with the old ironclad SMS Sachsen. The latter's ram bow holed Wacht under the waterline and caused her to rapidly sink. Her crew was safely rescued, however, and there were no casualties.
SMS Jagd was an aviso of the Imperial German Navy, the second and final member of the Wacht class. She had one sister ship, Wacht. Jagd was laid down in 1887 at the AG Weser shipyard, launched in July 1888, and commissioned in June 1889. She served in the German fleet for the next fifteen years, until she was withdrawn from active duty in 1904. Thereafter, she was used as a harbor ship. In 1910, she was stricken from the naval register and hulked. She was later used as a torpedo training platform until 1920, when she was sold for scrapping.
SMS Carola was the lead ship of the Carola class of steam corvettes built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the 1880s. Intended for service in the German colonial empire, the ship was designed with a combination of steam and sail power for extended range, and was equipped with a battery of ten 15-centimeter (5.9 in) guns. Carola was laid down at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin in 1879, launched in November 1880, and completed in September 1881.
SMS Olga was the second member of the Carola class of steam corvettes built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the 1880s. Intended for service in the German colonial empire, the ship was designed with a combination of steam and sail power for extended range, and was equipped with a battery of ten 15-centimeter (5.9 in) guns. Olga was laid down at the AG Vulcan in Stettin in 1879, she was launched in December 1880, and she was completed in January 1882.
SMS Sophie was a member of the Carola class of steam corvettes built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the 1880s. Intended for service in the German colonial empire, the ship was designed with a combination of steam and sail power for extended range, and was equipped with a battery of ten 15-centimeter (5.9 in) guns. Sophie was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft in Danzig in 1880, she was launched in November 1881, and she was completed in August 1882.
SMS Nixe was a screw corvette built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the 1880s. She was laid down in August 1883, launched in July 1885, and commissioned into the fleet in April 1886. Hopelessly out of date even by the time she was ordered in 1882 and possessing insufficient gun power or speed, she was nevertheless completed as designed. In addition to those shortcomings, she proved to be difficult to handle in service and was particularly affected by wind.