HMS Perseus (1897)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Perseus.
Career (United Kingdom)
Name: HMS Perseus
Namesake: Perseus
Builder: Earle's Shipbuilding, Hull
Laid down: May 1896
Launched: 15 July 1897
Completed: 1901
Fate: Sold for scrap, 26 May 1914
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:Pelorus-class cruiser
Displacement:2,135 long tons (2,169 t)
Length:313 ft 6 in (95.55 m) o/a
300 ft (91 m) p/p
Beam:36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
Draught:16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion:16 Thornycroft boilers
3-cylinder Triple expansion engine, 2 shafts,
5,000 ihp (3,728 kW) natural draught, 7,000 ihp (5,220 kW) forced draught
Speed:18.5 kn (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) natural draught,
20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) forced draught
Complement:224
Armament:• 8 × QF 4 in (102 mm) guns
• 8 × QF 3-pounder guns
• 3 × machine guns
• 2 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:• Deck: 1 12–2 in (38–51 mm) deck
• Gunshields:14 in (6.4 mm)
• Conning tower 3 in (76 mm)

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.

Design

HMS Perseus displaced 2,135 tons, had a crew complement of 224 men and were armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm) guns, eight 3 pounder guns, three machine guns, and two 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. With reciprocating triple expansion engines fed by 14 Thornycroft boilers, the top speed was 20 knots (37 km/h).[1]

History

HMS Perseus was laid down at Earle's Shipbuilding, Hull, in May 1896, launched on 15 July 1897, and completed in 1901.[1] Under the command of Commander Edmund Radcliffe Pears, she was in March 1901 commissioned to form part of the East Indies fleet,[2][3] and in September 1901 prevented the landing of Turkish troops at Kuwait.[4]

HMS Perseus was sold for scrap on 26 May 1914.[5]

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chesneau and Kolesnik 1979, p. 83.
  2. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Friday, 8 March 1901. (36397), p. 10.
  3. Brassey 1902, p. 52.
  4. "Great Britain and Turkey: Position in the Persian Gulf: Landing of Turkish Troops Prevented". The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 September 1902, p. 7. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  5. Gardiner and Gray 1985, p. 14.

References