HMS Pelorus (1896)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Pelorus.

HMS Pelorus (1896)
Career
Name:	HMS Pelorus
Namesake:	Pelorus
Builder:	Sheerness Dockyard, Kent
Laid down:	1896
Commissioned:	15 December 1896
Fate:	Sold for scrap, 1920
General characteristics
Class & 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:	Triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 5,000 ihp (3,728 kW)
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:	224
Armament:	• 8 × QF 4 in (100 mm) guns • 8 × QF 3-pounder guns • 3 × machine guns • 2 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes

HMS Pelorus was the first of the Pelorus-class cruiser, and was laid down at Sheerness dockyard in 1896. Completed and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 15 December the same year, it was designed by Sir William White. Construction cost £154,315. The ship was well armed for its size, but was primarily a workhorse for the overseas fleet.

HMS Pelorus displaced 2,135 tons and had a top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h). It had reciprocating triple expansion engines and Normand water-tube boilers which could give 7,000 horsepower (5,200 kW) for limited periods of time with forced draught, and 5,000 horsepower (3,700 kW) under natural draught. It carried a crew complement of 224 men and it was armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm) (25 pounder) guns, eight QF 3 pounder (47-mm) guns, three machine guns, and two 18-inch (450-mm) torpedo tubes.

In 1901, the ship was stationed at Gibraltar as part of the Channel Squadron under the command of Commander Ernest C J Troubridge.

In 1906, the ship was assigned to the Cape of Good Hope Station under the command of Commander James C. Tancred. In 1908 the captain was Arthur W Craig.

References

E E Highams, 'Across a Continent in a Man of War' (Westminster Press, London, 1909)