| Topaze-class cruiser | |
|---|---|
 HMS Amethyst | |
| Class overview | |
| Operators: |
 Royal Navy |
| In commission: | 1905 - 1921 |
| Planned: | 8 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Scrapped: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Topaze-class protected cruiser |
| Displacement: | 3,000 tons |
| Length: | 360 ft (109.7 m) |
| Beam: | 40 ft (12.2 m) |
| Draught: | 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) |
| Installed power: | 10,000 - 12,000 indicated horsepower |
| Propulsion: |
Sapphire, Topaze & Diamond
Amethyst:
|
| Speed: | 22.1 knots (40.9 km/h) - 23.6 kn (43.7 km/h) |
| Complement: | 296 |
| Armament: |
12 x QF 4-inch (102 mm) guns |
| Armour: | 1-inch gun shields, ½-inch to 2-inch deck armour |
The Topaze-class (or "Gem-class") cruisers were a class of third-class protected cruisers. They were the last class of protected cruiser built for the Royal Navy. Four ships were built and a further 4 ships of the class were canceled before their keels were laid.
Design[]
Propulsion[]
Sapphire, Topaze and Diamond were fitted with steam reciprocating engines and twin shafts developing about 10,000 indicated horsepower (7,460 kW), and generating a top speed of about 22 knots (40.7 km/h). Amethyst was fitted with steam turbines, making her the first ship larger than a destroyer to be so fitted. She developed 12,000 ihp and was capable of 23 knots, and although her maximum range at 10 knots was reduced, she benefited from greater efficiency at high speed, and compared to her sisters, she was able to travel 1,000 nautical miles further at 20 knots.[1]
Ships[]
| Name | Builder[2] | Laid Down[2] | Launched[2] | Commissioned[2] | Cost | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amethyst | Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick | 7 January 1903 | 5 November 1903 | 17 March 1905 | £228,426[3] | Sold for scrap on 1 October 1920[4] |
| Diamond | Laird, Birkenhead | 24 March 1903 | 6 January 1904 | January 1905 | £231,010[5] | Sold for scrap 9 May 1921[4] |
| Sapphire | Palmers, Jarrow | 30 March 1903 | 17 March 1904 | 7 February 1905 | £226,227[6] | Sold for scrap 9 May 1921[4] |
| Topaze | Laird, Birkenhead | 14 August 1902 | 23 July 1903 | November 1904 | £242,444[6] | Sold for scrap 22 September 1921[4] |
References[]
- Chesneau, Robert; Kolesnik, Eugene M (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
- Viscount Hythe (1912). The Naval Annual 1912. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Topaze-class cruiser and the edit history here.