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Cyclops-class monitor

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Right elevation plan fromBrassey's Naval Annual1888–1889
Class overview
NameCyclopsclass
OperatorsRoyal Navy
Preceded byHMSRupert
Succeeded byConquerorclass
Built1870–1877
In service1874–1901
Planned4
Completed4
Scrapped4
General characteristics
TypeBreastwork monitor
Displacement3,480 long tons (3,540 t)
Length225 ft (68.6 m) (p/p)
Beam45 ft (13.7 m)
Draught16 ft 3 in (5.0 m) (deep load)
Installed power1,472–1,709indicated horsepower(1,098–1,274 kW)
Propulsion2 shafts, 2steam engines
Speed11knots(20 km/h; 13 mph)
Range3,000nmi(5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement156
Armament2 × 2 -10-inch (254-mm) rifled muzzle loading guns
Armour

TheCyclops-class monitorwas a group of fourironcladbreastwork monitorsbuilt for theRoyal Navyduring the 1870s. They were slightly modified versions of theCerberus-classmonitors.The ships were ordered to satisfy demands for local defence during the war scare of 1870, but the pace of construction slowed tremendously as the perceived threat of war declined. TheCyclops-class monitors spent most of their careers inreserveand were finally sold off in 1903.

Design and description

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The immediate reason why these ships were ordered was for local coast defence during the war scare during theFranco-Prussian Warof 1870, but they were chosen for several other reasons. They were small and cheap, and their shallow draft was thought to limit them to defensive operations, which appealed to economy and defence-minded Members of Parliament. TheAdmiralty,however, envisioned them attacking shallow-water ports that larger ironclads could not enter and operating in the shallow waters of theBaltic Sea.[1]

The ships used the basic design of theCerberus-class breastwork monitors to reduce design and construction time. Their hulls were completed very quickly, but building pace reduced as the likelihood of their immediate use diminished. They were delivered to the Royal dockyards in 1872 and commissioned forfitting out,but a number of years elapsed before that process was completed, and there was little sense of urgency.[2]

The ships had alength between perpendicularsof 225 feet (68.6 m), abeamof 45 feet (13.7 m), and adraughtof 16 feet 3 inches (4.95 m) atdeep load.They displaced 3,480 long tons (3,540 t). Their crew consisted of 156 officers and men.[3]

TheCyclops-class ships and other ships of her type were described by AdmiralGeorge Alexander Ballardas being like "full-armoured knights riding on donkeys, easy to avoid but bad to close with."[4]While not unfit to face heavy weather their decks were frequently awash in even a moderate sea. Their accommodations were rated the worst in the fleet, referred to by ordinary seamen as "ratholes with tinned air".[5]

Propulsion

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TheCyclops-class ships had two steam engines, each driving a single 12-foot (3.7 m) propeller.CyclopsandHydrahad 4-cylinderinverted compound steam enginesmade by John Elder that had a working pressure of 60psi(414kPa;4kgf/cm2). The engines produced a total of 1,472–1,528indicated horsepower(1,098–1,139 kW) onsea trialswhich gave the ships a maximum speed around 11knots(20 km/h; 13 mph). The engines used byHecateandGorgonwere built by Ravenhill and were simple horizontal 4-cylinderdirect acting steam engines.Their working pressure was 34 psi (234 kPa; 2 kgf/cm2) and they produced a total of 1,579–1,709 indicated horsepower (1,177–1,274 kW) for about the same speed. The first pair of ships carried 250 long tons (250 t) of coal while the second pair carried 270 long tons (270 t).[6]This was enough to steam 3,000nmi(5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph).[7]

Armament

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The ships mounted a pair of10-inch rifled muzzle-loading gunsin each turret. The shell of the 10-inch (254 mm) gun weighed 407 pounds (184.6 kg) while the gun itself weighed 18 long tons (18 t). The gun had amuzzle velocityof 1,365 ft/s (416 m/s) and was credited with the ability to penetrate a nominal 12.9 in (330 mm) ofwrought ironarmour at themuzzle.The guns could fire bothsolid shotandexplosive shells.[8]They were mounted on compound pivoting carriages that used hydraulic jacks to elevate and depress the guns.[2]

Armour

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TheCyclops-class ships had a complete waterlinebeltofwrought ironthat was 8 inches (203 mm) thick amidships and thinned to 6 inches (152 mm) at the ends. The superstructure andconning towerwas fully armoured, the reason it was called abreastwork,with 8–9 inches (203–229 mm) of wrought iron. Thegun turretshad 10 inches on their faces and nine inches on the sides and rear. All of the vertical armour was backed by 9–11 inches (229–279 mm) ofteak.Thedeckswere 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) thick.[9]

Construction

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Each of the ships was towed toDevonportfrom the builders in 1872. They were commissioned and placed into reserve until finally completed.[10]

Ship Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Completed Fate Cost
HMSCyclops Thames Ironworks,London 10 September 1870 18 July 1871 January 1872 4 May 1877 Sold 7 July 1903 £156,782[11]
HMSGorgon Palmers Shipbuilding,Jarrow 5 September 1870 14 October 1871 April 1872 19 March 1874 Sold 12 May 1903 £141,254[11]
HMSHecate Dudgeon,Cubitt Town,London 30 September 1871 24 May 1877 £143,310[11]
HMSHydra Robert Napier and Sons,Govan 28 December 1871 August 1872 31 May 1876 Sold 7 July 1903 £194,334[11]

Refit

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Although a recommendation had been made while the ships were still under construction to extend the superstructure out to the sides of the ship to improve their stability and habitability, this was not acted upon until they were refitted during the 1880s. This refit also strengthened the breastwork and upper decks, added another watertightbulkheadas well as afalse keel.Fourquick-firing3-pounder Hotchkiss gunswere added on the breastwork fortorpedo boatdefence as well as fivemachine gunsand several searchlights.[12]This increased their crew to approximately 191 men[3]and added 80 long tons (81 t) to their displacement.[13]

Service

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HMSGorgonwas the first ship completed and she served as tender toHMSCambridge,the gunnery school ship at Devonport, from 1874 to 1877. All four ships were commissioned between April and August 1878 during the war scare during theRusso-Turkish Warfor service withAdmiralSirCooper Key's Particular Service Squadron inPortland Harbour.She resumed her duties as tender to HMSCambridgeuntil she was refitted in 1888–89. All four of the ships of the class participated in the annual fleet manoeuvers in 1887, 1889–90 and 1892; in between times they were in Fleet Reserve. HMSGorgon,like all of her sisters, was placed on the non-effective list in 1901 and sold in 1903 for £8,400.[14]

HMSHydrawas the next ship to be completed. After her service with the Particular Service Squadron she waspaid offatSheernessand served as tender toHMSDuncan.The ship was refitted in 1888–89 and was in Fleet Reserve atChathamuntil 1901.[10]

HMSCyclops,thelead shipof the class, was the third ship to be completed. She was placed in 1st Reserve after her completion. The ship was paid off at Chatham in August 1878 and refitted in 1887–89.[10]

HMSHecatewas the fourth and final ship of the class to be completed. She paid off at Devonport after her service with the Particular Service Squadron. The ship was refitted in 1885–86 and was placed into reserve at Devonport afterwards.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^Beeler, pp. 101–02
  2. ^abParkes, p. 212
  3. ^abParkes, p. 213
  4. ^Ballard, p. 219
  5. ^Ballard, pp. 218
  6. ^Ballard, pp. 246–49
  7. ^Silverstone, p. 169
  8. ^Gardiner, p. 6
  9. ^Parkes, pp. 213–14
  10. ^abcdParkes, p. 215
  11. ^abcdParkes, pp. 213, 215
  12. ^Parkes, pp. 212, 214
  13. ^Gardiner, p. 25
  14. ^Parkes, pp. 214–15

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toCyclops class monitor.
  • Ballard, G. A., Admiral(1980).The Black Battlefleet.Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN0-87021-924-3.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Beeler, John (2001).Birth of the Battleship: British Capital Ship Design 1870–1881.Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-213-7.
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1979).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905.Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN0-8317-0302-4.
  • Parkes, Oscar (1990).British Battleships(reprint of the 1957 ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-075-4.
  • Silverstone, Paul H. (1984).Directory of the World's Capital Ships.New York: Hippocrene Books.ISBN0-88254-979-0.

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