This article is about a British warship. For Australian warships named Australia, see HMAS Australia.
HMS Australia was one of seven Orlando-classarmoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1880s. She was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1889 and remained there until 1893 when she returned home. The ship was assigned to the Coast Guard Squadron for the next decade before she was placed in reserve in 1903. Australia was sold for scrap in 1905.
Australia had a length between perpendiculars of 300 feet (91.4 m), a beam of 56 feet (17.1 m) and a draught of 24 feet (7.3 m). Designed to displace 5,040 long tons (5,120 t), all of the Orlando-class ships proved to be overweight and displaced approximately 5,535 long tons (5,624 t).
The ship was powered by a pair of three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which were designed to produce a total of 8,500 indicated horsepower (6,300 kW) and a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) using steam provided by four boilers with forced draught. During her sea trials, Australia reached 18.8 knots (34.8 km/h; 21.6 mph). The ship carried a maximum of 900 long tons (910 t) of coal which was designed to give her a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The ship's complement was 484 officers and ratings.[1]
The ship was protected by a waterlinecompound armourbelt 10 inches (254 mm) thick. It covered the middle 200 feet (61.0 m) of the ship and was 5 feet 6 inches (1.7 m) high.[1] Because the ship was overweight, the top of the armour belt was 2 feet (0.61 m) below the waterline when she was fully loaded.[2] The ends of the armour belt were closed off by transverse bulkheads 16 inches (406 mm). The lower deck was 2–3 inches (51–76 mm) thick over the full length of the hull. The conning tower was protected by 12 inches (305 mm) of armour.[1]
The ship was launched on 25 November 1886, and completed on 11 December 1888.[4] Shortly after commissioning, she was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet and remained there until 1893 when she participated in the Columbian Review held in New York City that year to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World.
She took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII.[8] Captain Charles Home Cochran was appointed in command on 24 November 1902,[9] but the ship was placed in reserve at Chatham Dockyard in early 1903,[5] before being sold for scrap on 4 April 1905.[1]
Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-8317-0302-4.
Friedman, Norman (2012). British Cruisers of the Victorian Era. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN978-1-59114-068-9.
Lyon, David; Winfield, Rif (2004). The Sail & Steam Navy List. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN1-86176-032-9.
Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN0-88254-979-0.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Australia.
April 16, 2023
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This article is about a British warship For Australian warships named Australia see HMAS Australia HMS Australia was one of seven Orlando class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the mid 1880s She was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1889 and remained there until 1893 when she returned home The ship was assigned to the Coast Guard Squadron for the next decade before she was placed in reserve in 1903 Australia was sold for scrap in 1905 Australia at anchorHistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS AustraliaNamesakeAustraliaBuilderRobert Napier and Sons Govan GlasgowLaid down21 April 1885Launched25 November 1886Completed11 December 1888FateSold for scrap 4 April 1905General characteristicsClass and typeOrlando class armoured cruiserDisplacement5 535 long tons 5 624 t Length300 ft 91 4 m p p Beam56 ft 17 1 m Draught24 ft 7 3 m Installed power8 500 ihp 6 300 kW 4 boilersPropulsion2 shafts 2 Triple expansion steam enginesSpeed18 kn 33 km h 21 mph Range8 000 nmi 15 000 km 9 200 mi at 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph Complement484Armament2 single BL 9 2 inch 234 mm Mk V guns 10 single BL 6 inch 152 mm guns 6 single QF 6 pounder 57 mm Hotchkiss guns 10 single QF 3 pounder 47 mm Hotchkiss guns 6 18 inch 450 mm torpedo tubesArmourWaterline belt 10 in 254 mm Deck 2 3 in 51 76 mm Conning tower 12 in 305 mm Bulkheads 16 in 406 mm Contents 1 Design and description 2 Construction and service 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksDesign and description EditAustralia had a length between perpendiculars of 300 feet 91 4 m a beam of 56 feet 17 1 m and a draught of 24 feet 7 3 m Designed to displace 5 040 long tons 5 120 t all of the Orlando class ships proved to be overweight and displaced approximately 5 535 long tons 5 624 t The ship was powered by a pair of three cylinder triple expansion steam engines each driving one shaft which were designed to produce a total of 8 500 indicated horsepower 6 300 kW and a maximum speed of 18 knots 33 km h 21 mph using steam provided by four boilers with forced draught During her sea trials Australia reached 18 8 knots 34 8 km h 21 6 mph The ship carried a maximum of 900 long tons 910 t of coal which was designed to give her a range of 8 000 nautical miles 15 000 km 9 200 mi at a speed of 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph The ship s complement was 484 officers and ratings 1 Australia s main armament consisted of two breech loading BL 9 2 inch 234 mm Mk V guns one gun fore and aft of the superstructure on pivot mounts Her secondary armament was ten BL 6 inch 152 mm guns five on each broadside Protection against torpedo boats was provided by six quick firing QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss guns and ten QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss guns most of which were mounted on the main deck in broadside positions The ship was also armed with six 18 inch 457 mm torpedo tubes four on the broadside above water and one each in the bow and stern below water 1 The ship was protected by a waterline compound armour belt 10 inches 254 mm thick It covered the middle 200 feet 61 0 m of the ship and was 5 feet 6 inches 1 7 m high 1 Because the ship was overweight the top of the armour belt was 2 feet 0 61 m below the waterline when she was fully loaded 2 The ends of the armour belt were closed off by transverse bulkheads 16 inches 406 mm The lower deck was 2 3 inches 51 76 mm thick over the full length of the hull The conning tower was protected by 12 inches 305 mm of armour 1 Construction and service EditAustralia named for the Australian continent 3 was laid down on 21 April 1885 by Robert Napier and Sons at their shipyard in Govan Glasgow The ship was launched on 25 November 1886 and completed on 11 December 1888 4 Shortly after commissioning she was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet and remained there until 1893 when she participated in the Columbian Review held in New York City that year to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus discovery of the New World Upon her return home Australia became the coast guard ship for Southampton Water for the next decade 5 Captain Charles Henry Adair was briefly in command from November 1899 to January 1900 when Captain George Neville was appointed in command on 20 January 1900 6 She escorted the royal yacht HMY Osborne when Queen Victoria visited Ireland in April 1900 and in September the following year she visited Germany and Denmark when she escorted the royal yacht carrying King Edward VII from Hamburg to Elsinore 7 She took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII 8 Captain Charles Home Cochran was appointed in command on 24 November 1902 9 but the ship was placed in reserve at Chatham Dockyard in early 1903 5 before being sold for scrap on 4 April 1905 1 Notes Edit a b c d e Chesneau amp Kolesnik p 65 Friedman p 146 Silverstone p 216 Friedman p 342 a b Friedman p 141 Naval amp Military intelligence The Times No 36049 London 26 January 1900 p 7 Royal gathering in Denmark Arrival of the King The Times No 36555 London 9 September 1901 p 4 The Coronation Naval Review The Times No 36845 London 13 August 1902 p 4 Naval amp Military intelligence The Times No 36919 London 7 November 1902 p 6 References EditColledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 Chesneau Roger amp Kolesnik Eugene M eds 1979 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1860 1905 Greenwich UK Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 8317 0302 4 Friedman Norman 2012 British Cruisers of the Victorian Era Barnsley South Yorkshire UK Seaforth ISBN 978 1 59114 068 9 Lyon David Winfield Rif 2004 The Sail amp Steam Navy List London Chatham Publishing ISBN 1 86176 032 9 Silverstone Paul H 1984 Directory of the World s Capital Ships New York Hippocrene Books ISBN 0 88254 979 0 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Australia 1886 amp oldid 1092647294, 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