View source for Engineering:Pelorus-class cruiser


{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Pyramus SLV Green 1914.jpg
|Ship caption={{HMS|Pyramus|1897|6}} in 1914
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name='''''Pelorus'''''
|Builders=
|Operators=[[File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|30px|RN Ensign]] Royal Navy
|Class before={{sclass|Arrogant|cruiser|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Highflyer|cruiser|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1896–1899
|In service range=
|In commission range=1899–1922
|Total ships completed=11
|Total ships lost=1
|Total ships scrapped=10
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship type=[[Engineering:Protected cruiser|Protected cruiser]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|2135|LT|t|lk=in}}
|Ship length={{convert|300|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} ([[Engineering:Length between perpendiculars|p/p]], {{convert|313|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}} ([[Engineering:Length overall|o/a]])
|Ship beam={{convert|36|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|17|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|7000|ihp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 shafts, [[Engineering:Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|Vertical triple-expansion steam engines]]
*16 [[Engineering:Water-tube boiler|water-tube boiler]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|20|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=224
|Ship armament=
*8 × QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} guns
*8 × 3-pounder (47 mm) quick firing guns
*2 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
|Ship armour=*[[Engineering:Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|1.5|-|2|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Engineering:Conning tower|Conning tower]]: {{convert|3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The '''''Pelorus''-class cruiser''' was a "third-class" [[Engineering:Protected cruiser|protected cruiser]] designed by Sir William White (Director of Naval Construction 1885 – 1902) for the Royal Navy, based on the earlier [[Engineering:Pearl-class cruiser|''Pearl''-class cruiser]]s. Eleven ships were ordered to this design in 1893 under the Spencer Programme, and were laid down 1896–1900. The first, {{HMS|Pelorus|1896|6}}, was commissioned in 1896.

==Development and design==
[[File:Pelorus class - Brassey's Naval Annual 1898.png|thumb|left|These drawings of the British Pelorus class cruisers were displayed on Plate 12 in Brassey's Naval Annual of 1898.]]

The ''Pelorus'' class ships displaced 2,135&nbsp;[[Ton|ton]]s and had a top speed of {{convert|20|kn}}. Most served in minor roles on overseas or colonial patrol work, not with the main battlefleets. They carried a complement of 224 and were armed with eight QF 4-inch (25&nbsp;pounder) guns, eight 3&nbsp;pounder guns, three [[Engineering:Machine gun|machine gun]]s, and two 18-inch (450-mm) torpedo tubes.

They had reciprocating [[Physics:Steam engine|triple expansion steam engines]] and were equipped with different types of boiler which were trialled in these cruisers. Some had [[Engineering:Normand boiler|Normand water-tube boiler]]s which could give {{convert|7000|hp}} for limited periods of time with forced draught and {{convert|5000|hp}} under natural draught.

[[File:Protected cruiser HMS Pelorus - IWM Q 75405.jpg|thumb|right|HMS ''Pelorus'', 1910s]]
[[File:HMAS Pioneer by Allan Green SLV H91.325 2122.jpeg|thumb|right|{{HMAS|Pioneer}} circa 1910 s-1920s]]

==Ships in the class==
{|class = "wikitable"
|-
! width = 100| Name
! width = 100| Launched
! width = 250| Fate
|-
|{{HMS|Pactolus|1896|2}}
|21 December 1896
|Sold for scrap on 25 October 1921
|-
|{{HMS|Pandora|1900|2}}
|17 January 1900
|Sold for scrap in July 1913
|-
|{{HMS|Pegasus|1897|2}}
|4 March 1897
|Sunk 20 September 1914 by SMS ''Königsberg''
|-
|{{HMS|Pelorus|1896|2}}
|15 December 1896
|Sold for scrap on 6 May 1920
|-
|{{HMS|Perseus|1897|2}}
|15 July 1897
|Sold for scrap on 26 May 1914
|-
|{{HMS|Pioneer|1899|2}}
|28 June 1899
|Transferred to Australia on 1 March 1913 although not sold until 1 July 1915. Scuttled on 19 February 1931
|-
|{{HMS|Pomone|1897|2}}
|25 November 1897
|Sold for scrap in June 1922
|-
|{{HMS|Prometheus|1898|2}}
|20 October 1898
|Sold for scrap on 28 May 1914
|-
|{{HMS|Proserpine|1896|2}}
|5 December 1896
|Sold for scrap on 30 November 1919
|-
|{{HMS|Psyche|1898|2}}
|19 July 1898
|Sold to Australia 1 July 1915. Sold for scrap in June 1922
|-
|{{HMS|Pyramus|1897|2}}
|15 May 1897
|Sold for scrap 21 April 1920
|-
|}

==Service==
In an era of naval innovation, the class was almost outdated before they were launched. They were fitted with a variety of different boilers as a trial but most were not particularly satisfactory; so HMS ''Pandora'' was scrapped in 1913, HMS ''Perseus'' and HMS ''Prometheus'' in 1914. They had all been condemned in 1904 but had been reprieved. The remainder were to be scrapped in 1915, but were kept in service through the [[Social:World War I|First World War]]. HMS ''Pegasus'' was sunk in combat in 1914, the rest - except for HMS ''Pioneer'' - were scrapped between 1919 and 1922. HMS ''Pactolus'' and HMS ''Pomone'' had Blechynden boilers which were particularly unreliable, they were removed from active service several years before others in the class.

Rear Admiral Cresswell, the 1st Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board described ''Psyche'' and ''Pyramus'' in 1914 as "the unspeakably useless P. class."<ref>McGibbon, I.C. (1981) ''Blue-Water Rationale: The Naval Defence of New Zealand 1914–1942'', page 15 note 50 (GP Print, Wellington, NZ) {{ISBN|0-477-01072-5}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/pelorus_class.htm Pelorus Class] Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk
*[http://www./light-cruiser/hms-Pelorous.html Pelorous Class Third Class Protected Cruisers] worldwar1.co.uk


[[Category:Cruiser classes]]

{{Sourceattribution|Pelorus-class cruiser}}